Commuters would no longer receive free travel after making eight journeys using their Opal card, the Sunday fare cap would almost triple and the price for longer trips would rise, under a proposed overhaul of public transport fares.

A draft Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal report recommends sweeping changes to Opal fees, also calling for a new integrated fare structure so commuters who switch between trains, buses, ferries or light rail are no longer charged twice for the same journey.

The proposed changes would affect commuters across all modes of public transport but the tribunal said more than 60 per cent would pay less in 2016 to 2017. But by 2018, however, commuters would be paying an average of 8 per cent more per journey.

The reforms would mark the end of commuters being able to travel for free after they have paid for eight journeys or spent $60 on fares in a week.