Categories
transport

Metro tunnel opening day!

Some observations: Lots of people riding the new line, despite the weather. The stations are looking great. Some hiccups with escalator faults and at one stage a disruption near Anzac station (apparently due to trespassers near Hawksburn). No issues that I saw with the 7-car trains stopping at the front of the future-proofed 10-car length  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Who’s got bank card fare payment?

Perth is about to join the list

Categories
transport

What we know about the Metro tunnel opening

So now we know the when Metro Tunnel will open: Sunday 30th of November, with a temporary timetable dubbed the “Summer Start” – then the full service commencing on Sunday 1st February 2026. Summer free rides I’ve been told by the State Government that the previously advertised free fares on weekends in December and January  ... [More]

Categories
transport

More realtime info

A couple of newish things in the world of public transport info that have flown under the radar. Metro now has realtime info for rail replacement buses. Perhaps it’s a soft launch because I can’t see a link to the info on the excellent Planned Works page on their web site. Instead, if you browse  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Fixing the network: the long list

Inspired by Alon Levy’s quick-fire Bluesky threads full of transport ideas, here’s some quick-fire points from me: These are some priorities for fixing on Victoria’s public transport network. I’m excluding anything already underway (such as bank card fare payment and Melbourne Airport Rail), and for the most part I’ve focused on system-wide issues rather than  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Excessive dwell times

It’s not your imagination. Trains have got slower.

Categories
transport

What could have been

A 2013 document envisaged more frequent trains every day on most of Melbourne’s rail network

Categories
transport

Australia vs Amtrak

Comparing annual patronage: Amtrak vs NSW Trainlink vs V/Line

Categories
transport

PT compo

You can claim now for Metro, Yarra Trams, and V/Line poor performance

Categories
transport

Have crossing removals improved safety?

It’s Rail Safety Week. It’s a good reminder of what we can all do to stay safe around trains and trams. I was wondering if Victoria’s massive Level Crossing Removal Program has improved safety. (Warning, some of the content below is a bit grim) The TrackSafe foundation has data on fatalities in Victoria, and breaks  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Metro tunnel: another big test Aug 16-17

There is another big Metro tunnel test next weekend, August 16-17. Like last time, trains will run between Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham, but passengers will be offloaded between Footscray and Caulfield onto other trains. Leaving aside the faux peaks, similar to last time, the timetables show these daytime (interpeak) and evening frequencies: One key difference this  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Campbell Arcade has reopened

The Campbell Arcade (aka the Degraves St subway) re-opened this week, and I just thought I’d post the quick video I did for the PTUA social media feeds. (Yes of course it’s got an advocacy message.) Thirty seconds after I filmed this, the Metro Tunnel project director came past. I didn’t ask him, but I  ... [More]