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Save up to $13.60 (Z1&Z2) on MYKI if You Buy 33 Days MYKI PASS (MELBOURNE ONLY)

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Hi mods, please move this to forum if this is not considered a deal. Thanks

I've been doing this for quite a long time, decided to share with OZB Community so that we all could save money together.
For those who are travelling using MYKI PASS and been buying 28 days (minimum days requirement for monthly fare) every time you top up.

I'll be suggesting if you buy 33 days instead, with the condition that your 1st touch-on has to be on Monday.

Let say for example, your pass expires on 29/08/14, you will need to top up MYKI PASS on 01/09/14 to travel on September. Buy 33 days, and you won't have to pay for 1 weekend (4th and 5th October 2014) as I believe some of us don't use MYKI on every weekend. So on the 6th Oct, buy 33 days pass again and you'll save 1 weekend (Sat & Sun) and so on, as your MYKI will expire on Friday.

Hopefully my explanation is quite clear.

SIMPLE RULE: BUY 33 DAYS, 1ST TOUCH ON ON MONDAY. only applies to MYKI PASS,

Hope this will help some people.

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closed Comments

  • This is assuming I don't use myki on weekend? I actually do use them during weekends as well so this will not have effect on me?

    • +4

      Yes, if you do use MYKI pass on weekend, this does not apply to you. Some people like me, prefer to stay at home or drive during weekend, so I don't want to pay for fares that I don't use. This is the trick.

  • +2

    I've been doing this for quite awhile as well.

  • so how much do you pay and what for?
    basic info is missing.

    I've considered getting myki passes before, but then I've realised it's only cheaper if you're travelling more than 5 days a week.

    • +6

      Not so.

      As an example:

      Zone 1 daily, full fare, 5 days @$7.16 per day = $35.8 (same cost as a 7 day pass).

      Zone 1 33 day pass = $145.20. If you start on a Monday, this gives you 5 weeks worth of weekday travel at a cost of $145.20/5 = $29.04 per week. That's a $6.76 per week saving over daily fares or a 7 day pass.

      Now, that's a bargain.

      • +2

        Thanks for explaining in more details! Some people are more gifted in explaining
        Are you a teacher? ;)

        • +12

          No, just a frustrated Myki user…..

        • +5

          @mariom: aren't we all?

    • +10

      28 days Zone 1 and 2 full fare pass costs $190.4. It's valid for 4 weeks —> $47.6 per week (Assuming you only use the pass on weekdays)

      33 days Zone 1 and 2 full fare pass costs $224.4. It's valid for 5 weeks —> $44.88 per week

      $47.6 - $44.88 = $2.72

      So in 5 weeks time you save $13.6

      • Thanks for this!
        Same as mariom, are you a teacher, specifically math teacher?

        • -3

          I have to be honest; I find it concerning that there are people willing to do this to save some money, but didn't only because they didn't add two and two together and figure it out…

          I mean, come on people. You know there is a lower rate for 28+ days. You know you don't need to travel on weekends. Why do you need someone to tell you that you're unnecessarily paying for extra Saturdays and Sundays if you just pluck a number out of the air when buying a pass?

  • Does your pass begin from the day you touch on? I was under the impression the pass began from the day it made the system (that's why I always top up on Sunday so my pass begins on Monday).

    It would be helpful if this weren't the case so then I could top up on Friday / Saturday and not forgot like I sometimes do :)

    • +3

      If your current 28-day Myki pass ends on a Sunday, then you can pre-purchase the next myki pass and you'll be fine as the old Myki expires Sunday, and new myki pass will activate on the Monday when you next touch-on.

      If you use this 33-day Myki pass method, and your pass expires on a Friday, and you've topped up early - you cannot use your Myki on the weekend, as the new Myki pass will activate as soon as you touch on. If you don't travel on weekends, then that is fine…it'll activate on the Monday morning when you touch on again.

      Hope that makes sense…!

      • +1

        Yeah I have used this previously so it expires on Friday, but didn't know that the new pass wasn't activated until the first time you touch on after adding the pass. Thanks for the info!

