Transport in Melbourne - Public Transport

Public Transport

Melbourne is served by a public transport system integrating rail, tram and bus services. Its extensive tram network is the largest in the world, integrated into both bus and train networks. Almost 300 bus routes and a train system comprising 16 lines service Melbourne, Greater Melbourne and suburban regions. Metropolitan, rural and interstate railway networks link together at Southern Cross Station, in Melbourne's CBD (Central Business District).

A Space Syntax Approach Multiple Centrality Analysis of Melbourne's public transport network (excluding buses which were deemed too inefficient) in 2009, found that approximately 8.8% of the greater urban area and approximately 448,000 residents were serviced within 30 minutes of anywhere in the greater Melbourne area. This concluded that only 10–15% of the residents in Melbourne are serviced by appropriate and timely public transport.

The public transport system in Melbourne carries 7% of all trips within the metropolitan area. In early 2009 this figure increased to 9%, with the share measured in passenger kilometres increasing to 11%.

Since World War II, Melbourne urban form changed to a dispersed city, car-oriented pattern which caused a decline in public transport use by commuters. Yet the old pattern of transport still reflected the Melbourne’s urban form.

In 1999, operation of the city's public transport system was franchised with Government through a dedicated statutory office, the Director of Public Transport, contracting out operation of rail and tram services. In 2006, franchising was estimated to have cost taxpayers $1.2 billion more than if the system had remained publicly operated. With the franchise extensions in 2009, taxpayers will pay an estimated $2.1 billion more by 2010.

Melbourne has an integrated public transport ticketing system through Metcard and myki. Metcard enables passengers to buy one ticket for use on suburban bus, train and tram services for a specified time period. The other ticketing system is designed to replace Metcard and is called myki. myki is a contactless smartcard currently operating on all of Melbourne's trains, trams and buses. The rollout for myki began on Tuesday 29 December 2009, beginning with Melbourne's metropolitan railway network, and progressively onto trams and buses. myki is currently fully operational in the Melbourne metropolitan area, however no date has been announced for its operation on regional train and bus services.

A public bike-hire system came into service in mid 2010. Due to laws requiring all bike users to wear helmets (or face a fine of A$176), usage on the system has been lower than seen in other cities with similar systems. An attempt by the government has been made to rectify this by having helmet vending machines at some of the major bike stations, allowing spur-of-the-moment travel without risking a fine. The success of this is disputed. Public debate about the helmet laws remains ongoing.

Melbourne transit is unique in the way that the stations are considerably closer to each other than are other similar train services. Melbourne is also unique in the fact that most of the forms of mass transport in the city would actually be considered hybrids if not a class of their own. The tramway is, by definition (excluding station distances), a tramway/light rail hybrid. Similarly, the Melbourne trains are commuter rails/heavy rails hybrids. Passenger trains in Victoria do, however, have regional rail and inter-city rail (non-hybrid).