Visitors to Melbourne will have a new option to pay for the travel around the city.
Transport companies have announced that they will be offering a short term 'myki' travel card to tourists who come to the city. The pass is a ticketing system that utilises a smart card - it is replacing traditional paper tickets on buses and the Metcard. Promoted as being re-uasble and durable, it will soon be valid for use on V/Line trains that run between Melbourne and surrounding towns such as Dandenong.
The card costs $14 and comes pre-loaded with $8 day pass. As a bonus, the card also has $130 worth of discounts to popular attractions such as the Melbourne Aquarium, and will be available from the 1st of July.
Although aimed at tourists, locals will also be able to purchase a myki card for $6. They will then have to top it up with cash as opposed to buying a ticket.
It is hoped that the card will boost the tourist trade in Melbourne. Not only does it make it easier for visitors to travel between hotspots, but it gives businesses another option to promote themselves in addition to poster and flyer printing.
Makers of the card claim that it will save travellers money, as it will automatically charge the lowest appropriate fare for a journey, and there is a capped maximum daily fare. Cards come in two flavours; pay-as-you-go and pre-paid, and any available balance you have is protected should you lose it.
