SkyBus gone up again [Up to $23.90 one way]

[opusman]

I'm surprised to hear that so many smart buses are running early

Is it that? I think it's just that they aren't timetabled very well. Only every other bus (or so) leaves within 5 minutes of the train from the city arriving at Broady.

 

[moa999]

Just the Adult one-way and return going up by $1/2.
Family going down.
Seemingly no change to 10-pack

 

[Mattg]

Reading about another price hike makes me want to use my (paid) spare time at SCS to hand out 'did you know you can....' type flyers in the coach terminal.

I'm sure a lot of people would be happy for you to do that! The Skybus operators might even notice, which could only be a good thing.

 

[Melburnian1]

I bet more than 50 per cent of Skybus travellers are solo, especially during peak periods. This has been my observation over many trips.

That way by raising the 'solo' fares and decreasing the 'family' fare, the company ends up with increased revenue.

Some families get picked up at the airport, and others are probably more inclined to take Uber or (shudder) a taxi, or collect their car from Tulla's or a competitor's long stay car park and drive off.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

I'm sure a lot of people would be happy for you to do that! The Skybus operators might even notice, which could only be a good thing.
[/COLOR]

I would love to see that. The only reason the Skybus has their monopoly is because the alternatives aren't given a chance. I had no idea about the 901 before reading AFF. Now it's the only way to go.

Drives me crazy that the route planner still doesn't show the 901 as an option for getting to the airport, without un-checking 'Skybus' as an option. It means you have to know you're looking for alternative before you're offered one.

That said, part of what makes the 901 route so good is that it's always really quiet.

 

[TheAirman]

I had no idea about the 901 before reading AFF. Now it's the only way to go.

Sorry but what is the 901 ?

 

[Melburnian1]

Sorry but what is the 901 ?

You can look up previous pages of AFF but to put it simply, 'the 901' refers to the so-called SmartBus that is part of Melbourne's regular public transport network.

It runs every 15 minutes on weekdays until about 9 o'clock at night and is half hourly at other times. You can take a train from Melbourne's city stations on the Craigieburn line to Broadmeadows (or even V/Line train from Albury, Seymour or Shepparton) and connect to the 901 right outside the station. The fare one way is $3.90 ($1.85 seniors, pensioners and kids) using a myki smartcard. It can take as little as an hour depending on how long you wait at Broadmeadows. This is a lot cheaper than Skybus' $19 with the savings increasing if you use this other option for a return trip.

At Melbourne Airport the route 901 departs from the new car park not far from Terminal 4: there are ground floor bus bays. There's a myki card vending machine at international arrivals but I haven't seen one in any of the domestic terminals.

Bus drivers can also sell mykis and top them up with a fare, but they don't give change. The timetables are at www.ptv.vic.gov.au. If using the journey planner you have to de-select 'Skybus' via (removal of) the tick box at the bottom (small font called 'more search options.')

The trains normally run every 20 minutes to and from Broadmeadows but are more frequent during weekday peak hours and less frequent later at night and very early on Sunday mornings in particular. So that's why it isn't an 'exact', consistently timed connection between train and bus, because they operate on differing frequencies.

I haven't been on the 901 for a few weeks but my last few trips have had between six and 20 passengers which is a lot better than a few years ago when often I'd be one of about two passengers to or from the airport. However heaps of people still do not know about it.

 

[drewbles]

If you have two people, Uber X is now much more attractive (effectively the same price when traffic is good) and it's to the door as well, on the departure level

 

[Fiches Mouser]

If you have two people, Uber X is now much more attractive (effectively the same price when traffic is good) and it's to the door as well, on the departure level View attachment 67029

The only issue is that UberX isn't allowed to pick up at the airport. I spent a good 15 minutes trying to drop the pin outside the airport area to request a ride and didn't get any takers.

Fine heading out the airport though. It's only marginally cheaper than a taxi – I end up paying a little bit under $60 door-to-door in a taxi, so an Uber might only save me $10.

 

[drewbles]

The only issue is that UberX isn't allowed to pick up at the airport. I spent a good 15 minutes trying to drop the pin outside the airport area to request a ride and didn't get any takers.

Fine heading out the airport though. It's only marginally cheaper than a taxi – I end up paying a little bit under $60 door-to-door in a taxi, so an Uber might only save me $10.

Annoying. I guess if there's no Uber X drivers near the airport the drag-the-pin-elsewhere trick won't do much good. Until MEL sorts their cough out and legalises Uber, it's a gamble. Still, I refuse to support Skybus

 

[G00r]

Annoying. I guess if there's no Uber X drivers near the airport the drag-the-pin-elsewhere trick won't do much good. Until MEL sorts their cough out and legalises Uber, it's a gamble. Still, I refuse to support Skybus

Uber is legal in Syd and UberX still is blocked from picking up at the airport.
The BP at MEL is just outside of the geofence I think?
I know people on UberPeople.net report that they sometimes sit there waiting for people to request, call with their actual location and go and collect them.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Uber is legal in Syd and UberX still is blocked from picking up at the airport.
The BP at MEL is just outside of the geofence I think?
I know people on UberPeople.net report that they sometimes sit there waiting for people to request, call with their actual location and go and collect them.

That was my plan the other day. Even though it was midnight, there were UberX cars showing as only 6 minutes away. Perhaps they're on to us? Surely Uber would make this workaround as easy as possible – it's certainly in their best interests.

 

[serfty]

Ok ... it's gunna be $160 for the ten tripper (but 18 months validity).

https://www.skybus.com.au/blog/fares-update-kids-travel-free

 

[Melburnian1]

'The Age' website has a long story 'Skybus fares hit new high.'

 

[whatmeworry]

Was on a deathstar flight yesterday. They had a list of Aussie (and NZ I think) cities and ways to get from the airport to the cities respective CBD. For Melbourne a variety of options including the Skybus but no mention of the 901/Train connection.

 

[openseat]

Ok ... it's gunna be $160 for the ten tripper (but 18 months validity).

https://www.skybus.com.au/blog/fares-update-kids-travel-free

I just missed the increase having purchased a ten trip ticket last week. Occasionally I do the 901 bus/train shuffle - but it takes some time.

 

[marki]

I just missed the increase having purchased a ten trip ticket last week. Occasionally I do the 901 bus/train shuffle - but it takes some time.

I bought a tenner about a 3 weeks ago but used two rides so far ......also a winner, have never used the 991/bus train shuffle as of yet.

 

[seanpodge]

The Hun is reporting that Google Maps is finally showing public transport directions. To be fair, this delay is very much the fault of the Victorian Department of Transport rather than Google.

After testing it out by searching for PT directions from my house to the airport, it does show the 901 option by default, alongside Skybus. Might put a bit of pressure on Skybus, so!

 

[Fiches Mouser]

The Hun is reporting that Google Maps is finally showing public transport directions. To be fair, this delay is very much the fault of the Victorian Department of Transport rather than Google.

After testing it out by searching for PT directions from my house to the airport, it does show the 901 option by default, alongside Skybus. Might put a bit of pressure on Skybus, so!

This is wonderful! Hadn't seen it.

It made us (as a city) look pretty backwards, when you can go to almost any major city in the world (including those with much smaller populations than ours) and get transit on Apple/Google Maps.

 

[Melburnian1]

Yes, it took months more than it should thanks to the backward Public Transport Victoria which declined to act in the same efficient way that many other worldwide transport authorities had.

There may have been some bureaucratic jealousy about Google which did not help. It made Melbourne a laughing stock and even after today 'live' arrivals and departures of the various surface transport modes are not yet included in the information Google has. Hopeless!