Victorians travelling to meet their family and friends on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve can go for free on public transport. You won’t need to use your Myki, and if you accidentally touch on, you won’t be charged for it. Public transport will be free on Christmas Day from 3am on Sunday December 25 until 3am on Monday December 26. Meanwhile, services will run for free from 6pm on New Year’s Eve until 6am on January 1.
Free public transport
With free public transport, you won’t have to worry about dealing with traffic or battling for a car park. Passengers on V/Line services will still need to book their Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve travel on reserved services, but they will receive a ticket free of charge.
Christmas Day
Metropolitan and regional public transport will run on a regular Sunday timetable. It will be free from 3am on Sunday December 25 until 3am on Boxing Day, Monday December 26. Night Network services will run throughout the night, and Boxing Day will run on a public holiday timetable. Free travel applies only to Economy Class on V/Line trains, and for travel that’s just within Victoria.
The following bus routes will not run on Christmas Day, and you will need to plan accordingly:
- Route 684 Eildon – Melbourne via Lilydale Station
- Route 681 Lysterfield – Knox City via Wantirna & Scoresby & Rowville (clockwise)
- Route 682 Lysterfield – Knox City via Wantirna & Scoresby & Rowville (anti-clockwise)
- Koo Wee Rup – Pakenham Shuttle
- Point Nepean Shuttle
New Year’s Eve
Celebrate the New Year and get home safely, with all metropolitan and regional train, tram and bus services running from 6pm on Saturday December 31 until 6am on Sunday January 1. The first V/Line service leaving Melbourne on New Year’s Day will also be free, even if the departure time is after 6am. Free travel applies to Economy Class on V/Line trains, and for travel that’s just within Victoria.
A Saturday public transport timetable will be in place between 6pm and midnight, with additional services after midnight.
Metropolitan trains will run to a 5 to 15 minute frequency between midnight and 1:45am. Then, between 1:45am and 2:45am, it will run at a 30 minute frequency. From 2:45am onwards, it will run on an hourly basis.
Most tram services will operate all night, running to a 5 to 15 minute frequency between midnight and 3am, and every 60 minutes from 3am.
Night Network bus service will run all night, and V/Line Night Network Coaches will operate.
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