Six million people a year would use train to Melbourne Airport

[seanpodge]

Will it last past November if the Coalition loses government?

 

[BAM1748]

Labor have some weasel words in their rail policies, so they will hope to get out of it under pressure from the well organised road lobby.

Sad to say neither Labor or Liberal see value in new public transport options.

Matt

 

[Warks]

Wow I couldn't imagine not catching the train to the airport in SYD now I've been using it for the past 5 years. I don't care that it's much more expensive than any other train journey it's still way cheaper (way, way, way) than a taxi ($120++ each way) or driving (tolls over $24 return, parking $25-60 per day). No brainer.

Would be great if MEL got on board, so to speak.

 

[jb747]

Given that the traffic jam to get into Melbourne airport often extends way out on to the freeway, a rail link is massively overdue. But, no colour of politician in this county is interested in anything other than being reelected, so I'm not holding my breath waiting for any action.

 

[whatmeworry]

The rail line to the airport will be tied in after the improvement of the Dandenong line - improved trains and improved frequencies.

Melbourne Rail Link

What I don't understand, is why can't they in the meanwhile have a service between MEL and Sunshine, with Pax changing trains at Sunshine. There is enough platforms there and it wouldn't disrupt other services across the network. Don't people from Eastern suburbs know how to change trains?

 

[JessicaTam]

What I don't understand, is why can't they in the meanwhile have a service between MEL and Sunshine, with Pax changing trains at Sunshine. There is enough platforms there and it wouldn't disrupt other services across the network. Don't people from Eastern suburbs know how to change trains?

Whilst I accept that the loop may be at capacity* I agree that there is nothing stopping any govt from starting the construction of the Sunshine-MEL section.

*It is argued that upgrading the signalling across the network would double the capacity of the loop.

 

[BAM1748]

Build it standard gauge and avoid the broad gauge chaos, it then runs into Spencer Street (Southern Cross just doesn't do it for me).

Sunshine has the standard gauge.

Matt
PS, the end of the tram systems isn't far away, why not train tram and bus options?

 

[whatmeworry]

Saw this on Melbourne Reddit.

You can't buy a Myki on a tram but you can get a 'boarding pass' for a train line that doesn't exist.

 

[Dalescott]

In the end it will be an extension of an existing line. I have asked why they will not consider a separate line direct to Tulla, with no stops. My personal choice is the MagLev like in Shanghai, what a ride. You would have fast and I mean FAST travel to Tulla, as well as being a tourist attraction. Why are Pollie's so lacking in imagination, where is the vision in this country of ours.

 

[Dalescott]

Build it standard gauge and avoid the broad gauge chaos, it then runs into Spencer Street (Southern Cross just doesn't do it for me).

Sunshine has the standard gauge.

Matt
PS, the end of the tram systems isn't far away, why not train tram and bus options?

For Trams, baggage is a problem. Just use the LHR to London train in peak time. Or London Bristol on a late friday afternoon, packed, and no where for the Luggage.

 

[Himeno]

For Trams, baggage is a problem. Just use the LHR to London train in peak time. Or London Bristol on a late friday afternoon, packed, and no where for the Luggage.

Are you talking about the HEX or the Piccadilly line?
I don't see them paying to extend the 59 tram line from Essendon Fields/Airport West up Melrose Drive to Tullamarine.

In the end it will be an extension of an existing line. I have asked why they will not consider a separate line direct to Tulla, with no stops.

Would be nice, but I don't see it happening. While something like the HKG Airport Express, KLIA Express or Narita Skyliner would be nice, we'd be more likely to end up with something like the SIN metro line or JFK's A/E trains+Air Train.

My personal choice is the MagLev like in Shanghai, what a ride. You would have fast and I mean FAST travel to Tulla, as well as being a tourist attraction.

The Shanghai MagLev doesn't even go out of Pudong. It doesn't even get you into the financial district, much less past the Huangpu River and to the city center.

Why are Pollie's so lacking in imagination, where is the vision in this country of ours.

They don't know how to listen to the people they claim to work for and think people vote them in, rather then people voting out the other mob. Between that and all the NIMBY idiots, things just don't happen.
The people who do have imagination and plans to do things, don't have the capital (either political or $$) to make them happen.

 

[Dalescott]

Are you talking about the HEX or the Piccadilly line?
I don't see them paying to extend the 59 tram line from Essendon Fields/Airport West up Melrose Drive to Tullamarine.

