
Bendigo commuters were among the first passengers able to use their mobile phone to top up their Myki when a new system was introduced on Thursday.
Passengers will be able to top up their Myki via their Android smartphone - rather than top up a physical card - when their credit runs low.
An Apple iPhone app is also is also in the process of being created, but a release date is not known as yet.
Public Transport Minister Melissa Horne said the new technology uses Google Pay on the Android operating system and allows passengers to travel with a full fare, concession, child or senior Myki using both Myki Money and Myki Pass.
She said passengers will be able to top up their Mobile Myki anytime, and anywhere, in seconds and see their recent travel history right within the app.
"Mobile Myki will make topping up and touching on quicker, and travelling easier," Ms Horne said
"It's the next step in building a smarter, more reliable public transport network and is on top of our record investment in major transport projects - to deliver more services, more often, right across the state."
She said discussions were ongoing with other smartphone operators and technical assessments were being completed to make the app available on other platforms as soon as possible.
Physical cards will still be made available while a grace period of several months will be used for passengers who might run out of battery during a train trip. Eventually passengers will be expected to have their phone charged throughout their entire train trip.
Passengers will still need to tap on and tap off at Myki points and at stations like they do now with their physical card.
The State Government said it was working to install mobile phone charging stations at train stations across the state.
More information is available at ptv.vic.gov.au/mobilemyki
How to use the mobile ticket system
- Download Google PayTM
- Follow the instructions within Google PayTM to set up your payment card
- Go to Passes. Tap the blue + Pass button and select Travel card. Choose myki
- Choose myki Money or myki Pass
- Choose your fare product: full fare, child, senior or general concession (interstate senior)
- Finish the transaction
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