Welcome to Transport Canberra - Light Rail, Buses and Active Travel

Transport Canberra branded MyWay card

Today the ACT Government launched the  Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate, a merging of the former TAMS and Capital Metro Agency. The launch was held at the ANU Bus Station by the Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Minister Meegan Fitzharris, and the new Transport Canberra and City Services Director General Emma Thomas. ANU Deputy Vice Chancellor Marnie Hughes-Warrington also spoke.

To introduce the new organisation, and the new Transport Canberra branding, a short tour on the new free City Loop bus service from the ANU Bus Station to the new Transport Canberra information office in Civic followed the official launch.

DG Emma Thomas, ACT Light Rail Chair Damien Haas, Minister Fitzharris, Minister Rattenbury

Transport Canberra is a bold statement of confidence in a new transport future for Canberra. The light rail project is a significant change in direction for Canberra, with light rail as the core of public transport, supported by more frequent integrated bus services, and active travel (walking and cycling).

A press release on the announcement informs us that:

"Transport Canberra’s mandate is to deliver a quality public transport system that is convenient, efficient, affordable and reliable. It will be responsible for integrating buses with the light rail network, ensuring a single ticketing system, a central contact for information and coordinated timetabling. It will reallocate more than a million bus kilometres freed up by the first stage of light rail across the bus network.

Today’s launch of Transport Canberra is the next step in making public transport in the ACT even better, and ensuring our beautiful city remains the most liveable in the world. Transport Canberra will focus on improving public transport will help us manage Canberra’s growth, reduce congestion and protect our liveability."

“We have created a new agency, but we are also backing it up with innovative ideas, policies and practical solutions to revolutionise our public transport and keep Canberra moving.

“By 2032 there will be almost 500,000 people living in Canberra, and if we don’t plan now and make positive changes to our transport system, congestion will cripple the lifestyles we all enjoy – we already know that without light rail, commuters from Gungahlin are looking at an hour-long trip to work in the morning. The time to think about solutions to those congestion problems is now and the answer is an integrated transport system for the people of Canberra.

With the merging of TAMS and Capital Metro, there are now two new websites. the old TAMS website has become Transport Canberra and City Services and contains links to previous TAMS services and functions, as well as links to the new transport functions.

Transport Canberra replaces the Capital Metro website, and contains information on Light Rail, Buses and Active Travel. The Capital Metro facebook page has also been rebranded as Transport Canberra Light Rail.

The new website also replaces the ACTION Buses website. All the timetable and route information formerly at the ACTION Buses website can be found at the Transport Canberra website.

With the prominent TC branding also comes some new logos that we will be seeing more of in future. A prominent L for light rail,  B for ACTION Buses and A for active travel.

One of the signs on the display at the Civic Transport Canberra information office

The free City Loop service and new Civic Transport Canberra Information Office are part of the effort to promote more use of public transport in Canberra. The Civic information office will be manned and be able to provide information on ACTION Bus routes and the light rail project. 

Transport Canberra pockets for MyWay cards that can be fixed to your smartphone

A joint press release from the Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Minister Meegan Fitzharris was released on 4 July 2016:

Transport Canberra brings a new vision for public transport to the ACT

The ACT’s new public transport agency Transport Canberra was officially launched today, making moving around Canberra easier and more convenient, providing more transport choices for Canberrans wherever they live and integrating buses and active travel options seamlessly with the light rail network.

To coincide with the launch, work has started on a new integrated transport ticketing system for buses and light rail across Canberra.

The work, which was allocated $3 million in the 2016-17 ACT Budget, will look at options to upgrade or replace the current MyWay system that is used for travel on ACTION buses and will be rolled out on light rail when it starts operating in late 2018/early 2019.

The Transport Canberra free City Loop service also started today, changing the way people move around the Canberra CBD and making public transport more frequent and easier to use, with a strong focus on customers.

Transport Canberra’s mandate is to deliver a quality public transport system that is convenient, efficient, affordable and reliable. It will be responsible for integrating buses with the light rail network, ensuring a single ticketing system, a central contact for information and coordinated timetabling. It will reallocate more than a million bus kilometres freed up by the first stage of light rail across the bus network.

Today’s launch of Transport Canberra is the next step in making public transport in the ACT even better, and ensuring our beautiful city remains the most liveable in the world. Transport Canberra will focus on improving public transport will help us manage Canberra’s growth, reduce congestion and protect our liveability.

The ACT Government is committed to providing a better experience for its customers and Transport Canberra will focus on making public transport a more attractive option for everyone, a genuine alternative to driving.

Minister for Transport and City Services Meegan Fitzharris said:

“The launch of Transport Canberra today is the most exciting change to public transport in Canberra’s history,” Minister Fitzharris said.

“We have created a new agency, but we are also backing it up with innovative ideas, policies and practical solutions to revolutionise our public transport and keep Canberra moving.

“By 2032 there will be almost 500,000 people living in Canberra, and if we don’t plan now and make positive changes to our transport system, congestion will cripple the lifestyles we all enjoy – we already know that without light rail, commuters from Gungahlin are looking at an hour-long trip to work in the morning. The time to think about solutions to those congestion problems is now and the answer is an integrated transport system for the people of Canberra.

“Our comprehensive survey of the ACT community has told us that Canberrans want public transport to be easy to use, to be there when they need it and to get people where they need to go on time.

“Transport Canberra will implement a range of public transport improvements over coming weeks, months and years, including improvements to ACTION to deliver a better bus service, a single ticketing system to ensure seamless travel between different modes, and a commitment to convenient travel in our city for everyone – no matter where you live.”

As well as this website, the facebook group 'Light Rail for Canberra' carries frequent updates on Capital Metro and light rail related news.