Free public transport until 31 May and half price fares from 1 June

Victorians can continue to travel for free anywhere in the state until Sunday 31 May.

Passengers won’t need to tap on or buy a ticket to travel on trains, trams or buses.

During the free travel period, bookings will not be required on V/Line train services, except for some coach services, at zero cost.

When the free travel period ends on 31 May, public transport in Victoria will be half price for all passengers until 1 January 2027. 

The 50% discount will apply to full fare as well as concession passengers.

Long distance train services - reservations 

During the free travel period, seat reservations are not available, and bookings are not required on the following V/Line train services:

• Warrnambool Line
• Ararat and Maryborough lines
• Shepparton and Albury lines
• Echuca and Swan Hill lines
• Bairnsdale Line

Passengers travelling on these services can board without a ticket.

Scheduled coach services

Seat reservations on the following scheduled coach services are still required, at zero cost.

An interstate levy will apply for coach journeys starting or ending outside Victoria except for Albury, Deniliquin and Mt Gambier services. 

Existing seat reservations will be honoured.

• Mildura to Swan Hill 
• Adelaide to Albury 
• Albury to Seymour
• Barham to Melbourne 
• Batemans Bay to Bairnsdale 
• Bendigo to Adelaide 
• Bendigo to Mildura 
• Canberra to Bairnsdale
• Deniliquin to Melbourne
• Griffith to Shepparton
• Mildura to Albury 
• Melbourne to Adelaide
• Melbourne to Mansfield
• Melbourne to Moama
• Mildura to Bendigo 
• Mildura to Melbourne
• Narooma to Bairnsdale 
• Seymour to Tocumwal
• Swan Hill to Mildura
• Wodonga to Canberra

Tickets for these coaches can be booked at staffed regional and metropolitan train stations, as well as V/Line booking agents.

Passengers travelling on all other scheduled coach services can board without a ticket.

We encourage passengers to plan ahead and arrive early for their service, travel outside peak periods if possible and allow extra time for their journey.

V/Line will closely monitor services during this period and where possible have coaches on standby in key locations to support train services.

V/Line staff will be working hard to keep services moving and support passengers.

Refunds

Passengers who have already booked a ticket to travel until 31 May can claim a refund online by filling in the customer feedback form or by visiting a staffed station. Seat reservations will be honoured even after a refund has been issued.

Passengers with accessibility needs

We encourage passengers to plan ahead, arrive early for their service and allow extra time for their journey.

Passengers with accessibility or medical needs, can call 1800 800 007 prior to travelling to ensure staff are aware of their travel needs and can assist as needed. 

V/Line staff will be on hand to support priority passengers with accessibility needs and they are encouraged to speak to station staff or conductors who will be able to assist.
 
Half price fares from 1 June

Public transport will be half price for all customers from 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027.

A full-fare customer’s daily fare cap will go from $11.40 to $5.70. A concession holder’s daily fare cap will go from $5.70 to $2.85.

All customers must have a valid ticket for travel. Customers can simply tap on as usual with whatever payment method they normally use and it will be automatically calculated to half price.

Public transport will be half price within Victoria (with an exception for travel to Albury, Mount Gambier and Deniliquin).

Passengers travelling to other interstate locations, will need to pay the interstate surcharge, $13.30 for concession and $26.60 full fare.

Questions and Answers

I already have a booking/reservation on reserved seated train service? What happens to my booking?

If you have an existing booking on a V/Line train service for the period between 1 May and 31 May 2026 your booking is still valid and will be honoured for that journey.

Passengers who have already booked during this period can contact 1800 800 007 or apply online by completing the customer feedback form at vline.com.au/contact-us or visit a staffed station or agent to seek a refund.

I want to book a ticket for a reserved seating train service because I want to be guaranteed a seat, what can I do?

We will not be taking bookings/reservations for V/Line train travel for the free travel period (until 31 May 2026).

Our services are popular and busy and we encourage you to plan ahead, check the service information before travelling and if possible, travel outside the peak period.

I want to book a seat on a V/Line coach service – can I still get a seat?

Yes, if the coach you are travelling on is a reserved service you can make a booking online, by calling 1800 800 007, or by visiting a staffed station. A ticket is not required for unreserved coach services.

What if my journey involves both a reserved coach and a train service? How do I make a booking for them? 

A booking can still be made for this journey with the train portion of the journey appearing as an unreserved service. Your connecting service time will be displayed on your ticket.

Will seat reservations resume on V/Line once the free travel period ends?

Yes. From 1 June passengers can book seats on V/Line as normal, at the half price fare.

Will this make V/Line services even busier?

We expect V/Line services to continue to be popular and busier than usual during this period.

We encourage passengers to plan ahead and arrive early for their service, travel outside peak periods where possible, allow extra time for their journey and check service information before travelling.

V/Line staff will be working hard to keep services moving and support passengers.

Please be patient and treat them with respect as they assist you.

The Victorian Government has implemented half price fares from 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027.

Half price fares

When is the half price travel period?

Public transport will be half price for all customers from 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027.

Why are fares being discounted?

Half price fares will deliver immediate cost-of-living relief for millions of Victorians.

How did you calculate how much customers will save with the discount?

Frequent full fare customers can save up to $732 during the half price fares period, and customers travelling on a concession can save around $366.

This is based on a customer who regularly uses public transport and pays with a myki Pass.

Are all transport services half price?

Free travel applies to all public transport services – metropolitan trains, trams and buses, and regional trains and buses. It excludes SkyBus, ferries, and non-subsidised regional bus services.

Is everyone entitled to reduced travel?

Yes, half price travel is for everyone travelling in Victoria, including customers travelling on a concession fare. These already discounted fares will be cut in half again.

How much will it cost to travel with half price fares?

A full fare customer’s daily fare cap will go from $11.40 to $5.70.
A concession holder’s daily fare cap will go from $5.70 to $2.85.

Should customers still tap on/off when travelling?

Yes. All customers must have a valid ticket for travel. Customers can simply tap on as usual with whatever payment method they normally use and it will be automatically calculated to half price.

Will customers automatically be charged half price?

Yes. Customers will be automatically charged half price.
If a customer believes they’ve been incorrectly charged, they can request reimbursement online at transport.vic.gov.au.

What measures are in place to manage busy services?

Customer service staff continue to actively manage any increased customer demand. We encourage all customers to plan their journey before travelling.

On V/Line services, customers are encouraged to spread out through the train and plan to travel on quieter services for those with flexible travel times.

Can customers travel interstate on a V/Line coach for half price?

Public transport is half price within Victoria (with an exception for travel to Albury, Mount Gambier and Deniliquin).

If you want to travel to other interstate locations, you’ll need to pay the interstate surcharge, $13.30 for concession and $26.60 full fare.