  • Hi Sage,

    zsa82 is basically saying you pay for 33 days ($145.20) and get 33 days on your pass. 33 days is a Monday through to a Friday just over a month later. You save 1 weekend of fares after 33days (ONLY IF YOU DON'T TRAVEL THAT WEEKEND). Then you buy a new pass for that following Monday

  • +2

    I haven't done the maths. But if you travel year round it might be better to get an annual ticket?

    http://www.ptua.org.au/members/offers/

    • +1

      likewise, i haven't done the exact maths…but another thing to be mindful of is that a lot of people have ~4 weeks annual leave, so this method gives you an opportunity to take that into account, as well as to plan around many public holidays.

    • +3

      Been doing the 33 day thing for a while. I ran the numbers at the start of this year, the annual works out better if you don't take any annual leave during the year. Since I take my 4 weeks a year in a lump, thats a month without paying for a myki which makes the 33-day cheaper.

  • OMG! genuis! dont know how i didnt figure this out before, thanks so much for this!

  • +3

    TL;DR version

    28 days = 4 weeks, paying for Monday to Sunday (where you pay for that final weekend)

    33 days = 5 weeks, paying for Monday to Friday (saving on that final weekend)

    • ahaha..I still don't get this!!….

      But if I don't use public transport on the weekend, then where am I better off?

      • +1

        28 days + 28 days = Monday to Sunday, Monday to Sunday = Paying for 56 days in a row

        33 days + weekend + 33 days = Monday to Friday, don't pay for 1x weekend (Sat & Sun) in between passes, Monday to Friday again

        If you think of it like a graph…you save money by not paying for 2x days in between passes (the "XX"s below)

        28 days: [1st pass][2nd pass][3rd pass][4th pass]
        33 days: [1st pass]XX[2ndpass]XX[3rd pass]XX[4th pass]

  • doing this for some months now..
    liked for sharing this

  • Good trick! I would totally do this if I didn't work from home once a week (I'm only in the office 4 days a week and dont catch transport on weekends).

    • Same as me, I'm using Myki money, is that the best way to go?

      • If you only catch public transport 4 days a week, then zone 1 would cost you $7.16 * 4 = $28.64 if you use myki money.

        If you get the 33 day pass, using @mariom example, its $145.20
        $145.20/5 = $29.04 per week

        So yeah in my case its cheaper to go myki money. Plus over a 5 week period, need to factor in the occasional sick day, public holiday, etc.

  • what happens if you still have Myki money left this Friday and buy a 33 day myki pass this sunday, will the myki pass kick in from Monday or will it use up the Myki money first?

    • +2

      Just found out answer myself: You cannot choose to use myki money if you have a valid myki pass on your card. A valid myki pass takes precedence over myki money.Will get this 33 day pass Sunday, thanks OP

      • Thanks, I was wondering the same thing!

  • Whats Myki … sounds like japanese cartoon

    • +4

      Yes its anime.. Melbourians jump on their back and get to work!

      • +1

        and get to work

        *Sometimes

    • +2

      Wrong, its actually Hentai.

      • +3

        Yep, and in this episode it's the Victorian public that gets screwed :/

  • I just use Myki money.. i don't trust myself to be at work every single Mon - Fri.. let alone trust public transport!

    • +3

      You must be working in the Public Service!

  • Thanks OP. I was good with Metcard calculation before.
    I am terrible to find a good way to save money using myki.

  • +10

    I use this site, been using it for years.

    Does all the calculations for you

    https://sapient.be/myki/

  • thank OP…hated myki from the start and never to worked the maths. Work offers a commuters club for $1257.75 a year taken out fortnightly off my pay + free myki card, but like some, i take my 4 weeks annual leave per year and rarely travel on weekends, so never signed up. Thanks for your post :)

  • I used to do the equivalent in Sydney on Cityrail. Similar calcs to above, still better for full year, but if you didn't need for as long due to e.g. annual leave it could work out better.

