Contactless Tap and Go across all buses starts today (with big benefits for airport travellers)

As noted last week, today marks the day that all bus routes in Melbourne will be accepting credit and debit card full fare payment. This adds buses to trains and trams that have already been transitioned over. 

The benefits for buses are particularly high. Myki worked well for regular train commuters. Every Metro station had a card vending and top up machine. Regular commuting was a frequent and habitual activity and the one-off $6 Myki card purchase cost was neither here nor there. 

Buses though were different. They attract a different mix of trips, including those that are not frequently made. People wishing to travel might not have a Myki card, and even if they did the ability to top up on a bus was removed during the pandemic and not reinstated since. So bus fare evasion went through the roof and the government appeared to both deny and do nothing about the problem. All while depressing bus usage amongst honest but occasional travellers who did not have a Myki. Trams had similar issues though they serve inner suburbs more likely to have a train station or Myki retail outlet nearby. 

All that is now a thing of the past with passengers how having a credit and debit card payment option for full fare passengers. Concession travel capability will happen later but even now they have the benefit of a payment option (even if full fare) if they leave their Myki at home. 

Getting to and especially from Melbourne Airport will be a major benefit of enabling contactless payment on buses. While the half price fares remain (for rest of 2026) it will be possible to get to the city for under $3 via a regular bus and train combination. It's slower than Skybus but the $23 saving might still make it an attractive option for some.

It's not very well marketed and the bus leaves from an interchange arriving passengers won't see unless they know where to go. This is why I was pleased to talk to the ABC's Charlie Pickering during the week to tell listeners about this cut price option that credit/debit card payment will make easier to use. 

For more detail, including where to find the interchange at Melbourne Airport, watch this one.