Transport Victoria's upgraded myki system is expected to complete installation of new readers by year's end, but you'll have to use your myki for a while longer yet.
Victoria’s public transport network is getting a major technological upgrade as part of the state’s plan to modernise the myki ticketing system. The Victorian government has been progressively replacing 20,000 Myki readers across the rail network since late 2023.
Transport Victoria expects all new readers to be installed across the metro Melbourne and V/Line network by the end of this year. However, passengers will need to wait until early 2026 before they can tap on with credit cards, smartphones or other smart devices. Initially, the new readers will only accept traditional myki cards and Mobile myki applications through Google Pay (so, Android users only).
Contactless payments will initially launch only on the rail network in early 2026, meaning trams and buses will continue requiring physical myki cards until the full rollout is complete.
The rollout represents the first major step towards introducing contactless payment options across Victoria’s public transport system. Early testing included a six-month trial of tap and go payments on local buses in Wangaratta, which concluded in May this year.
Melbourne myki system upgrade
- New ticket readers being installed across rail network since late 2023
- Trials now underway on select bus routes
- All new readers expected to be installed by end of 2025
- Contactless payments to begin early 2026, initially rail network only
- Full network upgrade completion expected by late 2028
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The system will prioritise payments through physical credit cards or digital wallets saved to smartphones, while Mobile myki functionality remains limited to Android devices.
Passengers, including school children, will retain the option to use their existing myki cards throughout the transition period and beyond. The upgraded infrastructure includes new readers, screens and gates designed to eventually accommodate multiple payment methods while maintaining current myki functionality.
State budget papers revealed in May show the complete upgrade across Victoria’s entire public transport network won’t finish until late 2028. This timeline represents an 18-month delay from previous projections, with costs increasing by $136.7 million from earlier estimates.
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