Myki Lowest Balance Possible? (Melbourne/Victoria PTV Travel Card)

LCharlesSmash on 05/01/2023 - 10:42
Last edited 11/01/2023 - 10:35 by 1 other user

Myki cards can have negative balances, but how low can they go?

There's an existing discussion about the frustration of having paid for some cards that are no longer required:

But I'm in slightly different situation due to still being able to use the cards but I have too many due to buying extra cards for various visitors, family members and a group trip that I organised, I have loads of cards (~20) with various balances from -$1.50 to $50

I want to use them up gradually by winding them all down to the lowest possible value. Does anyone know what that is? I'm sure I had one in the past that was below -$4

Then I'm thinking of topping them up to the precise amount required before to then use them individually for my next day trip(s) to the city (single fare is $4.60 or return fare $9.20) to get them down to that lowest value.

I'll keep investigating and post an update but if anyone already knows, please share!

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• 

  JIMB0 on 05/01/2023 - 10:51

  +2

  You need a positive balance to tap on. The most you'd be able to run into the negative is a 2 hour zone 1 ticket price of $4.60. It's possible to go much further into the negative on Vline trips but traveling without enough balance to cover your trip is considered fare evasion and the ticket inspectors will fine you.

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  GG57 on 05/01/2023 - 10:55

  +1

  I assume that the card can go to a negative balance to pay for your current trip, but would need to be a positive balance to use for your next trip. The negative balance would be based on the cost of your trip and the balance on the card when you started.
  I wouldn't add any money to the cards. You should be able to just keep using a card until it is rejected (for negative balance) and then get rid of it and use one of your other cards.

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  newjerseydamo on 05/01/2023 - 11:51

  +1

  As GG57 and JIMB0 have said; it can only go in to negative from the most recent trip, from an already positive balance.
  It will not tap on with an already negative balance.

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  dtxau on 05/01/2023 - 13:08

  Raywood (Vline) to Southern Cross
  Buy a MyKi ($6 for card, $1 for travel) = $7
  Adult Peak Fare from Raywood to Southern Cross = $38.40
  Tap Off at Southern Cross = - $31.40

  So I guess the lowest a MyKi can go is -$31.40

  • 

    GG57 on 05/01/2023 - 14:13

    +1

    According to JIMBO above:

    …on Vline trips but traveling without enough balance to cover your trip is considered fare evasion and the ticket inspectors will fine you.

    As your card balance at the start was only $1, wouldn't the negative balance be $37.40?

    • 

      dtxau on 05/01/2023 - 14:28

      +1

      Thats why I failed maths!!! Yes you are right, $37.40.

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  CharlesSmash on 05/01/2023 - 15:17

  Thanks everyone
  Ok, I’m in Melbourne metro area so I think I’ll get each card close to $0.1 (or is it $1) then use it for a single journey of $4.60, then never use that card again.

  Edit - I just realised that this means each TRIP, so I couldn’t use a tram-train-bus for my last $4.60 journey, would need to be a single trip.

  I’ll update how I go.

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  johninmelb on 07/01/2023 - 18:00

  +1

  Transfer the balances to another active card.

  Check the expiry dates on the surplus cards and keep a couple with a long date in case rellies come to visit and then reactivate with a top up.