Everyone under 18 across the state will be eligible for free public transport from January 1 next year.
For Seniors Card holders, public transport will be free statewide on weekends, also from January 1 next year.
This will include all government-funded public transport services across the state in myki and non-myki areas.
A government spokesperson said the move would help to ease cost-of-living pressures for families.
“Regional travel has already been made more affordable, with the fare cap saving Victorians more than $132 million since the introduction,” they said.
“Soon, paying for the public school bus will be a thing of the past.”
The spokesperson said bus services in Echuca that were run for the Victorian Government, including routes one, two and four, were included in the initiative.
Seniors must hold a Victorian Seniors Card — granted if they are permanent residents of Victoria, aged over 60, and work less than 35 hours a week — to be eligible for free weekend travel.
The move is expected to help promote regional tourism and provide a boost to familial connections.
Currently, a concession ticket on a V/Line train from Echuca to Southern Cross Station costs $5.50 one way.
In March this year, over 2.3 million people took a regional train service, while over 1.1 million accessed a regional bus.
14°C