SkyBus gone up again [Now $23.90 one way]

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, ridiculous rates. I take the Broadmeadow route unless I have a discounted ticket.

Appalling that they are so in league with the VIC government that their private service appears on government transport maps and is the first option that appears on the PTV app.

But… they are reliable, clean, seem safe enough, and their schedule is high frequency for 20 hours a day. I used to feel it was a bit of a monopoly until (a) it’s not uncommon for buses to only be half full, but the service still runs and (b) i have to pay $18 to go two stations in sydney from the airport! A five minute journey is $36 return!

 

[aikman]

But… they are reliable, clean, seem safe enough, and their schedule is high frequency for 20 hours a day. I used to feel it was a bit of a monopoly until (a) it’s not uncommon for buses to only be half full, but the service still runs and (b) i have to pay $18 to go two stations in sydney from the airport! A five minute journey is $36 return!

I'm more forgiving of the Sydney fare knowing a lot of money was spent building the tunnel and buying some trains.

All Skybus had to do was rent a little bit of space at Southern Cross and at Melbourne Airport, and buy some buses. I bet their profit margins are many multiples more than the Sydney airport train.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm more forgiving of the Sydney fare knowing a lot of money was spent building the tunnel and buying some trains.

All Skybus had to do was rent a little bit of space at Southern Cross and at Melbourne Airport, and buy some buses. I bet their profit margins are many multiples more than the Sydney airport train.

But… skybus has a lot of staff… drivers and attendants to check tickets. Something not replicated by the trains where the driver is serving the whole route. I suspect bus drivers probably don’t come cheap, plus huge penalty rates given the 0400 start and 0100 finish!

 

[Must...Fly!]

But… skybus has a lot of staff… drivers and attendants to check tickets. Something not replicated by the trains where the driver is serving the whole route. I suspect bus drivers probably don’t come cheap, plus huge penalty rates given the 0400 start and 0100 finish!

You are joking right.

Who's driving the train? Controlling the signals? Maintaining the track?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You are joking right.

Who's driving the train? Controlling the signals? Maintaining the track?

I get it… but the train isn’t running a dedicated service for two stations… the airport is just two stops of a much longer route.

Skybus is a dedicated service. The costs are only recoverable on single tickets, point to point. The equivalent perhaps would be the heathrow express?

 

[Must...Fly!]

I get it… but the train isn’t running a dedicated service for two stations… the airport is just two stops of a much longer route.

Skybus is a dedicated service. The costs are only recoverable on single tickets, point to point. The equivalent perhaps would be the heathrow express?

Which pays significant access charges to both Heathrow and Network Rail (though how that has changed since Crossrail becoming operational I do not know).

Skybus pays fees too, no doubt - registration for buses, tolls to Transurban, and fees to the state government for having the exclusive license through a franchise agreement with PTV/DoT. But it wouldn't come even remotely close to what it costs to operate a railway.

Reality is the government is subsidising both in various ways, but you can't pretend because the train is part of a larger route, it loses less money. Every train ride is subsidised.

 

[CaptJCool]

Todays overland service will turn about $20,000

Lots of infrastructure cost etc
ARTC

there’s not money to be made if you pay for the tracks - governments everywhere can’t sell off that part of the business

Equally Skybus pays tolls and a large road transport vehicle fee

https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/registration-fees/heavy-vehicle-fees

That’s a bargain at $2,970

 

[BAM1748]

But… skybus has a lot of staff… drivers and attendants to check tickets. Something not replicated by the trains where the driver is serving the whole route. I suspect bus drivers probably don’t come cheap, plus huge penalty rates given the 0400 start and 0100 finish!

My own experience is they don't have enough staff, the ticket sales booth is woeful. So bad I stopped using Skybus altogether.

 

[BAM1748]

Airfares, bus tickets and trains all get their subsidy. I don't remember Virgin, Ansett, QF or anyone else other than the tax payer acquiring land, building a runway, terminal buildings and car parks. (only to be sold off later but that's for another day)

Train costs, rule of thumb, allow $10K to $15K per day per train is in service operating. A dedicated line to Tullamarine would have say 4 trains operating continuous on a half hourly service so $40K to $60K per day. Sydney has a 15min service on weekends and 5 to 10 min service on weekdays so you can see the costs rack very quickly.

Because of the cost Govts try to get some private investment in airport stations and give the 'rights' to said stations to the investors knowing they can charge more for a ticket. This makes it a user pays station otherwise all state taxpayers are footing the bill for a service only people flying use.

When building rail to airports govt try to build the case for others in the area, in the Sydney example the official name for the airport line is New Southern Railway as it opened up Green Square and Mascot and just happened to go past the airport which already had a railway albeit freight. the advantage of Sydney airport rail to say Brisbane is it goes through to other areas versus a dead end at the airport and the costs are obvious for Brisbane in that the trains stop running before the last flights where as in Sydney trains run before and after the airport curfew.

 

[Kremmen]

(b) i have to pay $18 to go two stations in sydney from the airport! A five minute journey is $36 return!

