Six million people a year would use train to Melbourne Airport

[cove]

Yes I use Quicksilver limo service now to get from MEL city to the MEL airport if I have time to book it.

 

[whatmeworry]

We still love our Transurban shares. Thank you for using their toll roads signed The Troll.

Sorry don't use Toll roads. Enjoy your $50 taxi trips to the CBD.

 

[whatmeworry]

Victorian government briefly reconsidered Airport link to MEL.

A high-powered group of advisers set up by the Andrews government secretly reconsidered a rail link to Melbourne Airport as one of several "strategic investments" to boost Victoria's tourism prospects.
Almost two years after the idea of train connection between Tullamarine and the CBD was shelved when Labor came to office, a cabinet-in-confidence document reveals it was briefly put back on the table as part of deliberations by a reference group chaired by infrastructure tsar Sir Rod Eddington.

Melbourne Airport rail link reconsidered during secret tourism talks

And no, the Citylink contract does not prevent airport rail. Myth: The Citylink contract forbids airport trains

 

[24601]

It's not even 20km to the airport. Why do we need a 200km/h rail link to it? I could understand if the train continued on to somewhere else (e.g. Ballarat, Bendigo), but this is just a joke. I'd be more than happy with a regular metro line with stops in between as long as they charged regular fares.

Extend it to Sydney or Brisbane, and make it a fast train.

 

[PLANT]

Start at 200km/h and end up puffing billy with this innovation nation bloke running things (NBN anyone)

 

[Buzzard]

This country is so infuriating!!!!!

Welcome to the third world.

 

[seanpodge]

Extend it to Sydney or Brisbane, and make it a fast train.

I did find out later that the proposal did have the line continuing on to Bendigo and Seymour, which made a lot more sense. Still would be perfectly happy with a bog standard metro line like many airports have (e.g. Heathrow, Changi, Pudong).

 

[24601]

slightly bigger airport and hub and population, but FRA offers both regular subway connection to the nearby city (15km?) and long distance high-speed rail as well. Cities and airports in Europe with smaller populations also have rail connections from airport to city. It does seem backward the MEL doesn't.

 

[Hvr]

I used the DART from DFW to Dallas on Wednesday. So easy and dropped me off very near my hotel.
Only $2.50 for a 2 hour ticket.

Just do it Melbourne!

 

[cove]

The light rail service that runs from Salt Lake City airport to my stop at Little America hotel in the city works really well. I have started to wonder about the Victorian State Government because it looks like a 2035 project start with a 2050 completion date.

 

[opusman]

I have started to wonder about the Victorian State Government because it looks like a 2035 project start with a 2050 completion date.

"Started" ?

 

[cove]

I only live in Melbourne a few days at a time so I am one of the least troubled to do with idiot governments.

 

[TomVexille]

Even Denver has opened a new rail line to their airport earlier this year.

How the Denver-to-DIA train, opening Friday, will change the metro area forever – The Denver Post

 

[pagingjoan]

I used the DART from DFW to Dallas on Wednesday. So easy and dropped me off very near my hotel.
Only $2.50 for a 2 hour ticket.

Just do it Melbourne!

Yes, that service is great, is it not?

 

[seanpodge]

The Age is trying to tease us again. Next election is two years away and that's before we have any chance of people wearing hi-vis wielding shovels.

 

[whatmeworry]

The Age is trying to tease us again. Next election is two years away and that's before we have any chance of people wearing hi-vis wielding shovels.

Meanwhile the Herald Sun going for the laughs with the monorail proposal.

Peddle Thorp architects have developed sketches of a proposed “Central Station” above the pedestrian bridge into the international terminal.
A one-way trip to or from the city would cost about $25.
The private consortium hopes the monorail could be integrated with myki, while also allowing travellers to pay directly with their credit cards and smartphones.

No Cookies | Herald Sun

 

[dajop]

Was recently reading a good analysis of a MEL rail link on rail pages, but I can't find the link to post.

Essentially the author suggested that at some point the rail link would make sense, however at the moment there are more pressing rail and public transport needs that need to be funded in Melbourne (metro tunnel, rail crossing removals, some line extensions, signalling improvements). Also pointed out that current Skybus provides a quicker service (by 10mins) than (the proposed rail service) could during off-peak, whilst it is 10-15 mins slower during peak - although that differential could be reduced if high occupancy lanes are designated in current Tulla Fwy upgrade.

Also I've read discussion that the extra capacity in central Melbourne provided by the Metro tunnel would then give enough capacity in the CBD to cope with airport rail services.

I tend to agree that money is better spent elsewhere in the rail network - which is feeling the strain of extra patronage over the last 10 years or so - and indeed ensure the system can cope with extra feed from a new line. Perhaps a monorail type suggestion, delinked from the heavy rail network is not such a bad idea.

I suspect sometime in the next 10-15 years it will happen (maybe in conjunction with new surburban development directly to the north of the airport), but not until the metro project is completed.

I also suspect that the majority of people who would use such a line most live outside the state, or do live in the state, but not in marginal electorates.

 

[whatmeworry]

They reckon an heavy airport link is not doable till the metro stage one is finished which will give the system extra capacity.

The monorail I suspect will not have enough capacity.

It would be better keeping it heavy rail, as it would eliminate the need for another type of rolling stock and eventually the the rail link could go from MEL via the city all the way to Pakenham.

Potentially a heavy rail link could take thousands off the roads in peak hour and enable the airport to attract more workers.

 

[seanpodge]

According to The Age article, the economic case for an airport train service now stacks up (up to a $1.40 return for every dollar invested) which is much better than East-West Link which I think was struggling to return $0.50 per dollar or the much fantasised Doncaster line, which The Age suggests would return about $0.10 per dollar. If the return on investment figures for the airport train are accurate, then it would be tempting for both sides to do it, even if there are better projects since it would have a positive return and be very popular with voters.

That said, I can understand the ALP wanting to get their Metro line going first before committing to the airport line. Given how politicised urban planning is, they really need to get serious work done on the Metro before the next election so it can't be cancelled if the Coalition wins.

That monorail idea is a joke, though. At $25 a pop, they haven't got a hope. Who's going to pay that when a taxi/Uber would be competitive on price (probably cheaper if not traveling solo) and offers door to door service? Only should be allowed to go ahead by the government if they plan to wait for the operator to go broke and then take it over.

 

[opusman]

Who's going to pay that when a taxi/Uber would be competitive on price (probably cheaper if not traveling solo) and offers door to door service?

The same people who currently pay for the Skybus?