Sydney transportation and other stuff

[MicCanberra]

The problem with the train in Sydney for tourists is that the Airport levy ($15 pp) makes the cost expensive, it is also harder for them to get an OPAL card, as they need to set up an account, for just a few trips, is it worth it.? 

[plettza]

You don't need to set up an account for Opal.  You only need to if you want to protect your balance in case your card gets lost.

[MicCanberra]

3 minutes ago, plettza said:

You don't need to set up an account for Opal.  You only need to if you want to protect your balance in case your card gets lost.

Thanks, I stand corrected.

[mr walker]

I manage the local office of a US owned company. In our 20 years of operation, we have had many, many US visitors come downunder to visit. Every single one has commented how good the Sydney trains are - go figure!

 

I don't travel on trains every day, or even every week &, maybe because I'm a local, & have used trains for almost half a century & am used to 'the trains'  but I can't go close to some of the grumbles posted on here 🙂

 

I consider the public transport to be pretty good for visitors to our fair city to get around - roads and parking, well that's another matter 

[MicCanberra]

My wife and I have the OPAL cards and we use the trains in preference to driving, uber or taxis, but as mentioned, we have grown up with the trains and only act the tourist on them now.

[GUT2407]

I’ve got cards from just about every state, there’s a few $$$$ on each, no idea why they couldnt coordinate.

[MicCanberra]

2 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve got cards from just about every state, there’s a few $$$$ on each, no idea why they couldnt coordinate.

Would certainly make it easier.

[Bubbeh]

4 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

5 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Would certainly make it easier.

 

 

5 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I’ve got cards from just about every state, there’s a few $$$$ on each, no idea why they couldnt coordinate.

For the most part, the provision and governing of public transport is a State responsibility not a Federal responsibility.  This means that each jurisdiction has its own protocols and rules associated with its services.  There would not be too many users in South or West Oz, Tassie or the Territories, that would want their public transport dollar totally controlled and allocated by the big boys in Canberra.  We've already experienced the inequity of transport infrastructure funding coming from the Feds.  

 

I'm a big public transport user and have cards from my own State as well as NSW and Victoria.  When over east I use their systems and I have never been disappointed.  While some of the stations might be underground and not as clean as I'm accustomed to, I acknowledge that I am in a big city (especially in Sydney) and there patrons may have different expectations.  I do think that all the State's public transport systems are value for money and I feel very safe utilising them.

[GUT2407]

But y can share from toll tags, not asking for federal govt to control it all just a universal payment system, you know like when I could use legal currency.

[MicCanberra]

13 minutes ago, Bubbeh said:

 

For the most part, the provision and governing of public transport is a State responsibility not a Federal responsibility.  This means that each jurisdiction has its own protocols and rules associated with its services.  There would not be too many users in South or West Oz, Tassie or the Territories, that would want their public transport dollar totally controlled and allocated by the big boys in Canberra.  We've already experienced the inequity of transport infrastructure funding coming from the Feds.  

 

I'm a big public transport user and have cards from my own State as well as NSW and Victoria.  When over east I use their systems and I have never been disappointed.  While some of the stations might be underground and not as clean as I'm accustomed to, I acknowledge that I am in a big city (especially in Sydney) and there patrons may have different expectations.  I do think that all the State's public transport systems are value for money and I feel very safe utilising them.

Agreed, it will likely not happen in our lifetime, but it certainly would be easier.

[MicCanberra]

7 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

But y can share from toll tags, not asking for federal govt to control it all just a universal payment system, you know like when I could use legal currency.

It is amazing what would happen when private enterprise is involved to make money. 

[lyndarra]

This has just reminded me to go and top up my Opal card for this Sunday. Getting the train from Cardiff to Wolli Creek where I will overnight at CKS Quality Hotel before getting a 06.30 flight to New Zealand.

[lyndarra]

35 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

I’ve got cards from just about every state, there’s a few $$$$ on each, no idea why they couldnt coordinate.

