Infrastructure Victoria has released Fair Move: Better Public Transport Fares for Melbourne. This new research looks at how to make Victoria’s public transport system cheaper, safer and fairer in the short to medium term and supports our ongoing research into the benefits of transport network pricing.
The way fares are priced can have a big impact on when, where and how people choose to travel. Under our current flat fares system, standard tickets are priced the same whether you travel peak hour or off-peak, and whether you decide to take the train, tram or the bus.
Infrastructure Victoria is proposing a new, variable fare structure that delivers Melburnians and visitors discounts for travelling outside peak times and for choosing less crowded services, such as our under-used bus network or weekend trains.
Our modelling shows that by offering different price options depending on when and how people travel, public transport can be cheaper, safer and fairer for most travellers, especially those on low incomes.
Our final report includes 13 recommendations to the Victorian Government, starting with our recommendation to introduce off-peak fares and much cheaper fares for buses and trams.