Railways and Tramways of Australia
Victoria
Train services within the Melbourne suburban area are provided by Metro (Metro Trains Melbourne), while tram services within the Melbourne suburban area are provided by Yarra Trams. Public transport journeys in the Melbourne region generally require the use of a myki smart card. Most train services within regional Victoria are operated by V/Line, which also provides coach services to a range of destinations, many of which were formerly serviced by passenger trains.
Public Transport Victoria
The Public Transport Victoria website provides information about transport services within Victoria. It includes timetables, maps, live travel updates, and details about tickets and fares. The website also has a Journey Planner, which provides travel options between two locations identified by the user, including scheduled times of services and travel zones. Myki cards can be purchased and topped up through the Public Transport Victoria website. The Public Transport Victoria mobile app provides real time public transport information and other features for travellers.
Myki card
www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki
A myki card is a smart card used for most public transport services within the Melbourne suburban area as well as for most regional areas within Victoria, including trains, trams and buses in Melbourne, and V/Line commuter trains and buses in some regional cities and towns. Myki cards can be purchased at Metro premium stations, from machines at all Metro stations and at some tram stops and bus interchanges, and at selected retailers. The purchase cost for a new myki card is $6 for an adult card and $3 for a concession card. The cards can be topped up online by telephone (1800 800 007), at myki machines at suburban train stations and some tram stops and bus interchanges, and at selected retailers in Melbourne. Using a myki card involves touching on at the beginning of a journey and touching off at the end. Fares for train, tram and bus journeys within the Melbourne suburban area made using myki cards are calculated based on two fare zones. Where zone boundaries overlap, myki charges the fare for the cheaper zone.
Mobile Myki
www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/mobile-myki
Mobile myki is a way to pay for public transport fares without the use of a physical myki card. It involves the use of a digital myki on an Android phone by using the Google Pay app. Users need to download the Google Pay app to their phone and then select the myki option to set it up. Further information, include video instructions, can be found online.
Metro (Metro Trains Melbourne)
Metro (Metro Trains Melbourne) operates trains within the Melbourne suburban area, extending to Belgrave, Craigieburn, Hurstbridge, Pakenham, Stony Point, Sunbury and Werribee. A myki card is required for travel on Metro services. The Metro website contains timetables, maps, line and station information, service updates, and details about tickets and fares. It is also linked to the Public Transport Victoria Journey Planner for train journeys.
V/Line
V/Line operates interurban and regional train and coach services within Victoria. A myki card is required for travel to and from stations on lines to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon and Seymour. Paper tickets are required for travel on long-distance trains to and from stations on lines to Bairnsdale, Albury, Shepparton, Echuca, Swan Hill, Ararat, Maryborough and Warrnambool. Tickets for V/Line services can be booked online, by telephone (1800 800 007) or at stations. Phone bookings are open from 6.00 am to midnight, and all night on Fridays and Saturdays.
Reservations are compulsory on all train services operating between Melbourne and Albury, Bairnsdale, Shepparton, Swan Hill and Warrnambool. First Class seats and a Café Bar are available on most of these services. Passengers with a valid myki or V/Line ticket are permitted to travel free on Melbourne’s suburban trains, trams and buses; this applies for one hour before and after the V/Line journey for one way paper tickets, and all day for other tickets.
Peak services refer to weekday trains where passengers touch off at the end of their journey at one of the four Melbourne stations of Southern Cross, Flinders Street, North Melbourne and Richmond before 9.00 am, or touch on to begin their journey at one of these stations between 4.00 and 6.00 pm. Weekday services outside of these hours as well as all weekend and public holiday services are considered as off-peak. First and Economy Class seats are available on long-distance train services outside of the myki zone. VLocity trains have dedicated quiet carriages. Passengers in these carriages should turn down electronic devices, switch mobile phones to silent and speak quietly.
The V/Line website contains timetables, maps, travel and destination information, service changes, and details about tickets and fares.
Yarra Trams
Yarra Trams operates trams within the Melbourne suburban area. A myki card is required for travel on Yarra Trams services, except for the Free Tram Zone. Most tram journeys are contained within Zone 1, although some routes extend to the overlap area between Zone 1 and Zone 2. The area within the Melbourne CBD is a Free Tram Zone in which no fares apply and passengers are not required to touch on and off with a myki card. All stops within this are clearly marked, and tram drivers make announcements when approaching the zone boundaries. The Yarra Trams website contains timetables, maps, route guides, service changes, and details about tickets and fares. It also linked to the Public Transport Victoria Journey Planner. Information about tram arrivals is provided by tramTRACKER, which can be accessed online, by app, or by calling 1300 698 726 from a mobile phone or landline and entering a tram stop id.