The state government has reneged on a promise to provide free wireless internet on new trains and said it has no plans to introduce the technology on existing trains, buses and trams across the public transport network.

Last November, then Opposition leader Ted Baillieu promised to purchase 40 new trains with wi-fi technology for Melbourne's public transport network — but the first seven X'Trapolis trains on order for 2013 will not be fitted with wi-fi.

Commuters with computers ... But not free wifi. Credit:Penny Stephens

A spokesman for Transport Minister Terry Mulder said "our promise was that new trains would have wi-fi, when we came to government we identified that there was an urgent need for the seven trains... these trains will not have wi-fi, however the government is determined that the other 33 will have wi-fi".

The remaining 33 trains have been promised by 2018.