Victoria's free public transport continues in May with half-price fares to follow

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-19/free-public-transport-victoria-extended-fares-halved/106580938

The Victorian government is extending its free public transport initiative for another month to include May.

Public transport fares across both metro and regional networks will then be half price from June 1 until the end of the year.

The initiative will cost about $432 million.

44 points · 7 comments · view on lemmy.world

7 Comments

MisterFrog@aussie.zone · 21 pts · 141d

Compared to how much we subsidise roads, this is a drop in the bucket

AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space · 7 pts · 141d (2 replies)

That money would be better spent improving service frequency and reliability to the point where one who has the option of driving would consider catching public transport. Also, electrifying outer-suburban rail services currently run by overloaded V/Line trains would achieve this and cut the fuel bill, freeing up money for future improvements. Though if we don’t expect cheap oil to return, we should be thinking of electrifying frequent country services as well.

DavidDoesLemmy@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 140d

Many who have the option to drive choose public transport for many trips. Me, for example.

Seagoon_@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 140d

there's a lot of people who want door to door public transport, that's just not feasible

pHr34kY@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 141d

$432 mil is about 80 dollarbucks per head.

Considering that schoolkids already ride free, that's a rather high estimate.

kurikai@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 142d

but will save everyone more than that!

Seagoon_@aussie.zone · 3 pts · 140d

awesome 👍

this will help a lot of people