Victoria’s newest transport policy is set to reshape how young people move around the state, with free public transport for everyone under 18 beginning on 1 January. The Youth myki, announced in the 2025/26 budget, is now available online and will begin appearing at staffed stations from 27 December.
The idea is simple. Families who currently pay for yearly student passes will no longer need to. A typical annual pass sits at around $755. For a household with three children, that adds up to well over two thousand dollars saved each year. The government has framed the change as a way to ease everyday costs while making school trips, sports runs and weekend outings far more affordable.
The new card is open to every young Victorian, regardless of where they live. When the scheme activates in the new year, the Youth myki will work across trains, trams and buses, including free access on booked V/Line services using the card number. For regional bus routes without myki readers, children will simply flash the card to travel.
The design of the new card comes from a young Victorian student named Charlie, whose bright, playful illustration was chosen to represent the way young people will use the network without paying a fare. It adds a small touch of personality to a policy that affects more than a million children.
The changes don’t stop with youth travel. From January 2026, seniors along with carers and disability support pensioners will be able to ride for free on weekends. They will still tap on and off as usual, but their accounts won’t be charged. This sits alongside the existing offer that already gives families free travel every weekend until February 2026 as part of the Metro Tunnel opening celebrations.
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams has positioned the initiative as a practical win for families. She highlighted cheaper school trips and easier access to weekend activities, saying it removes a small but regular pressure on household budgets. She also encouraged Victorians to make the most of the network, especially with new infrastructure opening and regional connections expanding.
As with any policy change of this scale, discussion continues around the financial side of offering free travel to such a large group. Supporters argue the social and economic benefits of greater mobility outweigh the cost, while others note the need for long-term planning to keep the network sustainable.
What’s clear is that the start of 2026 marks a major shift in how young Victorians use public transport. For many families, the Youth myki will likely become a fixture of daily life, making it easier for children to move around safely, confidently and at no cost.
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