lostdj (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} lostdj) wrote in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} melbournemaniac,@ 2008-02-24 11:45:00 |
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Public Transport Tips
Hi guys I've been using PT all my life and people come to Melbourne all the time not knowing the "tricks of the train (and tram)" so I wanted to share a few things I've learnt over the years!
CONCESSION BLITZ [IMPORTANT]
This one's big - they usually do a HUGE inspector blitz post February in a year, From the start of March they LOVE to catch expired concession card holders so please, PLEASE be careful - they have no mercy at this time of year.
Firstly 10x2 Hourly vs 5xDaily
Both of these cost the same BUT a lot of people don't know that if you validate a 10x2 hourly TWICE in the same day it lasts until 3am the following day - effectively it BECOMES a daily. So basically these are the same card, but you tend to get more out of a 10x2 because you might only use it once a day - no wasteage!
Weekend Zones
If you have a Weekly or Monthly ticket that is _just_ zone 1 or 2, on a weekend it will be both. This is handy to know if you're living out in the burbs and need to travel into the city on a Sunday for the football or similar!
Hourly Rounding
Tickets round out an hour if they're of a specific time. If you validate a two hourly ticket at 2:30pm it will last until 5pm - 2.5hours. Always try to validate just after an hour has turned, not before!
Zone Travel - (Piasdream, Lostdj)
If you normally travel specifically to one zone but for some reason have reason to travel beyond you don't have to go buy a Zone X+Y ticket if you already have an X. An employee at the desk will sell you a zone Y ticket as long as you can show him the X ticket, just make sure you validate at the other end!
Edit: This part courtesy of Pia:
"Passengers must have a single valid ticket for their entire journey. Exceptions to this are Yearly, Date-to-Date, Monthly and Weekly ticket holders who may, for particular journeys, use that ticket beyond the zone, zones or locations for which the ticket is valid by purchasing a 2 hour, Daily or Single ticket for the additional zone, zones or locations.
The ‘extension ticket’ must be purchased before the journey. If this is not possible by taking all reasonable steps before the journey, the ticket must be purchased as soon as there is a reasonable opportunity during the journey or, if there is no reasonable opportunity during the journey, as soon as is achievable by taking all reasonable steps after the journey. If the extension ticket is a Metcard, then it must be validated as soon as there is a reasonable opportunity during the journey, or as soon as taking all reasonable steps will permit after the journey"
Validation times
After you validate a ticket it will stay valid for the barriers for 2 hours. This means that whilst your ticket may expire at 3pm if you validate it on entry to a station at 2:55pm it will still get you out of the barriers at the other end until 4:55pm (but it rounds to 5pm due to Hourly rounding anyway). Whilst this won't get you by the inspectors if they find you on a train or tram, it will get you through ticket barriers at the other end.
Validate after 6pm
If you validate a 2hour ticket (also applies to 10x2 hourlies) after 6pm it lasts until 3am! Don't buy a daily if you're going to be out all night, use a two hourly and validate post 6pm - another reason that 10x2hourly ticket is your godsend, and a 5xdaily isn't worth it!
Inspector Avoidance
Not really a tip, just a caution - those inspectors love to hunt in packs at easy times. If you feel the need to travel without a ticket, obviously there are ways to avoid the inspectors.
- Always travel on the 2nd or 5th carriage - I've found that inspectors like to travel down a block of carriages, if you're in the middle of a set of three you tend to be able to see them coming.
- Try to travel during peak times, they tend not to book during the times when there are a thousand customers coming through the gates - generally they will let you the gates as well through to avoid congestion.
I don't want to say too much about this, but these are the common sense things (to me) anyway.
Tram Tickets
Just something that caught me by surprise - Tram tickets come validated automatically when you buy them. This is convenient and not at the same time - try to tie this in with "Hourly Rounding" You don't want to get caught out.
Sunday Saver - (Kalixis)
As the name indicates, can only use them on Sundays. $2.90 gets you travel for the entire Sunday, zones 1 and 2. Not available from the machines.
Off-Peak Daily - (Kalixis)
If you're heading off after 9am, and you're after a zone 1 and 2 daily, buy this card instead. Slightly cheaper than a zone 1 and 2 daily (9.50 v 10.10 for a full, 4.75 v 5.30 for concession)
Post Travel Purchase - (lord_of_fools, lostdj)
It is not allowed to try to buy a ticket after you reach your destination, even if the ticket machine at your origin was broken, or if you somehow forgot, or even if you missed your stop and ended up in the wrong zone. Don't even consider trying to explain things and rectify the situation to the station staff when you arrive, because they will book you.You can however get a stamp or note from the station staff you got on the station at sometimes that will get you out the other end (if they can't give you a ticket themselves). Unfortunately this one's very true - station staff don't give much room for excuses of this nature.
10xWeekend Ticket - (vaxwell)
In April, there's a new ticket 10xweekend, which works the same as the Sunday saver, but on Saturday's as well. Each ticket works out to be $2.90ish, I think. I thought that was DAMN awesome because I'm sorta getting sick of only going into the city on Sunday's to save money. lol.
