Melbourne runs on one ticket. myki covers the trains, the trams (the largest network of its kind in the world), and the buses, and right now — thanks to a statewide discount — it’s half price for everyone. Tap on, tap off, and the system works out your fare.
The basics
Three networks, one ticket:
- Trains — run by Metro Trains Melbourne, radiating out from the city loop to the suburbs.
- Trams — run by Yarra Trams, the backbone of getting around the inner city, including the free City Circle tourist tram (route 35) that loops the CBD.
- Buses — a network of routes coordinated by Transport Victoria (PTV), filling in the gaps trains and trams don’t reach.
All three take myki. The one exception is SkyBus, the airport bus — it’s run by a private operator and sold separately (more on that below).
The city centre and Docklands sit inside the Free Tram Zone: hop on a tram there and you don’t need a myki at all, as long as your whole trip starts and ends inside the zone.
How to pay
You’ve got two ways to pay:
- A myki card. Buy one for $6 (full fare), $3 (concession), or $5 (youth) at any staffed station, the PTV Hub at Southern Cross Station, myki machines, or hundreds of shops including every 7-Eleven — look for the myki sign. You’ll need to top it up before you can travel. Android users can skip the plastic entirely with Mobile myki in Google Wallet, free to set up.
- A contactless bank card, phone, or smartwatch — tap it like a myki, and it’s charged the full fare automatically. This only works for full fare; if you’re eligible for a concession, stick with a physical myki.
Tapping is mode-dependent, and it trips visitors up:
- On trains and buses, always tap on and tap off.
- On trams, you only need to tap on if your whole trip stays within the central Zone 1 — tap on and off if your trip reaches into outer Zone 2.
- Inside the Free Tram Zone, don’t tap at all.
You can’t buy or top up a myki on board a tram or bus — sort it out before you get on.
Fares
Right now, every fare is half price — a statewide discount running from June 1, 2026 through January 1, 2027. Top up with myki Money and you get unlimited travel for the day, capped at:
| Full fare | Concession | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily cap (current, half price) | $5.70 | $2.85 |
| Daily cap (standard, resumes Jan 2027) | $11.40 | $5.70 |
A few ways to stretch it further:
- Tap on after 6pm and you’re covered until 3am the next day — up to nine hours of travel for the price of two.
- Early bird trains are free. Tap on and off a metropolitan train before 7am on a weekday and you pay nothing.
- Weekends and public holidays are cheaper again for concession holders, and kids under 5 always ride free.
The half-price discount doesn’t apply to SkyBus, ferries, or non-subsidised regional buses.
Getting from the airport
There’s no train to Melbourne Airport — SkyBus is the fixed-route way in. The Melbourne City Express runs between the airport (stops at Terminals 1, 3 and 4) and Southern Cross Station downtown, daily from 4am to 1am (no service 1am–4am), every 10 minutes at peak and 15 minutes off-peak.
- Cost: adult $25.90 one-way ($43.40 return), child (4–16) $6.60 ($11.00 return), senior $20.70 ($35.10 return). Tickets are valid for 12 months and can be bought via the SkyBus app, online, at kerbside kiosks, or with cash at the Terminal 2 baggage counter.
- SkyBus also runs Peninsula, Eastern, and Sunshine Express routes from Terminals 1 and 4, useful if you’re headed to the bayside suburbs, the east, or connecting to Metro/V-Line trains at Sunshine Station.
- On a budget: PTV runs public bus routes from the Terminal 4 Ground Transport Hub — these take myki at ordinary fares, a cheaper (if slower) alternative to SkyBus.
SkyBus isn’t covered by myki or the half-price discount — it’s a separate ticket.
Apps to download
- PTV App — the official app: mobile myki, instant top-ups, real-time departures, and accessibility features like voice-over and audible stop announcements.
- Citymapper — a solid third-party option for real-time trip planning across trains, trams, buses and SkyBus.
- Google Maps — fine for simple trip planning with live PTV data built in.
When it runs
Metropolitan trains run from around 4am to 1am on weekdays. On Friday and Saturday nights, Melbourne switches to Night Network — trains, trams, buses, and some regional coaches keep running all night. A new myki fare day starts at 3am, and you won’t be charged a return fare if you tap on before then.
Accessibility
The PTV App includes voice-over support, large-font options, and can announce your stop as you travel. The Journey Planner shows accessibility details — lifts, hearing loops, tactile indicators, accessible toilets, tram-stop ramp access — for individual stops and routes; look for the “i” icon next to a station or stop.
Travellers Aid offices at Southern Cross, Parkville, and Flinders Street stations offer a buggy service, accessible toilets, a companion service, and mobility equipment hire. If you use a mobility aid, check it fits the standard size and weight limits before you travel — most trains, trams and buses have marked wheelchair spaces, but door and space dimensions vary by vehicle.
Etiquette & local quirks
- The tram tap rule is the thing every visitor gets wrong: tap on only, unless you’re heading out to Zone 2 — then tap off too. When in doubt, tap both ways; it won’t cost you extra.
- Ride the Free Tram Zone trams, including the free City Circle loop, without a myki at all — but if you tap on by habit, you’ll be charged a full 2-hour fare unless you tap off again before leaving the zone.
- Authorised Officers patrol the network checking tickets. They don’t fine you on the spot — they report the issue, and the department follows up by post with a fine, a warning, or (for serious cases) a court summons.
- If you tap on at a train station and change your mind, tap off again within 15 minutes at the same station and you won’t be charged. That grace period doesn’t apply to trams or buses.
Good to know
- The half-price fares run out on January 1, 2027 — if you’re reading this after that date, expect the standard caps ($11.40 full fare / $5.70 concession) to be back.
- SkyBus and the myki network are entirely separate tickets — a myki won’t get you on SkyBus, and vice versa.
- Myki can’t be bought or topped up on board a tram or bus, so sort out your fare before you board if you’re not already carrying a working card or contactless payment method.