The cost of using V/Line public transport is now hitting the hip pockets of regional travellers less hard with the state government’s new regional fare cap now in effect.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll last Friday, March 31, joined the first passengers to benefit from the new regional fare cap, travelling by train from Southern Cross Station to Woodend Station.

The cost of a daily ticket on the entire regional Victorian network is now capped at the same prices as metropolitan daily fares – currently $9.20 for a full fare or $4.60 for a concession. On a weekend or public holiday, daily fares are capped at $6.70 and currently just $3.35 for concession.

That means more money in regional Victorians’ pockets, and more opportunities for families in Melbourne and visitors to the state to explore everything Victoria has to offer. It also ensures families living in rural and regional Victoria can visit loved ones, and access health and education services in other regional cities and in Melbourne.

^{Pictured above: Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll with Mary-Anne Thomas at Woodend station last Friday, March 31.}

For those who take long-distance V/Line journeys, the regional fare cap can save people more than $40 for each and every one-way journey on the regional public transport network.

The cap also applies to interstate travel within 60 kilometres of the Victorian border, as well as Albury, Merimbula, Deniliquin and Mt Gambier, to ensure those living in border communities in New South Wales and South Australia benefit as well. The fare cap applies to all PTV regional buses, town buses and V/Line trains and coaches.

The state government says it’s continuing to boost the public transport network across regional Victoria, running more trains, more often – investing nearly $1.5 billion in 59 new VLocity trains since 2014, which has created around 500 jobs.