Tap & Go on Melbourne Trains, Trams & Buses with Your iPhone or Apple Watch

You no longer need a myki card to travel on public transport in Melbourne. Transport Victoria says contactless payments are available on all myki-enabled trains, trams and buses. You tap on and off with a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, or with a smartphone or smartwatch linked to a digital wallet such as Apple Pay. That includes an iPhone and an Apple Watch.

What you can use

You can pay with a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, or with a compatible phone or watch linked to a digital wallet. Prepaid cards such as Visa gift cards, and Wise or Monzo cards issued outside Australia, are not accepted. Only prepaid cards issued in Australia can be used. Transport Victoria says it is working with American Express to bring contactless payment to its cardholders.

Each traveller needs their own card or device, and you can only pay for one person per card or device. You do not need internet or data when you tap, as long as your card or wallet is set up beforehand.

Our guide to Apple Pay in Australia shows how to add a card to Apple Wallet and which banks support it.

What it costs

Transport Victoria says contactless fares are the same as full fare myki fares. There are no extra fees when you use an Australian payment card. Victoria’s temporary half-price public transport fares run until 1 January 2027; after that date, use the fare shown when you plan the trip or ask Transport Victoria if you need the exact current amount.

If you tap on a bus and then change to a train or tram, you are not charged twice. Transport Victoria says the system works out the best fare for your travel that day.

How to tap on and off

Tap on at the reader as you would with a myki, and tap off the same way at the end. Use the same card or device both times. Any reader that accepts myki accepts tap and go, and all readers and gates still accept myki.

On an iPhone, hold the top of the phone near the reader. On an Apple Watch, hold the display near it. A tick and the word Done appear when it works, and a gate opens and might beep.

Each card or device counts as a separate payment method, even when they are linked to the same account. Transport Victoria’s example is tapping on with a physical card and tapping off with a phone. The system treats that as two separate journeys, which may cost more. If you mixed contactless and myki on one journey, call the Contact Centre on 1800 800 007 to talk about a refund.

Express Mode, so you do not have to unlock

Express Mode lets you tap on and off without waking or unlocking your device. You do not need Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode, and you may even be able to use it when your iPhone needs charging. Transport Victoria says it is optional and you can still tap and go without it. To choose the card it uses:

On your iPhone, open Wallet and select the card. Tap More, then Card Details.
Tap Express Transit Settings or Express Mode, then choose your card.
On your Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap the My Watch tab. Tap Wallet & Apple Pay, then Express Transit Card, and choose your card. You need to enter your Apple Watch passcode.

You can set one transit card for each transit network, and you can also set a payment card for places that do not accept the transit card. If you have a Mobile myki and a bank card both set up for Express Transit on your phone, Transport Victoria says the reader always uses the Mobile myki. To use contactless instead, select the bank card yourself and hold the phone to the reader.

To avoid accidental taps, Transport Victoria suggests keeping your cards separate if you carry more than one, tapping only with the card or device you want to use, and keeping your myki, card or device away from readers unless you are tapping on or off. Avoid leaning or resting devices on readers.

If you forget to tap off

If you forget to tap off, Transport Victoria says a default fare is charged, similar to a myki. If you tap off within 15 minutes using the same card or device on a train, you are not charged.

If you tap on by accident, wait about 30 seconds and tap the same reader again to tap off. Do it within 15 minutes and you will not be charged.

Payments, declined cards and refunds

Depending on your card provider and bank, it may take 5 to 7 days for a payment to appear in your account. You may see a pending amount before your daily fare is worked out and confirmed.

If your card is declined, usually because there are not enough funds, you cannot travel on it until you fix the problem. Transport Victoria says you have 3 days to make sure funds are available.

If you are eligible for a refund, Transport Victoria can process it once all your travel and payment information has been received and verified. That can take up to 72 hours after you travel, and then at least 10 days for the refund to appear in your account. If it has been more than 72 hours, contact the Contact Centre.

Seeing your trips

Transport Victoria has a contactless portal on its website. Enter the debit or credit card details you used to travel. If you used a phone or watch, enter the details of the card connected to it. You can see the last seven days of travel, including where and when you tapped on and off and the daily fare totals.

Transport Victoria says the portal is secure and does not store your card details, and that your card is not charged when you log in. Some banks may show a temporary $0 authorisation. A card or device you have not used in the last 7 days will not show.

Concession fares

Concession holders can use tap and go from 13 October 2026. You need to link your concession to each card or device you use, once. Transport Victoria’s steps are:

Tap on with a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card, smartphone or smartwatch.
Go to the contactless portal on the Transport Victoria website and follow the prompts to link your concession.
You get the concession fare from the next day you travel. If you complete steps 1 and 2 on the same day, Transport Victoria adjusts the full fare you were charged to a concession fare. Allow at least 10 business days for the payment to be processed. If you do not complete both steps on the same day, you will need to apply for a refund.

A bank card, a phone and a watch are separate payment methods, and you need to link each one. If you link several, do it one at a time on separate days, so that you are charged the correct fare.

Tap on and off the same way, because mixing payment methods means your taps do not count towards the same daily fare cap. Your discounted fares, off-peak savings and daily fare cap stay the same however you pay. Always carry proof of your concession and tap on every time you travel.

Under 18s travel free with a Youth myki. It cannot be linked to a contactless payment, so keep carrying it and tap on. For help linking a concession, call 1800 800 007 or visit the Public Transport Information Centre at Southern Cross Station.

What still needs a myki

Transport Victoria says weekly and monthly tickets, and Commuter Club, should continue to use a myki. Free Travel Vouchers still work as usual. Where myki and contactless are not accepted, keep using a paper ticket or eTicket. And Transport Victoria says you can keep using your myki if you prefer, because contactless is simply another way to pay.

Ticket checks

Authorised Officers use a handheld device to scan your phone, watch or card, the same way they check a myki. They cannot see your bank details or statements. They only see that you tapped to pay for your travel.

If you travel without a valid ticket you may be fined. Transport Victoria says officers do not issue warnings or fines directly. They take your details and send a report to the Department of Transport and Planning for review.

Need a hand?

If you would like help adding a card to Apple Wallet or setting up Express Mode, see our Mac and Apple device setup and troubleshooting service, or contact Your Mac Tech.