Myki is Melbourne’s contactless transit card and figuring it out in your first hour off a long-haul flight is the kind of small task that becomes outsized. This is the guide - what to buy, where to buy it, how to tap, what trips it covers, and the daily-cap rule that turns long days into free rides.
What Is Myki
Myki is a stored-value smartcard. You load credit, tap on at the start of every tram, train, or bus journey, tap off when you leave (only required on trains; trams and most buses are tap-on-only). The system automatically charges the right fare for the zones you’ve travelled. Daily and weekly caps mean unlimited use after a maximum spend. Run by Public Transport Victoria, not the council.
Visitor Myki Pack
For tourists: buy the Myki Visitor Value Pack at any of the major train stations (Southern Cross, Flinders Street, Tullamarine SkyBus terminus has a Visitor desk), 7-Eleven, or PTV hubs. $14 for the pack, includes $9 of pre-loaded credit. The card is yours to keep; refunds for unused credit at end of trip via PTV (worth it only for amounts above $5).
How Zones Work
Two zones in Melbourne: Zone 1 covers the CBD and most inner suburbs - basically everything within 18km of the CBD. Zone 2 covers the outer suburbs and reaches into regional Victoria. As a tourist, you’ll almost certainly stay in Zone 1. Zone 1 daily cap: $11; weekly cap: $55. Zone 1+2 daily cap: $11 (the system charges Zone 1 if you only travel in Zone 1, otherwise it caps at the higher Zone 1+2 rate). The touchscreen at every station shows your current balance.
The Free Tram Zone
The CBD’s Free Tram Zone covers the central grid plus Docklands and the Queen Victoria Market - boarding any tram inside this zone requires no Myki tap. Just board, ride, get off. The zone is signposted on tram-stop information panels. Trams with the green-tinted route map indicate the Free Zone routes. This is one of the biggest tourist hacks: most CBD tram travel is genuinely free.
How to Tap On and Off
Tap on at the green Myki reader at the start of every train, tram, or bus journey. On trams: readers are at every door. On trains: readers are at every station gate. On buses: a single reader at the front door. Tap off (place card on reader on exit) on trains. On trams and buses, no tap off needed. Failure to tap on equals a $250 fine; checks happen routinely on trams (not always, but enough).
Daily Caps and the Free-Ride Rule
Once your day’s spend hits the daily cap, every further trip is free until 3am the next day. In zone 1 the cap is $11 - about 4-5 trips. After the cap, you can ride trams, trains, and buses unlimited at no charge. Plan your high-tap day to maximise this. Weekly cap is $55 - for a tourist stay of 5+ days, the weekly cap saves money.
What Doesn’t Work With Myki
V/Line regional trains beyond zone 2 (Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon) - these need a separate V/Line ticket. Airport SkyBus - separate ticket. Private bus services (some outer routes). Most major tourist coach tours.
What This Means for You
Buy the Visitor Pack at the airport or first major station. Top up to $30 if you’re staying a week. Tap on every tram outside the Free Zone, on every train, on every bus. Hit the cap and ride free. Keep the card for next visit - they don’t expire. For day-trip transport, see the Melbourne no-car itinerary; for airport pickup, the airport-to-city first-timer guide.
Jack Carver covers Melbourne food, drink, and city life for MELBZ.