Tilt Train Trial for Gympie and Sunshine Coast

[curator49]

A six month trial offering a special commuter fare on the Bundaberg Tilt Train commenced on the 15 April this week. Passengers for Gympie North and Cooroy will be able to travel on the Bundaberg Tilt Train for the cost of a single paper ticket journey, 40% less than the standard Tilt Train ticket.

The south-bound Tilt Train leaves Gympie North at 7.05am and Cooroy at 7.38 am arriving Roma Street at 9.50 am. The north bound service departs Roma Street at 4.55 pm arriving Cooroy at 6.58 pm and Gympie North at 7.30 pm.

Passengers can pre-book beforehand or simply turn up on the day and travel subject to the availability of seats. The Tilt Train is a pre-booked service so the Go Card is not available for use. The cost of a trip on the Bundaberg Tilt Train between Roma Street and Gympie North is normally $49. The special commuter fare is $30.

[Stillwater]

The special fares (paper ticket, no go-card) of $30 one-way Gympie North-Brisbane applies only to those travelling from Gympie North to Brisbane.  Tilt-Train fares to intermediate stops, such as Nambour and Caboolture do not attract any concession, apart from those already applying, such as Seniors Card etc.

[Fares_Fair]

Brisbane CBD (assume Roma Street), Cooroy and Gympie North are the only stations mentioned as stops for the Tilt Train special trial service.
Perhaps the concessional rate only applies to those embarking/disembarking at those stations.

[curator49]

It applies on journeys both to Roma Street from Gympie North AND Cooroy AND from Roma Street to Cooroy and Gympie North only.

The fare is $30 with a $15 concession fare.

[Arnz]

The tilt service have only set-down rights at Landsborough and Caboolture in the City-bound direction, and pick-up only at those 2 stations on the northbound direction. 
Nambour has full pick-up and set-down rights for Traveltrain services (including Tilt services) in general

I would not expect this to change anytime soon.

As far as I know, Nambour is not included in the trial.  The trial if I read it right is for those going from Gympie North and Cooroy to Brisbane City and return.  I would assume the paper concession applies to customers taking the Tilt services from the 2 stations.

[BrizCommuter]

Half-baked. Should allow last minute bookings by go card users (incl. Landsborough and Nambour), in a similar way to Japan's commuter express / commuter liner services.

The fact that the 5pm Bundy Tilt is often less than half full is a disgrace.

[red dragin]

What sort of passenger loading would this see Bris<->Gympie

I hope not enough to cause full trip full fare passengers (Bundy etc) to miss out.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Disagree bc. Its not a normal citytrain service and thus gocards can not notice the different mode of travel (traveltrain). Last minute bookings can be made by purchasing a ticket from the station. Its not a gocard but you do have time to purchase a ticket.

@red, its based on paper ticket purchases ie from AVMs and ticket offices. Prepaid ticket bookings (via traveltrain) will always take priority over translink ticketing. If there are 4 seats left and 4 people with paper tickets are waiting you could buy 1 travel train ticket and guarantee yourself a seat with one person now missing out on a seat.

Edit: Just to expand on what arnz said the tilts operate very differently compared to what most people expect. There are indeed boarding and disembarking policies. Northbound services at Caboolture only accept passengers. If no one is schedulled to board staff do not unlock/open the doors or only open the doors on the assigned carriages. A similar policy applies with southbound services at Caboolture with people only exiting the service. No boardings are allowed. Landsborough is an optional stop and the direction of travel restrictions still apply ie northbound pick up only, southbound drop off only. IIRC the tilts will bypass it completly unless a formal prior request has been made. The DTT is the exception with it bypassing the station due to its length.

[Arnz]

Half-baked. Should allow last minute bookings by go card users (incl. Landsborough and Nambour), in a similar way to Japan's commuter express / commuter liner services.

The fact that the 5pm Bundy Tilt is often less than half full is a disgrace.

Considering the Tilt Train is a pre-booked service with a passenger list (like the airlines) integrating the go card would take some considerable work to work in sync with the Tilt Train passenger list unless if they introduce the go card to the whole of Queensland in the QConnect areas.

The paper ticket price for Gympie and Cooroy is the 'premium' considering the Tilt train has a better level of service as opposed to the normal Citytrain Service.

Until they sort out something with TransLink to allow the integration of the go card (plus a programmed premium surcharge - ala Airtrain) with the Traveltrain passenger list, only allowing paper tickets enables the agents to check the number of spare seats available before allowing the paper ticket holders on.

And considering there are Nambour departures at 4pm, 4:30pm and 5:00pm.  Landsborough/Nambour folks have enough options.  Cooroy and Gympie North folks could do with the extra peak service. 

Arnz would support a set-down only (morning inbound)/pick-up only (afternoon outbound) arrangement for passengers travelling between Nambour and Cooroy-Gympie North for medical appointments, provided it's charged at a premium (paper ticket level at most).

