‘Mobile myki’ almost a reality as PTV trial new smartphone app

The days of forgotten myki cards and long queues to top up your card may soon be over.

Victoria’s public transport network, Public Transport Victoria, have announced it will be trialling new technology that will allow commuters to use a smartphone to pay for public transport travel, check their myki balance and top up on the go.

Dubbed Mobile myki, the service has been designed to make life easier for the everyday commuter and will integrate with current myki ticketing barriers and card readers across the state’s trains, trams and buses.

The Mobile myki trial will begin in coming months and will be exclusive to a limited industry-based test group of users on Android devices. Options to include other smartphone users such as iOS will also be explored during this testing period.

A wider, public test group is expected to follow after the initial trial. Existing myki cards will also continue to remain in use during and after the trial.

Since becoming the only ticketing service for Victorian public transportation networks in 2012, public reception towards the myki service has been divisive.

Many have criticised myki, citing inaccessible top-up stations, fare overcharges and a lack of information among the service’s major complaints. The new Mobile myki looks to address this and will hopefully do away with many commuters’ frustrations.