I can't think of anything else right now but if you have anything to add please go ahead - just hope this helps out!
Hi guys I've been using PT all my life and people come to Melbourne all the time not knowing the "tricks of the train (and tram)" so I wanted to share a few things I've learnt over the years!
CONCESSION BLITZ [IMPORTANT]
This one's big - they usually do a HUGE inspector blitz post February in a year, From the start of March they LOVE to catch expired concession card holders so please, PLEASE be careful - they have no mercy at this time of year.
Firstly 10x2 Hourly vs 5xDaily
Both of these cost the same BUT a lot of people don't know that if you validate a 10x2 hourly TWICE in the same day it lasts until 3am the following day - effectively it BECOMES a daily. So basically these are the same card, but you tend to get more out of a 10x2 because you might only use it once a day - no wasteage!
Weekend Zones
If you have a Weekly or Monthly ticket that is _just_ zone 1 or 2, on a weekend it will be both. This is handy to know if you're living out in the burbs and need to travel into the city on a Sunday for the football or similar!
Hourly Rounding
Tickets round out an hour if they're of a specific time. If you validate a two hourly ticket at 2:30pm it will last until 5pm - 2.5hours. Always try to validate just after an hour has turned, not before!
Zone Travel - (Piasdream, Lostdj)
If you normally travel specifically to one zone but for some reason have reason to travel beyond you don't have to go buy a Zone X+Y ticket if you already have an X. An employee at the desk will sell you a zone Y ticket as long as you can show him the X ticket, just make sure you validate at the other end!
Edit: This part courtesy of Pia:
"Passengers must have a single valid ticket for their entire journey. Exceptions to this are Yearly, Date-to-Date, Monthly and Weekly ticket holders who may, for particular journeys, use that ticket beyond the zone, zones or locations for which the ticket is valid by purchasing a 2 hour, Daily or Single ticket for the additional zone, zones or locations.
The ‘extension ticket’ must be purchased before the journey. If this is not possible by taking all reasonable steps before the journey, the ticket must be purchased as soon as there is a reasonable opportunity during the journey or, if there is no reasonable opportunity during the journey, as soon as is achievable by taking all reasonable steps after the journey. If the extension ticket is a Metcard, then it must be validated as soon as there is a reasonable opportunity during the journey, or as soon as taking all reasonable steps will permit after the journey"
Validation times
After you validate a ticket it will stay valid for the barriers for 2 hours. This means that whilst your ticket may expire at 3pm if you validate it on entry to a station at 2:55pm it will still get you out of the barriers at the other end until 4:55pm (but it rounds to 5pm due to Hourly rounding anyway). Whilst this won't get you by the inspectors if they find you on a train or tram, it will get you through ticket barriers at the other end.
Validate after 6pm
If you validate a 2hour ticket (also applies to 10x2 hourlies) after 6pm it lasts until 3am! Don't buy a daily if you're going to be out all night, use a two hourly and validate post 6pm - another reason that 10x2hourly ticket is your godsend, and a 5xdaily isn't worth it!
Inspector Avoidance
Not really a tip, just a caution - those inspectors love to hunt in packs at easy times. If you feel the need to travel without a ticket, obviously there are ways to avoid the inspectors.
- Always travel on the 2nd or 5th carriage - I've found that inspectors like to travel down a block of carriages, if you're in the middle of a set of three you tend to be able to see them coming.
- Try to travel during peak times, they tend not to book during the times when there are a thousand customers coming through the gates - generally they will let you the gates as well through to avoid congestion.
I don't want to say too much about this, but these are the common sense things (to me) anyway.
Tram Tickets
Just something that caught me by surprise - Tram tickets come validated automatically when you buy them. This is convenient and not at the same time - try to tie this in with "Hourly Rounding" You don't want to get caught out.
Sunday Saver - (Kalixis)
As the name indicates, can only use them on Sundays. $2.90 gets you travel for the entire Sunday, zones 1 and 2. Not available from the machines.
Off-Peak Daily - (Kalixis)
If you're heading off after 9am, and you're after a zone 1 and 2 daily, buy this card instead. Slightly cheaper than a zone 1 and 2 daily (9.50 v 10.10 for a full, 4.75 v 5.30 for concession)
Post Travel Purchase - (lord_of_fools, lostdj)
It is not allowed to try to buy a ticket after you reach your destination, even if the ticket machine at your origin was broken, or if you somehow forgot, or even if you missed your stop and ended up in the wrong zone. Don't even consider trying to explain things and rectify the situation to the station staff when you arrive, because they will book you.You can however get a stamp or note from the station staff you got on the station at sometimes that will get you out the other end (if they can't give you a ticket themselves). Unfortunately this one's very true - station staff don't give much room for excuses of this nature.
10xWeekend Ticket - (vaxwell)
In April, there's a new ticket 10xweekend, which works the same as the Sunday saver, but on Saturday's as well. Each ticket works out to be $2.90ish, I think. I thought that was DAMN awesome because I'm sorta getting sick of only going into the city on Sunday's to save money. lol.
I can't think of anything else right now but if you have anything to add please go ahead - just hope this helps out!
