Metro Tasmania announces half price public transport fares

Credit: Metro Tasmania

In a significant move to alleviate cost-of-living pressures and encourage the use of public transport, Metro Tasmania has announced that all public transportation fares have been halved as of 1 June 2024 to 30 June 2025. This initiative applies to all fare types including adult, concession, urban, non-urban, child and student fares.

This fare reduction encompasses all public buses, fare-paying school buses and the River Derwent ferry service, allowing passengers across Tasmania to benefit from lower transportation costs. This change will be automatically applied to all fares, so Metro customers do not need to take any extra steps to enjoy the reduced rates.

The Tasmanian government’s decision to halve public transport fares aims to provide cost-of-living relief, reduce road congestion and attract new users to public transport.

Passengers can continue to use their Greencard or Transportme cards, which will automatically update to reflect the new half-price fares. Customers should tap on as usual when boarding.

The Fare Finder tool on the Metro Tasmania website will help passengers calculate their new fares. For example, student fares on public buses and ferries will drop from $2.00 to $1.00. Students using a smartcard or purchasing a 10-trip ticket will see further discounts, with smartcard fares reduced from $1.60 to $0.80 per trip, and 10-trip tickets from $16.00 to $8.00.

There will be no changes to existing free travel or concession fare eligibility criteria during the half-price fare period.

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10-trip school bus tickets bought before 1 June 2024, will remain valid and can be used during the half-price fare period. However, refunds will not be available for tickets purchased at the pre-discount rate.

The government anticipates an increase in public transport users during the discount period. To manage this, the Department of State Growth will work with operators to monitor capacity and service demand.

Bus and ferry services will continue according to their current schedules. Monitoring will be ongoing to ensure capacity meets demand, particularly during peak times. While some Tasmanian regions lack public transport, the Department of State Growth continues to review and adapt the network to meet growing demand efficiently.

The half-price fare initiative is a temporary measure to increase public transport usage and awareness. Extending this period would require reallocating funds from other essential services and infrastructure projects.

The Tasmanian government has allocated funds to improve driver recruitment and retention, ensuring more reliable service. Additionally, transit officers will be deployed to enhance safety for passengers and staff.

The fare reduction does not extend to ride-sharing services, taxis, private school bus services, the Skybus or the Bruny Island Ferry.