Fares around the nation - 2013

[ozbob]

Brisbane TransLink --> http://translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/fares/changes-to-fares-and-ticketing-in-2013

Melbourne --> http://ptv.vic.gov.au/fares-tickets/fares-2013/

Sydney --> http://www.131500.com.au/service-changes/late-breaking-news-1/fare-increases-from-6-january-2013

Adelaide --> http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Tickets/Fares

Perth --> http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/TicketsandFares.aspx

Hobart --> http://www.metrotas.com.au/uploads/Current%20and%20new%20fares%20060113.pdf

Canberra --> http://www.transport.act.gov.au/myway/fares.html

Darwin --> http://www.transport.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/7157/Bus-Fare-Schedule_2013.pdf

[kazzac]

I notice Perth still has the $11 Dayrider ticket ,I used that when I was over there in July,their everyday fares are much cheaper too!!

[ozbob]

SEQ is a fare backwater ...

[techblitz]

i like the acts way of thinking

Week day single trip (with free 90 minute transfer)               2.52
•Capped at $7.60 per day (if people tag on and off for all trips)
•Capped at 36 paid trips per calendar month (any travel beyond 36 paid trips for the calendar month is free if people tag on and off)


so 2.52 x 36 = around 90 bux max

[SurfRail]

^ It's much easier for Canberra and Adelaide seeing they have no fare zones.  You would need some kind of dynamic arrangement based on the zones travelled up here.

Interestingly, Adelaide seems to have a 2-section only smartcard which preserves the 2-section ticket prices, seeing that you would otherwise need to have touching off and some kind of record on the system of what the 2-section boundaries are on each route.  These tickets strike me as a massive rort, and I believe Perth has them too.

I think that commencing 1 July 2013, our fare increments should be completely recast.  I am proposing:

- 1 zone fare of $1.50, with stepped increments of $0.50 up until zone 10 ($6.00), then $1.00 increments until zone 23.  A 23-zone fare would be $19.00. 
- Concessions would be 50% as per current arrangements, and would include HCC holders and any other gaps not currently addressed that anybody can think about.
- The fixed fare for ferries would be limited to $2.00 (which catches both zones 1+2), for buses to $4.00 (which catches up to 6 fare zones, very few trips will exceed this) and for trains to $6.00 (which catches up to 10 zones, again very few trips will exceed this - mostly Gold Coast line, and all of the stations are gated except for Ormeau which is low patronage).  Airtrain would need to be looked at.
- Off-peak travel is from midnight to 6am, 9am to 3pm and 7pm to midnight, and is priced at a 25% discount rounded up to the nearest cent.
- Daily capping "somehow".  Would need to work out a model - the intent is to make it easier for day-trippers or people unfamiliar with the system so they don't get ripped off.  It is not just to encourage rorting or discounts for peak hour workers.
- Scrap the SEEQ card.  Unnecessary, and a proper go card will do.
- No periodicals.
- No frequent user discount.
- No paper tickets.  Standard go cards can be purchased on buses for $4.00.  This is equivalent to the bus fixed fare and will cover a single trip on any single BT bus route.  For private operators some of whom have bus journeys with longer than 6 zones, they would need to top up as well, and there are not that many such services where people would not already have go cards eg longer distance peak hour routes like the 566, 281 etc.  I would actually install AVVMs on the ferries as was originally proposed.  All QR machines would be upgraded to the busway version capable of selling adult go cards.
- No need for group go cards as the fares should be reasonable enough.  School groups etc can get a travel authority in advance for a class-load or more to save time.
- Integrate student go cards with school ID for as many schools as possible, as they do in WA and as is already done with Seniors cards.
- I would investigate some kind of super-cheap fare for weekends and public holidays, maybe not as cheap as Melbourne's given the possible distances involved here.  Maybe just price all travel on those days down by a further 50% or something.  Needs to be done with increased frequency of service, especially on the rail network.