I'm talking about baggage during peak hours, we had a hell of a time LHR to london, no where for our luggage. All racks were full

Would be nice, but I don't see it happening. While something like the HKG Airport Express, KLIA Express or Narita Skyliner would be nice, we'd be more likely to end up with something like the SIN metro line or JFK's A/E trains+Air Train.
The Shanghai MagLev doesn't even go out of Pudong. It doesn't even get you into the financial district, much less past the Huangpu River and to the city center.

I am suggesting the idea of fast rail, instead of snail rail. And yes it doesn't go from the centre, but still it the best ride.


They don't know how to listen to the people they claim to work for and think people vote them in, rather then people voting out the other mob. Between that and all the NIMBY idiots, things just don't happen.
The people who do have imagination and plans to do things, don't have the capital (either political or $$) to make them happen.

I spend near 30 years dealing with the problem, posed by Pollie, who have no idea of what their decision will do. But they still think they know best.
So to quote Alexander Korda to Errol Flynn and David Niven, "You think I know nothing, Well I know F?ck All"

 

[seanpodge]

In the end it will be an extension of an existing line. I have asked why they will not consider a separate line direct to Tulla, with no stops. My personal choice is the MagLev like in Shanghai, what a ride. You would have fast and I mean FAST travel to Tulla, as well as being a tourist attraction. Why are Pollie's so lacking in imagination, where is the vision in this country of ours.

Because the government probably couldn't afford to buy any new buses, trains or trams, let alone new lines, for about 20-30 years if they did. Melbourne needs an efficient reliable and affordable train service to the airport. It doesn't need the equivalent of gold plated Ferraris that a PVG style maglev (that would leave you in Essendon or Footscray rather than the CBD if we followed Shanghai's design) would be. It's already hard enough to get Spring St to fund serious public transport projects without wasting money like this. If it happened, Vicroads will think all its Christmases had come at once.

 

[whatmeworry]

PTUA Meme

 

[cmon0005]

I highly doubt the Gov's claim of 25mins travel, via sunshine! Maybe at midnight when few other trains are on the tracks.

And I would only use it if the trains were dedicated airport trains, not like sydney where during peak its a crush even without bags!

 

[whatmeworry]

From Southern Cross to Footscray it would take at least 10-15 min, 20-25 min Sunshine.. For it to get to MEL in 25 minutes, it would have to probably be express with maybe only stops in North Melbourne, Footscray and Sunshine.

 

[cmon0005]

From Southern Cross to Footscray it would take at least 10-15 min, 20-25 min Sunshine.. For it to get to MEL in 25 minutes, it would have to probably be express with maybe only stops in North Melbourne, Footscray and Sunshine.

Not only that but Melbourne's dodgy antiquated signaling will produce more delays than stations.

 

[dajop]

With the new RRL tracks, vline timetable shows Sunshine to Southern Cross as a around 17-23 mins and 15 mins in the other direction, with stops at Footscray. Assuming 15km at 80 kph to get from airport to sunshine about 12 mins, it is doable. Just. I'd think 30-35 mins seems more realistic. But no chance if joining the regular suburban network after Sunshine. More like 40 minutes ... Might as well stick to Skybus then.

 

[whatmeworry]

Didn't want to start another thread but another piece on how MEL is only one of 6 airports in the top 50 busiest in the world without a rail link or one in planning.

Come on Malcolm flash the cash!

Melbourne is the only airport among the world's 50 busiest without a rail link or one on the way, other than five heavily car-dependent American cities.
A new analysis is to be released by the Public Transport Users Association as part of an event they are staging on Friday. It shows Melbourne – with 28 million passengers passing through it each year – is the only Australian airport in the top 100 without a rail link.
The other top 50 cities without an airport rail link are Las Vegas, Houston, Charlotte, Orlando and Detroit.
Athens has just over half the number of passengers as Melbourne but has a rail link; Oslo with a population of more than 600,000 and Salt Lake City with just under 200,000 residents have rail links. Melbourne's population is 4.4 million.

Read more: Melbourne airport 50th busiest in the world but among only six without rail
​

 

[cove]

Not so easy as Transurban would need to be compensated under their "exclusive " contract.
Could make train fares as high as the Sydney train ride to their airport.