Travelling is not always about the flying.....

[leadman]

This week I was idly talking to a MYKI inspector on a Melbourne Tram after he checked the tickets and I said that the MYKI card was probably one of the worse systems in the world. He said what did I know, so I whipped out my travel wallet with my world public transport cards, showing him I knew a "little bit" about travelling O/S. A good discussion was then had!


I've never driven a car (ever!) so I enjoy travelling on the public transport systems rather than take taxi's everywhere and I try to do at least one leg every city I go to. Done so many different types I'm starting to forget, Jeepnies (Ph), Buses (Pak, SA, Ind, USVI, etc, etc,) boats, bikes, monorail, but on "official transport" my like/dislike list for card use is;


Best; Seoul but second London and Paris. Seoul also has other devices other than the card, see below)

Worst; MYKI too slow and coughbersome

Most Confused; Manila's MRT

Mount Everest of Steps; Bangkok's BTS don't put you bag through first as the gate closes on you leg!!!!

Hornby train set; KL's multiple systems

Favourite card; LA's TAP card - in a car mad city to have a pub trans card you feel a recalcitrant


I'm sure others have favourites and dislikes.....

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Never ceases to amaze me that Chinese subway systems so much easier to use than MYKI.

 

[Denali]

Japan train and subway system wins for me - even with not being able to speak or read the language I still managed to use it every day and not get lost.

 

[Ausbt]

Japan is amazing. I clicked out of my skis this year in Hakuba at 3:45 pm and thought "well, my wife's in Tokyo right now and I'm leaving Hakuba tomorrow, why don't I just leave right now?" Packed up my room, checked out and was having dinner with her in Tokyo at 8:15 pm. That's the beauty of knowing everything will be on-time and bullet-trains that deliver you right into the heart of the city.

As far as tickets go, I'm always somewhat amazed that those little train tickets they use spit out at the other end, even if you seemingly put in them in sideways. Here in Sydney, I've jumped many a barrier when the ticket or Opal card has failed, and lately I've been noticing fellow-travellers going through the Opal barriers with the red-cross coming up on the display 'invalid card'. I presume they have started planning the next system already ...not.

 

[Denali]

..... That's the beauty of knowing everything will be on-time and .....

One day, hubby and I were taking local trains and subways and at one point I said to him. "If a train comes and the doors open at 9.18am, we get in and then we get out at 9.30 and we should be at the right place". And yep - didn't even have to try to figure out if it was the right train, it just was.

Oh and the bullet trains.... Sydney/Melbourne has been talking about them for 30yrs and still nothing.

 

[TomVexille]

Oh and the bullet trains.... Sydney/Melbourne has been talking about them for 30yrs and still nothing.

Should have just built it 30 years ago

 

[Denali]

Should have just built it 30 years ago

Just like Sydney's 2nd airport.

And another thing, while Im coughing about Sydney buses. In Japan I remember being able to look at the bus shelter board and the GPS would keep track of the bus so you knew how close it was to your stop. Sydney - nope.

 

[TomVexille]

Just like Sydney's 2nd airport.

And another thing, while Im coughing about Sydney buses. In Japan I remember being able to look at the bus shelter board and the GPS would keep track of the bus so you knew how close it was to your stop. Sydney - nope.

A couple of the Melbourne buses have that feature

 

[Solid]

And another thing, while Im coughing about Sydney buses. In Japan I remember being able to look at the bus shelter board and the GPS would keep track of the bus so you knew how close it was to your stop. Sydney - nope.

you can do that via the tripview app

 

[Himeno]

And another thing, while Im coughing about Sydney buses. In Japan I remember being able to look at the bus shelter board and the GPS would keep track of the bus so you knew how close it was to your stop. Sydney - nope.

Canberra's been rolling out something like that for a while. At least for the major stops (and other stops can be checked online). I think Melbourne has been as well.


This is some of my collection of travel cards.

The Canberra MyWay system sort of surprised a few people. It was given a very small notice in the newspaper when they started working on it, then around 8 months later they announced public tests. More people heard about the tests starting then heard about the project starting at all.

The Myki might have problems, but it's better then some others I've used.
Sydney's is just a joke.