That makes a lot of sense, which is something our politicians seem to lack.

[MicCanberra]

1 minute ago, lyndarra said:

This has just reminded me to go and top up my Opal card for this Sunday. Getting the train from Cardiff to Wolli Creek where I will overnight at CKS Quality Hotel before getting a 06.30 flight to New Zealand.

Bon Voyage.

[Bubbeh]

2 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

But y can share from toll tags, not asking for federal govt to control it all just a universal payment system, you know like when I could use legal currency.

Can you please clarify toll tags?  Perhaps if you're talking about tags used for travel or freight between States on National Roads rather than State or Local Roads, that might be the reason.  In WA we do not have toll roads.

 

My guess regarding why no universal payment system would be that each Agency has different Zone distances and others costs.  WA gives Seniors free travel betweem 9am and 3:30pm on public transport each week day.  Outside of those hours and on weekends, they pay a nominal cost.  People holding Health Care Cards from the Federal Govt also pay less in WA, but do not get any free travel.  Is this the same in your State?  

 

With my Smartrider Card I upload credit via a regular direct transfer from my bank.  Once my 'bank' drops to $3 it automatically uploads another $40.  I suppose if I lived on the East Coast, I might travel more often between the States and this may be an issue for me but, as it's at best a few hours flying each way, I tend to only go when I'm holidaying and then I'm happy to put more money as needed on my Opal card or whatever.

 

[plettza]

33 minutes ago, Bubbeh said:

 WA gives Seniors free travel betweem 9am and 3:30pm on public transport each week day. .

 

 

 

In NSW, our $2.50 seniors' card is valid 24/7.  And not only for Sydney but also if you want to travel on NSW TrainLink which supposedly provides transport across the state.

[Elorac123]

6 minutes ago, plettza said:

 

 

In NSW, our $2.50 seniors' card is valid 24/7.  And not only for Sydney but also if you want to travel on NSW TrainLink which supposedly provides transport across the state.

Free in Adelaide and Western Australia $2.50 in NSW ,,,you all have it good in comparison to Queensland,,discount with TransLink for off peak but nothing to boast about.

Cheers Carole

[OzKiwiJJ]

7 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Ohh yeah, and many mergers, and what about the good old corner store, seems they have all vanished into thin air.

One of our local greengrocers is almost like a corner store. As well as fantastic fresh produce it has all sorts of other stuff - tea, coffee, oils, vinegars, other condiments, pasta, bread, dairy, deli items, even a small selection of cleaning products. It's not a huge store but they utilize every bit of space.

Edited March 21, 2019 by OzKiwiJJ

[Toryhere]

On 3/18/2019 at 10:29 AM, Bubbeh said:

Do not tip!  The contract of employment exists between the employer and the employee or the employee’s representative (Union / Professional Body) not, I repeat not, the employer’s customer.  The entire concept of tipping is abhorrent and reduces the employee to a subservient position.  In Australia, we pay our people a decent living wage (although certain areas of work could always be better recognised) and most of us are damn grateful for the sacrifices of those that went before us to ensure that this continues.

 

Edited to say that I'm sorry if my opinion offends some people.  I don't mean to do that, I am (obviously) passionate about this issue.  In my opinion, if we change the status quo it can only be to our detriment.

Not true. 

Perhaps it’s because I live in Sydney’s Easter Suburbs, but everyone here tips in Restaurants and has done since the year dot. Ten percent is the standard.

The point is that it encourages better service if the customer provides a tip. It matters not what the waiter gets paid by the employer. That will not change because customers reward good service. 

