Metcard facts for kids

A Metcard was a special ticket used for public transport in Melbourne, Australia. It let people travel on trains, trams, and buses. Metcards worked in two main areas: Zone 1 (closer to the city center) and Zone 2 (the rest of the city). There used to be a Zone 3, but it later joined Zone 2. The Metcard was about the size of a credit card. It had a magnetic strip that told machines what kind of ticket it was.

How Metcard Started

Before Metcard, Melbourne used a simpler system called "scratchies." These were tickets you would scratch to show when they were valid. However, it was easy to cheat with scratchies, so the system was stopped in 2002.

Building a New System

The government in 1992 wanted a new, automatic ticketing system. A group called 'OneLink Transit Consortium' was chosen in 1993 to design and install this system. The main company providing the technology was the ERG Group. The contract was signed in 1994.

Testing and Launch

Testing of the new system began in 1993. The Metcard system was slowly introduced from 1996 to 1998. It started working fully in May 1998. This new system cost about $330 million.

Early Problems

When Metcard first came out, some people were not happy. It was expensive, and some tram conductors lost their jobs. Also, the ticket machines often broke down. People would sometimes damage the machines, for example, by pouring liquids into the coin slots. Because of these problems, the machines were changed several times.

Improving the System

In 2001, a study showed that many Metcard machines at train stations were not working. Machines on buses and trams also had problems. The government worked with OneLink Transit Systems to make things better. By 2002, more machines were working correctly. Vandalism, which is when people damage things on purpose, also dropped a lot.

Changes Over Time

In 2006, V/Line train tickets were linked with the Metcard system. The NightRider bus service also joined the Metcard system in 2007. On March 4, 2007, Zone 3 was removed and combined with Zone 2. This change was a promise made by politicians.

The original contract for Metcard was supposed to end in 2007. However, it was extended in 2005. This allowed Metcard to keep running while a new ticket system, called myki, was being developed.

Types of Metcards

Most Metcards could be bought for Zone 1, Zone 2, or a combination of Zone 1 + Zone 2. They were valid only in the zones you paid for. All Metcards, except for the City Saver, allowed you to make many trips on trains, trams, and buses.

Here are some of the types of Metcards that were available:

• 2 Hour (valid for 2 hours only)
• Daily (valid for one day of travel)
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Yearly
• City Saver (valid for a single trip within the city center)
• Sunday Saver (valid only on Sundays)
• Seniors Daily (a special ticket for people over sixty-five)
• 10 X Early Bird (a free ticket for trips ending before 7:00 AM)

Images for kids

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  Several Metcards

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  A Metcard gate at Flinders Street station that was changed to accept Myki. Myki and Metcard worked together for a while, but Metcard was eventually replaced by Myki.

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  A ticket issued during the last hours of Metcard