You can walk to/from Mascot station or catch a bus for a few bucks. I've not caught the Sydney airport train all the way to the airport since the Opal negative balance loophole was closed.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

They aren't sold off as such, more they (the govt) let private operators run the service, ie, a concession.
They let the private operators run, in some cases, the govt sets the fares, still, and let the private operator do the operation, and then pay the govt the revenue owed.
PTV is still a Vic govt owned agency, but then the individual services are run by the private sector, the trains are still owned by the govt, they still have their fingers in the pie, the SA govt runs AdelaideMetro, but the bus operators are private, the Sydney trains are still govt owned, but operated "privately", Sydney buses are govt owned but run by John Holland, our airports are still Aust fed govt owned, but allowed to be managed by private businesses for profit.
Skybus in this equation, is private, yes, but they would still have to pay the Vic govt something, pay the airport authorities something, pay the toll operator something, overall maybe Skybus keeps, I don't know maybe $10 per $18 trip.
Looks like the Skybus app does not in itself provide any rewards, <(Off T) but at the least, I can safely keep my Skybus BP from being lost, unlike my last VAd trip BP, which came out of email as a meaningless list of alphabets, but no VAd BP (On T)>.
===
With Adelaide bus drivers now not accepting cash, ie, you can't buy a bus ticket from a bus driver anymore in metro Adelaide, and they usually let a lot of free loaders on, it was their union rules not to push to collect fares, a lot of the back door entry of pax onto Adelaide buses are free loaders.
So, from Adelaide Airport, or on any buses, there are ways to get around gratis, not that I am saying its the right thing to do, but with not a lot of "Prescribed Officers/Customer Support" ticket checkers, its all on for free.
Note: I am not saying free loading is the right thing to do.

 

[gizzard]

They aren't sold off as such, more they (the govt) let private operators run the service, ie, a concession.
They let the private operators run, in some cases, the govt sets the fares, still, and let the private operator do the operation, and then pay the govt the revenue owed.
PTV is still a Vic govt owned agency, but then the individual services are run by the private sector, the trains are still owned by the govt, they still have their fingers in the pie, the SA govt runs AdelaideMetro, but the bus operators are private, the Sydney trains are still govt owned, but operated "privately", Sydney buses are govt owned but run by John Holland, our airports are still Aust fed govt owned, but allowed to be managed by private businesses for profit.
Skybus in this equation, is private, yes, but they would still have to pay the Vic govt something, pay the airport authorities something, pay the toll operator something, overall maybe Skybus keeps, I don't know maybe $10 per $18 trip.
Looks like the Skybus app does not in itself provide any rewards, <(Off T) but at the least, I can safely keep my Skybus BP from being lost, unlike my last VAd trip BP, which came out of email as a meaningless list of alphabets, but no VAd BP (On T)>.
===
With Adelaide bus drivers now not accepting cash, and they usually let a lot of free loaders on, it was their union rules not to push to collect fares, a lot of the back door entry of pax onto Adelaide buses are free loaders.
So, from Adelaide Airport, or on any buses, there are ways to get around gratis, not that I am saying its the right thing to do, but with not a lot of "Prescribed Officers/Customer Support" ticket checkers, its all on for free.
Note: I am not saying free loading is the right thing to do.

I haven't checked but I believe the Skybus app is the only way to buy a 10 Trip ticket.

 

[CaptJCool]

They aren't sold off as such, more they (the govt) let private operators
the SA govt runs AdelaideMetro, but the bus operators are private,

The ALP govt has returned Adelaide Metro to Govt ownership
Trains have til now been run by Kelios Downer

'No payouts or $2b contract axing' to reroute Adelaide train privatisation

The Transport Department CEO says the Malinauskas Government doesn’t need to terminate the former Marshall Government's $2.1 billion private rail contract with Keolis Downer or make any payouts in order to bring Adelaide’s trains and trams back into public hands.

indaily.com.au

An interesting insight by the Transport Minister, Thomas (the tank engine)
Was the new schedule the new drivers would stay AND they would ask the 134 former drivers who’ve sat on the sidelines for 4 years if they want to work again beggared belief

Taxpayers 'won't pay a cent' of $94 million fee to scrap Adelaide rail privatisation, minister says

The SA government is banking on Keolis Downer not pursuing legal action against it when it pushes ahead with plans to scrap the privatisation of Adelaide's rail network — despite a $94 million termination clause.

www.abc.net.au

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Previous Deleted.
By me, as noted from below.
===
Return, for $18 is still quite ok, if you have an early flight out, and have already used the into MEL trip already.

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Back to the SkyBus discussion, thanks.
[/mod hat]

 

[gizzard]

Previous Deleted.
By me, as noted from below.
===
Return, for $18 is still quite ok, if you have an early flight out, and have already used the into MEL trip already.

Where can you buy a return for $18?

 

[SYD]

Where can you buy a return for $18?

~$18 one way via NRMA / RACV portals.

 

[gizzard]

~$18 one way via NRMA / RACV portals.

I thought that was what you meant but wanted to check. That's still a lot for a 20 minute ride.

 

[SYD]

I thought that was what you meant but wanted to check. That's still a lot for a 20 minute ride.

Yep, I was just clarifying the other comment that mention $18 return (which would be nice!).

 

[CaptJCool]

Double decker double the price

C”mom you want a delayed
double decker

so you can get the per minute price under $1