    However, our current state government got rid of this feature (Flexipass), as they since have with a number of tickets that save you money e.g. Off Peak return. You can't do it any more.

  • +1

    If, like me, you travel in Zones 1+2 (Zone 2 to City). You can get a Zone 1 pass, and pay myki money for the Zone 2 fare (+$2.48) for the morning trip (touch on Zone 2, touch off Zone 1). Return trip home (Zone 1 touch on, no touch off - assumes no barrier gates at Zone 2 station). Default fare for a myki pass is the Zone the pass is in.

    Using the 33 day myki pass example (25 week days):
    - 33 day Zone 1+2 full fare $224.40 = $8.98 per day
    - 33 day Zone 1 full fare $145.20, plus Zone 2 two hour myki money for AM touch on ($2.48) = $8.29 per day

    69 cents per day better off!

    I travelled Zone 1+2 on a yearly Zone 1 myki pass using this method. I never touched off, unless a barrier forces me to.

    • Hahaha :) I do the same thing!

    • Isn't it called fare evasion? Why bother paying then?

    • You assume that there are no inspectors in Zone 2.

      • +6

        If there are inspectors, I have a valid ticket, and I can touch off. I am just playing the system.

        • -2

          Inspectors check OzB. Beware

        • +1

          ITS NOT FARE EVADING!!!! its a valid LOOPHOLE in the myki system! There are MANY loopholes LIKE this one which I use daily that are full proof i.e. I've been inspected for my myki many times and each time I've been travelling with a valid ticket - its saves me over 3$ a day! Its not the consumers fault the system is flawed and cannot keep up with reality. THIS IS WHY they are changing the capped rate per day to Zone 1 fair ($7 something) from Jan 1st 2015 instead of having to spend more money redesigning the system to resolve it.

        • +2

          There's also a similar "loophole" exists at the self checkout counters at Woolies and Coles where the scanners can't tell the difference between the cheaper Orange Navel and the more expensive Mandarin. You can just grab the expensive stuff and scan it as the cheaper item. It's not customer's fault that the machine can't tell the difference. On second thought, why do you even bother scanning and paying? Just walk off and no one can stop you. Btw, am I posting at OZCrooks website? /end sarcasm

        • Well said

        • +1

          I think you are technically fare evading if you don't touch off if you traveled outside the zone of your pass. Inspectors can't catch you in the paid area of the station but could ask to check your myki say outside the station. You are suppose to touch off if traveling on the train.

          Anyway, from 2015 it's just Zone 1, so there won't be a difference. I would suggest don't get a Z1+2 yearly from now, get a Z1 yearly from Jan 2015.

        • @tim_geo:

          It's even better if you 'accidentally' have your son's CHILD Myki card in your wallet and are only charged a half fare

        • @tim_geo:

          There's no fare evading, according to the Myki website.

          If you're on a tram, you are told "you only need to touch off if your whole trip is in Zone 2" (See: http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/touching-on-and-off/). So it seems perfectly fine to not touch off and only get charged the default fare (Z1).

          If you're on a train, and you don't touch off, you get charged the Z1 + Z2 fare anyway. Based on the mention of barriers above it sounds like they were catching trains, so they weren't actually getting a cheaper fare like they thought anyway.

    • +1

      Are you sure the default fare on return is z1? Doesnt it default to a z1/2 if you don't touch off?

      • I personally would still consider it fare evasion (or as PTV is calling it in their recent add campaigns - freeloading) but technically this is correct.

        As per http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/default-fares/ "The default fare is $0 if … you have a myki pass and touch on in a zone for which your pass is valid."

        Whilst doing this you are touching on in zone 1 (where the pass is valid), therefore the default fare is $0.

        I would hate to try to explain it to an Authorised Officer if they check your myki and see you touch on in Zone 2 every morning and claim to get off in Zone 1 every evening, but I'm sure someone more cleaver than I could come up with a reasonable excuse.

        • +1

          So you're saying that anyone with a z1 pass gets free travel to z2 as long as they conveniently forget to touch off, surely they'd rather penalise you for forgetting.