 

[harvyk]

The thing which really annoys me is anywhere that does not accept payment on board and instead requires you to pre-purchase a "pre-paid card". Yes if I am planning on using public transport in a place on a regular basis I might look at pre-paid card options since typically the rides are slightly cheaper. But when I am only going to use a bus or train a couple of times on a trip, and I don't know when I'll next be in that city, the thought that I am forced to purchase a card for the privilege of being able to pay to use the cities public transport system annoys me big time.

Melbourne, I'm looking at you.

 

[TomVexille]

The thing which really annoys me is anywhere that does not accept payment on board and instead requires you to pre-purchase a "pre-paid card". Yes if I am planning on using public transport in a place on a regular basis I might look at pre-paid card options since typically the rides are slightly cheaper. But when I am only going to use a bus or train a couple of times on a trip, and I don't know when I'll next be in that city, the thought that I am forced to purchase a card for the privilege of being able to pay to use the cities public transport system annoys me big time.

Melbourne, I'm looking at you.

It really is a stupid system

 

[Himeno]

The thing which really annoys me is anywhere that does not accept payment on board and instead requires you to pre-purchase a "pre-paid card". Yes if I am planning on using public transport in a place on a regular basis I might look at pre-paid card options since typically the rides are slightly cheaper. But when I am only going to use a bus or train a couple of times on a trip, and I don't know when I'll next be in that city, the thought that I am forced to purchase a card for the privilege of being able to pay to use the cities public transport system annoys me big time.

Melbourne, I'm looking at you.

Melbourne removed cash payment options? When did that happen?

 

[Denali]

The thing which really annoys me is anywhere that does not accept payment on board .....

Same with the buses in my area. I wonder how hard they would push the "card only" line as they are carrying a money till but I gave my husband an Opal card in December with $40 on it and hes used it once for $2.40 and wont be using it again until June.

 

[TomVexille]

Melbourne removed cash payment options? When did that happen?

Couple years ago. You can pay cash to buy/topup a myki, but no more cash options onboard.

 

[Himeno]

Couple years ago. You can pay cash to buy/topup a myki, but no more cash options onboard.

Even buses where the driver would have cash?
I've been using Myki when I'm in Melbourne since Oct 08 (in fact, I need to get my card sent off to MEL for replacement. Card expired a couple of months ago), shortly after it started being rolled out, so I guess I never noticed.

Removing all single ride cash options is just stupid. It's the only place I've heard of doing so. Even Singapore 'sells' single use ezcards with a $1 refund upon return of the used card.

 

[Ewing]

The thing which really annoys me is anywhere that does not accept payment on board and instead requires you to pre-purchase a "pre-paid card".

As a grumpy Sydneysider I am thrilled that they stopped taking cash payment on the buses.

It used to hold things up something shocking.

:mrgreen:

 

[sjd]

They claim the trams in Melbourne make it more complicated. It is not true, the politicians in Melbourne make it more complicated. I have an annual pass commuter club Myki for the daily commute. Last year buses replaced trams on my route and because I failed to swipe off the bus (on which the myki readers had stopped working) I was charged an extra fare and my annual pass card was made invalid until I went and added some credit to it. So if I had been picked up an inspector I would have been given a fine despite having paid for an expensive (but excellent value) annual pass. Took me forever to sort out over the phone, during which I discovered that the employees of Myki cannot purchase the discounted commuter club annual passes. Madness.

I was impressed with MRT ticket system in Singapore, but less so with their democracy.

 

[leadman]

The big problem I see with MYKI is they have tried to make it too complex keeping with the zone fares. To make it easier they should have scrubbed them and made it by distance, or time or both. But in saying that the London Oyster card works on bus and trains with little problem. And the other wonderful feature is how slow it takes to register when you try to scan! I have never seen any other system that is so slow and often you have to do it a few times to register.

Why could they just not buy the London or Paris or Tokyo etc, system?

 

[TomVexille]

Even buses where the driver would have cash?
I've been using Myki when I'm in Melbourne since Oct 08 (in fact, I need to get my card sent off to MEL for replacement. Card expired a couple of months ago), shortly after it started being rolled out, so I guess I never noticed.

Removing all single ride cash options is just stupid. It's the only place I've heard of doing so. Even Singapore 'sells' single use ezcards with a $1 refund upon return of the used card.

I believe so