Southeast Queensland public transport go card fares to rise from Monday SOUTHEAST Queensland commuters will have to fork out an extra 7.5 per cent for their public transport trips on Monday, with the system to be among the most expensive in the world. The State Government says it has already slashed the what was originally scheduled to be a 12 per cent increase by half - but public transport advocates insist it's still unacceptable. A single peak Go Card trip between two zones will no longer cost $3.85, jumping to $4.14. A new trial will also begin on January 6 of an extension of the 20 per cent off-peak discount period, which will commence at 8.30am instead of 9am. The Department of Transport and Main Roads says the measure should encourage up to 3000 extra people each day to travel after 8.30am. During the 2012/13 financial year, patronage fell by about 4.5 per cent, with Queensland Rail's annual report blaming the decline on "easing in economic activities and subsequent reduction in workforce numbers as well as the public transport fare increase that occurred in January 2013." In Oslo, Norway, a standard trip costs about $5.46, while travelling through two zones via London's tube and overground systems costs about $5.17. Brisbane's new fares will fall not far behind and within the world's top 10 most expensive, beating out other Australian capital cities. Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the latest increase was "way over the top" and would only further damage patronage levels. "That's what hurting people, it's this constant, sustained increase in fares with limited options to get out of it," he said. Mr Dow said the network was "inefficient" and was being "propped up by exorbitant fares." "Brisbane's still way out in front as one of the world's most unaffordable," he said. It doesn't matter which way you look at it - in real terms and absolute monetary value. He also slammed the lack of concession options for unemployed Queenslanders on Centrelink payments, saying it encouraged fare-evasion. "We've got one of the world's most expensive public transport systems and it's little wonder that we're starting to see stories about fare evaders needing to go to jail," he said. We're very anti-fare evasion, but on the other hand I can see where some of these unemployed people are coming from. It's very difficult for them to use public transport when they're using one of the world's most expensive public transport systems with very limited money.