Public Transport to our airports - what's cheapest?

[Mwenenzi]

offish topic

How much do they already lose each day with the “Free” Tramzone?

Very little in my opinion. Just a few tourists or people who drove into the city.
Most people in the city (workers, etc) will have daily - weekly or monthly tickets. As I did for ~20 years. Not that many hourly tickets
Decades ago the on tram conductors(~ticket sellers), on most days, were paid more than the fares they sold-collected each day.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Yes the Bendigo Easter Festival is on, which is contributing, but I have caught trains before during Easter, nothing like this.

Only got on the second train apparently as it skipped an intermediate stop (Footscray) so they could make sure all the people who could not get on the first train at Sunbury could get on this second train.

Probably more to do with Easter weekend?

And some using public transport instead of burning liquid gold in a car, as current govt recommendations - suggestions.

 

[L2.]

Until the cut to regional fares in early 2023, it used to cost $48 for a return off-peak trip to Bendigo (as per the Internet Archive), and my recollection of having previously lived on that line on the 2010s is that the only time a weekend train would have been overcrowded was when an AFL match was on.

The sole exception to this used to be on Christmas Day, when free travel was offered and many took advantage of it do a day trip for a picnic out of Melbourne for the day.

I'd be tempted to make use of the free travel for an outing if I lived in Melbourne, but I'd also be livid if I was unable to utilise the system for an essential journey (e.g. coming home after a flight) because the trains were full of people taking completely non-essential journeys that had been encouraged by the government without any regard for how to accommodate the demand.

 

[Hvr]

offish topic

<snip>
Decades ago the on tram conductors(~ticket sellers), on most days, were paid more than the fares they sold-collected each day.

As someone who used to count the money the tram conductors paid in I can assure you that you are wrong. The weekly revenue more than covered the weekly payroll. Usually at least twice as much was received from the 'fare box' than was paid in wages at the depot.

This is for Melbourne.

 

[SYD]

offish topic

Very little in my opinion. Just a few tourists or people who drove into the city.
Most people in the city (workers, etc) will have daily - weekly or monthly tickets. As I did for ~20 years. Not that many hourly tickets
Decades ago the on tram conductors(~ticket sellers), on most days, were paid more than the fares they sold-collected each day.

There hasn’t been conductors on MEL trams for years - since the Myki cards came in. And that was the problem. Visitors couldn’t ride a tram without a Myki (at $4 a pop). So making a “Free tram zone” was probably cheaper than expediting contactless payments - which MEL still doesn’t have….

AMS was the same (as well as a few other cities) when they rolled out cashless payments via an OV Chipkaart (€5 non-refundable). But at least they eventually went contactless a while back.

 

[dajop]

There hasn’t been conductors on MEL trams for years - since the Myki cards came in. And that was the problem..

That’s not right. The last conductors finished when the Metcard was introduced. In 1998.

I remember well before any of that we had plenty of “free” public transport as a student with scratch cards. If using daily card you’d scratch off the month and scratch off the day only if you had a conductor or inspector on the tram.

 

[serfty]

That’s not right. The last conductors finished when the Metcard was introduced. In 1998.

I remember well before any of that we had plenty of “free” public transport as a student with scratch cards. If using daily card you’d scratch off the month and scratch off the day only if you had a conductor or inspector on the tram.

Some built an annual collection ...

 

[Hvr]

Some built an annual collection ...

It was an incredibly poor system. Many conductors would actually punch the dates.

 

[clifford]

Well, moving on, a few days ago I travelled from Broadbeach, Qld to Teneriffe, Brisbane return for the princely sum of $1. This involved bus, train and ferry travel. And I have to say that I think the train from Varsity Lakes to Beenleigh is the fastest suburban railway in Australia (based on my own experiences). Qudos to the Qld Govt (past ones that is).

The transport offerings were not overly crowded and staff were efficient and polite. I imagine based on above postings there will be calls for fares to be raised at least 20 fold. That would be very sad....

 

[Flyfrequently]

And some using public transport instead of burning liquid gold in a car, as current govt recommendations - suggestions.

You forgot the magic word Free @Mwenenzl

 

[aikman]

Free in April for MEL:

To nobody's surprise, free transport has been extended to the end of May.

 

[AIRwin]

To nobody's surprise, free transport has been extended to the end of May.

And half price thereafter?

 

[Hvr]

And half price thereafter?

And half price until the end of the year.
I wonder what they'll charge Seniors who already get half price fares?

Maybe free travel until the end of the year?
Oh, and not a political comment, but there is a state election in November 2026.

 

[clifford]

Maybe I should rush to book a trip to Vic (from ACT) to avail myself of these benefits.

Free travel from CBR to ABX (well the railway station) courtesy of NSW, and then on to MEL for free as well.

Who could miss those delights (me?).

 

[SYD]

Maybe I should rush to book a trip to Vic (from ACT) to avail myself of these benefits.

Free travel from CBR to ABX (well the railway station) courtesy of NSW, and then on to MEL for free as well.

Who could miss those delights (me?).

We were down in MEL over Easter. I’d transferred my stored balance from my old Myki to a new “concession” card (Seniors cards are only for VIC seniors a bit like QLD Hospitals)….bit it stayed in my wallet.

 

[AuSammy]

We were down in MEL over Easter. I’d transferred my stored balance from my old Myki to a new “concession” card (Seniors cards are only for VIC seniors a bit like QLD Hospitals)….bit it stayed in my wallet.

Yes interestingly if you already have a Myki seniors and you move interstate and change your address to your new state, the account remains active and you can replace an expired card and have it sent to your new interstate address.

[well thats my personal experience anyway]

 

[SYD]

Yes interestingly if you already have a Myki seniors and you move interstate and change your address to your new state, the account remains active and you can replace an expired card and have it sent to your new interstate address.

[well thats my personal experience anyway]

I actually bought a “seniors” card from a machine on a previous visit - well, because I now have a NSW Seniors card. Who knew that I was supposed to get a “Concession” card…..

SYD+1 had a conniption because I was getting free travel over the w/e vs half price with a concession card. To avoid further conflict, I cancelled the ill gotten “seniors” card and ordered a “concession” card (for another $4) but I’m still probably ahead…

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Maybe I should rush to book a trip to Vic (from ACT) to avail myself of these benefits.

Free travel from CBR to ABX (well the railway station) courtesy of NSW, and then on to MEL for free as well.

Who could miss those delights (me?).

Not by trains tho, so it would have to be buses... ick.
Well, you could always fly and earn SC towards LTP.
---
My Myki expired this year, but from what I was told (non concession), all I have to do, which I did, was just to have activity, to extend it for another 2 years.
---
OffT: In regards to AT HOP (Auckland, NZ), seeing that we are cousins now...
Better than the Auckland system, pain if you dont live there, as their AT HOP expires after 10 years, and the new card is different colour, they can cancel your old card on the spot, from expired to cancelled, but then, it takes a few days to transfer the balance, then you have 60 days to touch on new card onto a reader, to have the balance transfer.
Granted that now credit and debit cards can slowly be used on all modes to pay for public transport.
If you have the dark blue AT HOP, and have a few days in Auckland, get a new card (no cost, if you go to a staffed booth, they can issue a new lighter blue card there and then, but give it 3/4 days for balance to transfer to new card).
They cant give you money back, but can refund the balance to an NZ bank account.OnT.