Melbourne rolls out contactless payments on select train lines
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Thousands of commuters in Melbourne can now use their bank cards, smartphones, or smartwatches to pay for train travel, as a long-awaited contactless payment trial begins across parts of the network.
Until now, passengers in Victoria had to use a physical Myki card to access public transport. The new trial allows eligible travellers to simply tap their credit or debit card or digital wallet at selected stations.
The trial is currently available on four train lines: Craigieburn railway line, Upfield railway line, Ballarat railway line, and Seymour railway line, including trips through the City Loop.
For now, the feature is limited to full-fare passengers, meaning concession card holders will still need to use a Myki card. Stations taking part in the trial have specially marked Myki readers to indicate where contactless payments are accepted.
Fares will remain the same as standard Myki prices, with a one-way full fare currently set at $5.70. However, commuters who transfer to train lines not included in the trial will still need to use their Myki card during the journey.
According to Public Transport Victoria, the trial is expected to run until the end of April. If successful, contactless payments will be expanded to the entire train network, with buses and trams to follow later.
Melbourne has been slower than other major Australian cities to introduce tap-and-go travel. Similar systems have already been rolled out across Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Canberra, where passengers can already use cards or mobile devices to pay for public transport.
Source : 9News
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