[BrizCommuter]

BrizCommuter was thinking more along the lines of go card for access to the station, and then an up-charge paper ticket/electronic ticket reservation to use the Tilt. These could be made available from 24/h before , and in proportion to available seats remaining on the tilt. BrizCommuter might run an article on how the Japanese commuter express/home liner services run and are ticketed. Having half empty Bundy tilts is just burning tax payers money.

[Stillwater]

And that is why the trial is being held - to get more bums on seats so there are less empty seats.  And with no disruption to operations, as the Tilts stop at Gympie North and Cooroy routinely; Cooroy being the 'Noosa' train station.  The new service is being used.  I know of someone who turned up at Gympie North station on Thursday morning, about 20 minutes before the southbound Tilt was due to pull in, and made an easy paper ticket transaction before hopping on board.

[HappyTrainGuy]

And what's so different about buying a ticket from an avm outside, at the station or from a ticket office? Even if you use a gocard to get on to the platform you still have to buy a ticket.

[Arnz]

Is there even the technology to integrate the Public Transport smart card systems with a pre-book RPT service that requires a passenger list? (such as the Airlines, Cruise Ships or a large number of long distance trains). 

People are aware that some airlines do have the smart card technology for passengers to check in quickly with a card and so forth.  A related question; is there any airlines operates a "integrated" system (from Plane to a Train, or so forth).

[Gazza]

On some JR services they just have a reader above each seat, and you "load" a reservation onto the card, and touch in at your seat.

[Arnz]

^

Thanks for the clarification.  I don't know if the Japan systems are integrated nationwide as opposed to separate jurisdictions in cities, so I wont comment there.   

QR would want to avoid situations where someone "touches on" at Roma Street, claims to go to Cooroy or Gympie North, boards the Tilt Train and that person intends on and gets off at Gladstone (a non-TransLink area, but a QConnect area).  Brings "Fare Evading" to a whole new level.   Unless if a source can be pointed out where this can be avoided.

Getting into somewhat foamy territory  , it would be great to have the Go Card introduced into the Qconnect areas (as Translink and Qconnect are now one those days), that way it would be somewhat easier to integrate Traveltrain services onto the go card through the implementation of the Cubic systems statewide.  For example, someone touches on at Hervey Bay on a bus, touches off at the train station and catches a tilt train, touch off, then eventually touch on for their final journey on the local bus or local train and touching off at some suburban area in Brisbane. 

[ozbob]

TransLink is meant to be 'taking over' QConnect.  Whether this a good or bad thing will be seen through various lenses ...

I am not convinced if the cost and probable local grief is really justified for go card on the regional bus systems.  For example many have daily/ weekly options [ eg. http://www.sunbus.com.au/documents/2013Fares_Cairns_000.pdf ] and a move to go card will no doubt see those go.  Also the fare prices for QConnect are roughly half the fares in SEQ  [ http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Qconnect/Urban-bus-services.aspx ] the 5 year fare fail didn't impact the same way is it did in SEQ.

Time will tell ...

[ozbob]

http://www.mysunshinecoast.com.au/articles/article-display/gibson-secures-special-tilttrain-fares-now-a-permanent-feature,31876#.Ul5A-xDLLzJ

Gibson secures special TiltTrain fares – now a permanent feature

Special fares for Queensland Rail passengers from Gympie and the Sunshine Coast catching the Queensland Rail's Tilt Train will become a permanent feature, following a successful six-month trial.

Member for Gympie David Gibson said since the trial started in April, Queensland Rail had received a positive response from Sunshine Coast and Gympie passengers.

"In the past six months, more than 1000 passengers have taken advantage of the deal and travelled on Queensland Rail's Bundaberg Tilt Train," Mr Gibson said.

"This means passengers can travel on the Tilt Train from Gympie, Cooroy and Nambour to Brisbane, for $30 one-way or $15 for a concession journey.  This is compared with a standard Tilt Train fare of $49 each way.

"Passengers will also be able to travel in comfort and enjoy the exceptional services the Tilt Train has to offer, including having the option to purchase breakfast or coffee on-board the train."

The TiltTrain departs Gympie North at 7.05am, Cooroy at 7.38am and Nambour at 8am, before arriving at Roma Street at 9.50am.

The return journey departs Roma Street at 4.55pm, and arriving at Nambour at 6.38pm, Cooroy at 6.58pm and Gympie North at 7.30pm.

To take up the special fares, customers are encouraged to pre-book by phoning our Queensland Rail Travel team, or simply turning up at the station 30 minutes prior to departure to purchase a ticket (subject to availability).

Mr Gibson said the announcement was another win for the Sunshine Coast line, following Queensland Rail's recent initiatives to deliver smarter, more cost-effective services for customers.

For more information, customers can contact Queensland Rail Travel by calling 1800 TRAINS (872 467) or by visiting their local travel centre or queenslandrailtravel.com.au

David Gibson MP
Member for Gympie
16th October 2013

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily 18th October 2013 page 11

Tilt train discount commute  locked in