[achiruel]

- 1 zone fare of $1.50, with stepped increments of $0.50 up until zone 10 ($6.00), then $1.00 increments until zone 23.  A 23-zone fare would be $19.00. 

I think $1.50 is ridiculously cheap, less than a 1-zone fare was when integrated ticketing was first introduced in 2004 which from memory was $2.

[ozbob]

I agree with SurfRail.  There is a major imbalance between low zones and the higher zones.  This has impacts on people in places like Ipswich for example.  Paying high fares to get a bus from their home to the shops etc.  It is actually discouraging people from using public transport.  Re-casting the fare table along the lines SurfRail has suggested is the way to go IMHO.

[SurfRail]

- 1 zone fare of $1.50, with stepped increments of $0.50 up until zone 10 ($6.00), then $1.00 increments until zone 23.  A 23-zone fare would be $19.00. 

I think $1.50 is ridiculously cheap, less than a 1-zone fare was when integrated ticketing was first introduced in 2004 which from memory was $2.

It will be needed to correct and reverse the declining patronage trend.  Simply freezing fares won't do jack.

We can jockey around with the numbers, but clearly short-distance travel is far too expensive compared to say my usual 14-zone journey to work.

[achiruel]

Oh, I wasn't suggesting freezing fares.  I simply think that $1.50 is a bit too cheap.

I think a 1-zone fare of $2.40 with 60c increments per zone would be more like a sensible base fare.

25% discount on offpeak and 50% discount on weekends/holidays.

Daily zone-based fare capping at 2.5× zone fare e.g. $6 for 1 zone.

Also, what happens if cutting fares so substantially overloads the network and it can't cope?  Mostly this is not a problem during off-peak but during peak hour it could well be a killer.

Ridiculous I know but successive Governments have let the network down to the point where some control via fares is a necessary thing.  At least until CRR is built I reckon.

[SurfRail]

All the better if more people are using the system.  It makes the case for urgent action on fixing capacity problems a lot more salient.

[BrizCommuter]

Ridiculous I know but successive Governments have let the network down to the point where some control via fares is a necessary thing.  At least until CRR is built I reckon.

Aside from the am peak Gold Coast/Cleveland/Beenleigh corridor the rail network is not near capacity.
Read this http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/merivale-bridge-at-capacity-myth-or-not.html

[somebody]

Aside from the am peak Gold Coast/Cleveland/Beenleigh corridor the rail network is not near capacity.

Correct.  And even that can be eased by utilised the standing space in the Gold Coast trains.

EDIT: fix quote

[SurfRail]

I suspect we may have to do something extreme for a bit, like stopping all stations Varsity Lakes to Loganlea, and originating all Beenleigh services from there and installing a turnback.

[somebody]

I suspect we may have to do something extreme for a bit, like stopping all stations Varsity Lakes to Loganlea, and originating all Beenleigh services from there and installing a turnback.

But that wouldn't pick up standing passengers!

I thought you were against stopping Dutton Park-Yeerongpilly, which would be a bit inconsistent with things like this.

[petey3801]

I suspect we may have to do something extreme for a bit, like stopping all stations Varsity Lakes to Loganlea, and originating all Beenleigh services from there and installing a turnback.

In that scenario, I would start the all stoppers from Bethania (with the GC still serving Loganlea though). Bethania already has a turnback (P3) so no new expense required.

[SurfRail]

But that wouldn't pick up standing passengers!

The trains are already carrying standing passengers by the time they depart Beenleigh, any given day of the working week outside of holidays or quiet periods like right now.

[somebody]

But that wouldn't pick up standing passengers!

The trains are already carrying standing passengers by the time they depart Beenleigh, any given day of the working week outside of holidays or quiet periods like right now.

Surely you understood my point though, that we should be seeking to change that.

[BrizCommuter]

http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/2013-australian-fare-comparison.html

Australian Fare Comparison now added.