Public transport in Oz cities relatively affordable.

[Naomi from Manchester]

Vaguely interesting article:

 

http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/public-transport-in-australian-cities-among-the-worlds-most-affordable-20150928-gjwkah.html

[Bungo]

Absolutely. Our monthly public transport costs into Sydney were about $250 I think for two of us. Our monthly public transport costs into London about £700 for two of us. Similar length journeys although the London one would be further in miles, but both typical commutes.

[Que Sera Sera]

Really cheap here and many events allow completely free public transport .

[amibovered]

public transport in Melbourne always seemed really cheap to me.

[Naomi from Manchester]

The $2.50 thing in Sydney on a Sunday is really great

[CaptainR]

Yep Sydney public transport is really good; very cheap, reliable and great coverage. The Sunday Funday $2.50 cap is amazing, we pretty much go exploring every Sunday on trains, ferries and buses. I never drive into the city, just catch the train.

 

And we live about the same distance from Sydney CBD as Reading is to London.

[jumpingjellybean]

The Opal Card in Sydney is really good. Once I have made 8 trips in the week, the rest of my trips are free. So Mon, Tue, Wed and Thurs are 2 trips each per day. Then Fri, Sat and Sun are free on the train or bus. $50 on the opal will last me about a fortnight. Trains in Sydney have improved vastly in the past few years both in terms of brand new trains and reliability.

[JockinTas]

The Opal Card in Sydney is really good. Once I have made 8 trips in the week, the rest of my trips are free. So Mon, Tue, Wed and Thurs are 2 trips each per day. Then Fri, Sat and Sun are free on the train or bus. $50 on the opal will last me about a fortnight. Trains in Sydney have improved vastly in the past few years both in terms of brand new trains and reliability.

 

 

Have they got rid of those non air-conditioned trains yet? How I used to hate standing at Wynyard station after work on a hot day to see one of those horrors arriving at the platform. Packed train and about 55C on board. Bloody awful! :mad:

[VERYSTORMY]

I am guessing the reason Perth isn't on the list is because the CBD is so small compared to Sydney for example. But it is very good value. The CAT buses which run around the CBD are free - so cant get any cheaper. The trains that come into the city are pretty good as well. I live 70km from the centre of Perth and a peak ticket is only about $12. Off peak I can travel all day as much as I want for about $12.

[jumpingjellybean]

Have they got rid of those non air-conditioned trains yet?

 

Phrasing them out.

 

Although I did get on an old rattler last year with no air conditioning and temp was high 30's. You just use poor mans air con. You sit by the connecting door and open it. The wind generated between stations cools the whole carriage down. No-one ever thinks of doing it. I get on the train and announce I am wedging open the door. People grumble. But by the time they get off they are smiling and thanking me.

 

The new trains don't have sticky floors, don't smell of stale beer and piss, and all have air conditioning. Sydney trains have come a looooooooooooong way in the past 20 years!

[Quinkla]

I agree that Australian commuter public transport is good value. But this is more a reflection on the high price of rail travel in the UK. In Edinburgh, for example, monthly bus tickets for their (formerly) excellent network were little more than a pound a day - and they covered the airport bus.

[starlight7]

I better cease whinging then- I thought it was expensive here. And mucky.

[Quinkla]

I better cease whinging then- I thought it was expensive here. And mucky.

Myki Pass works out at $4.62 a day - covering travel from the very farthest suburbs. I have an hour's journey each way and, if I am minded to convert to pounds, that's barely more than two pounds a day. Generally the trains are clean. Some of the trams are a bit old but others are shiny new. Plus, public transport in Melbourne is generally on time.

[amibovered]

I better cease whinging then- I thought it was expensive here. And mucky.

 

I'd go with mucky, even a bit clapped out, but cheap if you are comparing with th U.K.

[JockinTas]

I'd go with mucky, even a bit clapped out, but cheap if you are comparing with th U.K.

 

No wonder some of them are mucky. I watched a female on a Sydney train stuffing her face with some sort of fried chicken takeaway. She ate every scrap right down to gnawing on the bones. Chucked the box and remains on the floor then wiped her mucky, greasy hands on the plush seat material - slugged back a bottle of Coke and threw the empty bottle on the floor. I've also seen people spitting on the floor :elvis:

[Bound4Tassie]

No wonder some of them are mucky. I watched a female on a Sydney train stuffing her face with some sort of fried chicken takeaway. She ate every scrap right down to gnawing on the bones. Chucked the box and remains on the floor then wiped her mucky, greasy hands on the plush seat material - slugged back a bottle of Coke and threw the empty bottle on the floor. I've also seen people spitting on the floor :elvis:

 

I blame the parents!

[starlight7]

Yes- they are really gross some of them- and more the younger ones, sad to say. There was a rule that you are not supposed to put your feet on the seats but they ignore it and I'm not game to say anything these days because I don't fancy a knife in my guts.

[Paul1Perth]

I know when we've had visitors (most from Manchester) they have been pleasantly surprised about the cost, cleanliness and ease of the public transport here in Perth. We are a bit lucky in that we live 2 mins walk from a bus stop that takes you straight to a train station in 10 minutes. Services are regular and the trains are very frequent. The multi rider cards are very cheap. A lot of the concert tickets include public transport costs if you are going to see a band in Perth.

 

Some areas would be a royal pain to get to on public transport though.

[Sheeny89]

Coming from someone who drove EVERYWHERE in the UK save hopping on a train for a day out maybe twice a year, I am pleasantly surprised at the public transport here in Melbourne. Cheap, mostly on time, clean, really handy for me as it's a 5 minute walk to the station that takes 10 minutes to get to the CBD. I'm happy!

[Petkula73]

The $2.50 thing in Sydney on a Sunday is really great

 

Very true. We were in Sydney a couple of years back and tried to buy three day passes on a Saturday afternoon for some sightseeing. It came to something like $51 and the guy in the ticket office told us not crazy and come back tomorrow. We did and saved $43!