        • but I'm sure someone more cleaver than I could come up with a reasonable excuse

          "My mum finishes work at the same time I finish uni so she gives me a lift home from the z1 station near her work." Too easy.

          But if they have a reasonable excuse (ie you forgot to touch off) to penalise you, surely they would.

      • +1

        No it doesn't default to z1/2. I only travel in zone 1 and often don't bother touching off at my station at night, you get a red light on the machine the next day but it only charges you for the zone 1 ticket.

    • If you don't touch off, you're charged a default fare which depends on the mode of transport.

      You mention a barrier which would suggest you're travelling by train. The default fare is a 2hr zone 1 and 2 regardless which zone your journey originated. So in fact, you're paying 2x2hr zone1+2 which is the daily cap and works out more than what the OP is suggesting.

      You might want to double check what you're being charged and if you're right, well done. However I've found the default fare to be charged correctly from personal experience.

      Refer
      http://ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/touching-on-and-off/

  • Or you could just get a yearly pass? I think by default it could be slightly more expensive than this method, but if you can get commuter club 10% discount you'd definitely be in front.

    • +1

      Don't get a Z1+2 yearly pass. Z2 get abolished Jan 2015.

  • +1

    You're telling me that simple mathematics and logic can save me money…?

  • +1

    If you are using this method and are travelling in zones 1+2, and happen to find that you need to use public transport on that 5th weekend which you haven't paid for. It works out better to use myki money to cover these days as the weekend fare cap is $6, whereas the daily rate for a 28+ days myki pass is $6.80. You are still 80ยข ahead each day over that weekend. Then just buy a 33 days myki pass again on the Monday. Simples.

  • +2

    Not a deal. You don't end up with a mcflurry

  • For people travelling on weekends you can consider having a second myki for weekend travel. So you will get 33 day of weekday travel as suggested by op.

  • +2

    The last PTUA president blogged it over four years ago:

    http://www.danielbowen.com/2010/04/13/regular-pt-cheapest/

  • Zsa,
    When do you buy the next pass? I've found buying on Friday when my pass expires, the next pass doesn't activate until Monday afternoon and I end up using up a days worth for the trip home Monday night which kills a whole day of pass and and pay for a regular z1 trip on Monday morning. This is for online top up. Do you buy at a machine on Monday morning? Is that the only way?

  • bless the government for spending millions to make buying pt tickets much simpler now

    oh wait..

  • -4

    I can't believe this has not been moved to the forums.

    There is no saving. I always do this when working in the CBD. It's just common sense. Why would you pay for days that you aren't going to use? It's not a bargain…

    And 33 days is not the optimum. It very much depends on any public holidays around when you start the pass, or when the pass finishes… (but a true Ozbargainer would have already known that…)

  • I have saved thousands on MYKI…I refused to get one in the first place and so now I ride my bike everywhere. Under the old system I could be tempted back on to a train if the weather was crap - but the MYKI ensures that I stay away with their $6 card fee - I used the system so infrequently to begin with that I just know that one trip will cost me the $6 card fee + the fare and then I will lose the card before the next time I use it…so I can't be bothered.

  • -6

    Is not purchasing things you don't need a bargain now?

    • Feel free to neg dude, I'm just trying to help the community here :)
      It's the same kind as https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/155704
      in terms of tips and trick. the purpose is to save $ here.

      People in OZB community are so happy whenever they can save $1 - $5
      This trick that I shared, can save $13.60 in every 5 weeks and might be more in the future as the tix price tends to increase every year.

      So you are free to calculate the $ you will save every 5 weeks X how many years you gonna use MYKI, unless you retire or you don't catch public transport anymore in the future.

      :D Cheers,

      • Neggers will neg.
        Haters will hate.

    • It's not a bargain to the smart a.. who doesn't purchase things he doesn't need. (but ask yourself honestly is there at least an item that you bought is not what you need, especially in impulse buying)

      I reckon that this one is still a bargain, may be not to everyone, but at least to someone! There's no need to neg for it!

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