Your weekend adventures just got easier! Free trains, trams and buses

After eight long years of constant construction and disruption, Victorians will finally have a reason to celebrate.

The city’s transport network is about to get a monumental upgrade.

And the state government has an extraordinary surprise in store for commuters this summer.

Premier Jacinta Allan revealed a historic initiative to thank Victorians for their patience during the Metro Tunnel works: free public transport every weekend from early December 2025 to 1 February 2026.

The offer covered every tram, bus, and train in Melbourne and across regional Victoria, from the first service on Saturday to the last service on Sunday.

Passengers will not be required to have a Myki or ticket, and gates are set to open automatically.

Anyone who will tap on out of habit would not be charged.

This initiative coincided with the opening of Melbourne’s $15 billion Metro Tunnel, which had disrupted the city for nearly a decade.

The tunnel introduced 240 new weekly services, linking the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines through five underground stations: Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac.

The Metro Tunnel doubled the size of Melbourne’s underground rail network, transforming public transport in Victoria and making weekend travel simpler than ever.

Regional travel and tourism boost

For regional areas, the initiative promises a tourism boost.

Warrnambool mayor Ben Blain said the free travel would encourage more visitors from Melbourne and other parts of the state to explore regional Victoria, especially the south-west.

Regional travellers are still required to reserve seats on select services, but reservations are free.

This applied to popular routes like the Warrnambool line, where overcrowding had previously been an issue due to the limited three-carriage VLocity trains.

Families, older Australians, and anyone mindful of transport costs could finally explore Melbourne and regional Victoria without worrying about travel expenses.

Trips to Ballarat, the Mornington Peninsula or simply visiting family in the city became financially stress-free adventures.

The Big Switch and ongoing benefits

The initiative will run until 1 February 2026, when the 'Big Switch' would fully integrate the Metro Tunnel into the state’s transport network, delivering over 1,000 additional weekly services and a new timetable for all passengers.

Premier Allan explained: 'This is our way of saying thanks to everyone for their patience while we built the Metro Tunnel—and to celebrate this huge moment in the history of our state.'

After years of construction noise, weekend rail replacements and service disruptions, these free weekends felt like a well-deserved reward for commuters—and a perfect opportunity to see what the Metro Tunnel had made possible.

If you’re feeling inspired to make the most of your free weekend travel, there are plenty of events across the state that are worth checking out.

Planning ahead can help you turn a simple trip into a full day of activities without worrying about transport costs.

Here’s a great story that shows how you can discover exciting events and get there for free.

Read more: October just got exciting! Thousands of events await seniors—here’s how you can get there for free

What weekend adventures are you planning to take advantage of this historic offer?