Victoria's Ticketless Public Transport Enters Final Testing Phase

In short: Testing of tap-and-go technology on Victoria's public transport system will reach its final stage over the next few months. The government says users will be able to pay for travel without a myki card in the early part of this year. The introduction of ticketless travel was part of the contract awarded to Conduent when it took over the myki system, but it has faced delays. Victorians will soon be able to pay for public transport with a credit card or a smartphone, with a contactless payment trial entering the final stages of testing. The introduction of tap-and-go travel was stipulated in the contract awarded to US-French company Conduent when it took over the myki ticketing system in 2023. However, the scheme has faced delays and accusations of "pointless" testing of ticketless travel technology that has seen Victoria's public transport payment system fall behind other cities. The government said controlled laboratory testing involving a range of bank cards and smart devices will begin next month. That will be followed by public trials of contactless payment on the state's public transport system "over the coming months", a government spokesperson said. The public tests will take place at a small number of train stations before the entire network is opened to tap-and-go payment in the early part of this year. That will finally bring Victoria up to speed with states such as New South Wales and Queensland, which have systems that allow users to tap on and off with credit cards and digital devices. Victoria's Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams said the final trials would bring tap-and-go travel closer for public transport users. "This is a critical next step in rolling out tap and go payments, allowing us to test the technology in real-world conditions and make sure the system works smoothly before it's switched on for passengers." " In the coming months, passengers will be able to touch on using a credit or debit card, a smartphone or a smart watch — starting on trains, then rolling out across the rest of the network. " Close to 3,000 new ticket readers have been installed at more than 280 train stations ahead of the switchover to contactless travel. A six-month trial of ticketless travel was conducted in Wangaratta in 2025 on four bus routes but was branded a "gimmick" by industry insiders. "This really isn't testing anything,'' one said, noting that tap-and-go payment systems were already in widespread use in the community. The long-awaited modernisation of the Victoria's public transport ticketing system has been under significant scrutiny in recent years. As reported by the ABC, the awarding of the contract to Conduent sparked controversy, with questions raised about its international track record in delivering tap-and-go payments. The government was also criticised in 2023 for rejecting a credit card tap-on technology trial for myki, after the ABC revealed documents showing a trial was ready to go.