 

[Davey Wavey]

Very interesting information. I guess prices are so different because purposes are so different. Here, each city and surrounding suburbs has its own transportation. You can't use your Columbus pass in Cleveland or Cincinnati. There is no state public transportation between cities, because people prefer to drive. Amtrak is federal, but is mostly used in Ohio as long haul transport, not for commuting purposes. It is used for commuting especially between the big east coast cities when people need to travel between cities that are close to each other, but in different states. In planning a trip to New York City, but staying in Jersey City, New Jersey less than a km away, I found it confusing they had totally separate transportation systems. Because of demand, they do have union stations where you can exit one city's system and catch the next city's system.

 

But overall the cost of public transport in the US is low and reliability good in order to lure people from their cars. Like I pay about $13 per day parking and gas to drive to work, and the bus is $4 roundtrip. I don't take the bus because it takes 50 minutes in addition to time to get to a bus stop and then walking the few blocks to work, whereas driving is 15 minutes from front door to my desk. I only considered the bus when they had a month of riding for free as a promotion, but even then I wouldn't use it.

 

I did see the IGA store on the Sydney map and thought that was another long ago grocery chain the I haven't seen in decades. But IGA(ustralia) is obviously different from IG(America). I do like hearing about your more typical stuff. They don't have that in visitors guides.

 

Next question, I was considering maybe a few hours guided tour of Sydney just to get an overall look at things in my short time there. Any recommendations for my first visit, or should I just stick with looking for specific interests like the museums and tourist spots?

[The_Big_M]

7 hours ago, mr walker said:

I manage the local office of a US owned company. In our 20 years of operation, we have had many, many US visitors come downunder to visit. Every single one has commented how good the Sydney trains are - go figure!

 

I don't travel on trains every day, or even every week &, maybe because I'm a local, & have used trains for almost half a century & am used to 'the trains'  but I can't go close to some of the grumbles posted on here 🙂

 

I consider the public transport to be pretty good for visitors to our fair city to get around - roads and parking, well that's another matter 

 

For those who are visiting, they're typically only travelling through the city centre stations. There you have the most frequent services (so even if one line has an issue you can take another line), waits aren't long, and the journeys aren't long. And the fares, while relatively high by international standards, aren't big especially compared to other options.

 

But as an everyday commuter, where you can get fewer options, longer and slower and less frequent journeys, and pay an accumulated higher price, it can wear thin.

[The_Big_M]

6 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

It is amazing what would happen when private enterprise is involved to make money. 

 

Actually, Opal is already private enterprise. Any opportunity to hive something off privately is taken...

 

[The_Big_M]

6 hours ago, Bubbeh said:

Can you please clarify toll tags?  Perhaps if you're talking about tags used for travel or freight between States on National Roads rather than State or Local Roads, that might be the reason.  In WA we do not have toll roads.

 

My guess regarding why no universal payment system would be that each Agency has different Zone distances and others costs.  WA gives Seniors free travel betweem 9am and 3:30pm on public transport each week day.  Outside of those hours and on weekends, they pay a nominal cost.  People holding Health Care Cards from the Federal Govt also pay less in WA, but do not get any free travel.  Is this the same in your State?  

 

 

 

That's one part of it. The other is the historical framework.

 

In Sydney, where most toll roads are, there were originally quite a number of toll operators. Given how easy it is to use multiple toll roads in the one day in one city e.g. Harbour Bridge on to Eastern Distributor, there was a practical reason for the tolls to operate on a common system and be interoperable. Otherwise you'd have to have multiple tags, which would be pretty ridiculous. And it was in the operators commercial interest to easily collect more revenue.

 

OTOH, there is (mostly) only one transport operator for each public transport system. There's much less commercial benefit to interoperate. While it is something they looked at, the solutions were developed independently to as you say cater for the specifics of each network, and there was no agreement back then about a common standard, and no need.

 

The operators agree it would be a good thing to standardise, but now it would cost a lot to change things, and who's going to pay for that? When there's no significant benefit for the cost.

[Bubbeh]

10 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Actually, Opal is already private enterprise. Any opportunity to hive something off privately is taken...

 

And it is almost without exception to the communities detriment!