Some thoughts on PSDs. They’re not simple to retro-fit, but would be a good goal to move towards.
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Platform Screen Doors
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State Budget 2026
It was a budget day last week. I havenât had a chance to write a blog post so I thought Iâd try this: I’ll do a quick video. Hmm yeah okay it turned out to be 7 minutes long. Not as quick as I thought. If you prefer to read, no problem. The rest of ... [More]
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Progress on train frequencies
Metro’s 30 and 40 minute frequencies are steadily being upgraded – it’s great to see.
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Inside the new X’Trapolis 2.0 train
Back in 2023 I got to see and provide feedback for the X’Trapolis 2 train, based on a mock-up in a warehouse in Tullamarine. Time marches on, and the first actual trains have been delivered and are now testing. Myself and some other “rail influencers” were invited by the State Government to inspect one of ... [More]
Back to the 90s
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The great experiment: April free fares
Free PT is easy to say and easy to sell, but the effects and benefits are complex
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Slow internet on trains
I am working on a post on April’s free public transport, but hold those thoughts, as it’s taking a while to work through what I want to say. In the meantime: For years I’ve been disappointed by mobile phone coverage on my usual commute. It’s very bad for much of the train journey, in particular ... [More]
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Julian O’Shea: Maps
It’s April, a time for Easter eggs and of course it’s also Comedy Festival time. I went along to Julian O’Shea’s latest show: Maps. He’s playing at the Crowne Plaza, and ironically we could have done with a good map, as navigating your way there on foot isn’t easy at the moment, with works galore ... [More]
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Patronage during 2025
Updated public transport patronage data has just been released, including for January 2026. This is particularly interesting given the Summer Start free weekend travel that applied during December and January. Unfortunately the other data set that separates out patronage by days does not include weekend data for this period. It’s not clear if this is ... [More]
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Myki Tap and Go: Public trial
It’s finally here… almost. Tap and Go fare payments will be trialled from Monday (16th March) on the Craigieburn, Upfield, Ballarat and Seymour lines. This is important technology. Having bank cards (and connected devices such as phones) as a fare payment option is vital for new and occasional users, including tourists. They don’t want the ... [More]
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SRL: Provision for extra stops
To miss this chance would be incredibly short-sighted
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Big event weekend
Some thoughts on public transport over a busy long weekend
I’ve been falling behind on posting my ten year old photos, so here’s January and February 2016. Scooby Doo, where are you? Eye-catching street art in Hosier Lane. Flinders Street Station in its old more mustardy colouring, before they restored the facade to the more original sandy look. Also note the Federation Square shard thingy ... [More]
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Metro Tunnel travel options
Timing out the different options
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Big Switch: the first week
A rocky first week of Metro Tunnel operation, and some passengers are still finding their way.
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PT in the heat
I’ll have another post soon on the Metro Tunnel, from the Big Switch day, but I wanted to get this one finished first. I was keeping an eye on how public transport was affected by the extreme heat last Tuesday 27th January. The temperature in Melbourne reached a high of 42.7 degrees, but it went ... [More]