The Uber app could soon replace your Myki card

You may soon be able to use the Uber app to pay for train, tram and bus tickets in Australian cities.

The rideshare giant has already rolled out the system in two US cities: Denver and Las Vegas.

Now it’s setting its sights on Australia, confirming it is in discussions with Australian public transport agencies and hoping to offer an alternative to Melbourne’s Myki and Sydney’s Opal card.

Business Insider transportation reporter Graham Rapier, who is based in New York, said the system has been well received in US cities.

“It’s super convenient,” he told 3AW’s Kate and Quarters.

Mr Rapier said the system is particularly helpful for tourists who aren’t familiar with transport systems in new cities.

“If I were to visit your fair city and I didn’t know how to take the bus, I had never taken the bus before … At least in New York you can’t buy a transit card at the bus stop,” he said.

“So there’s really no way for me to buy a ticket.

“But if I have the Uber app I can compare, and I can buy the ticket here, so all I’ve got to do is tap that and through the Uber system and it pulls up a QR code.

“I can scan that and be on the bus for hopefully a lot cheaper than paying for a car.”

Currently, Uber isn’t taking a cut of transport fares, but that may change when the system is rolled out to more cities.

“It seems like the idea is so long as you are in that Uber app, eventually you might take an Uber ride. The fact that you made an account, your put your card details and you downloaded the app seems to be enough for Uber at this point,” Mr Rapier said.

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Michael Dodge / Stringer