SkyBus gone up again [Up to $23.90 one way]

[smit0847]

Sorry but what is the 901 ?

Gave it a go today. It took about 95 mins at 1pm from SX station to VA lounge but I just missed a train so had to wait 17 mins for the next one and the signs at broad station are wrong so missed a 901 as I was directed over the bridge across the road (the bus leaves directly outside the station NOT across the road!). It's certainly not a glamorous or efficient way to travel so it comes down to how much you value your time. Would I give up ~1 hour of my time again to save ~$15? Hmmmm probably not.
I would be interested in trying the route at 5pm when the sky bus gets delayed by traffic as trains aren't delayed at all. It's probably the most efficient time to do it.
Broadmeadows is as rough as guts- there is no way I would do this after dark. Even at 2pm I felt quite uneasy waiting for the bus (I stood out like a sore thumb).

 

[Melburnian1]

Agree, smit0847 - the Metro train/ bus route 901 can be efficient during the weekday peak periods as that is when Skybus suffers most delays, with the latter taking almost an hour from the airport to Southern Cross or reverse.

So what you're really saying is if you had looked up the journey planner on the PTV website, deselected Skybus from the small 'further options' tab at the bottom and caught a train within say three minutes (saving 14 compared with your experience) and then caught a 901 bus outside the station in Pascoe Vale Road (couldn't be more convenient - about a fifty second walk from getting off the train if that) in say three minutes (saving another 12) you would have been at the airport in about 69 minutes.

You could potentially save more time by noting that from Southern Cross after about 1300 hours, the most efficient way can be to get a Werribee or Williamstown line train from platform 14, get off at North Melbourne and board the Craigieburn train there, alighting at Broadmeadows. This is because on weekday afternoons, Craigieburn line trains operate anticlockwise around the City Loop (going from SC to Flinders Street then three intermediate stops to North Melbourne.) Best to travel in the second last carriage from Southern Cross on the Werribee or Williamstown trains as that is where the escalators are, and that will also position you on the Craigieburn line trains close to the station barrier gate and hence exit at Broadmeadows railway station. Knowing where entrances and exits are on rail networks can save valuable minutes and make your journey even more efficient.

My best time from Flinders Street (or Southern Cross) to Melbourne Airport is between 55 minutes and an hour using this public transport. My worst trip on SkyBus took above 50 minutes (though I recall under an hour) so at the time for the latter I 'wasted' $15 in today's dollars. Do I consider SkyBus is worth the extra - no, especially because it then involves a transfer at Southern Cross to other public transport that if using Metro means going up in a lift or escalator then down again to the railway platforms.

I also dislike the way on Skybus that suitcases and backpacks are shoved in by passengers - the staff will not assist - on racks, one of which is close to floor level, the other at about chest height. There can then be a scrum upon arrival as impatient passengers try to retrieve suitcases on the bottom when others are stacked on top.

 

[whatmeworry]

Gave it a go today. It took about 95 mins at 1pm from SX station to VA lounge but I just missed a train so had to wait 17 mins for the next one and the signs at broad station are wrong so missed a 901 as I was directed over the bridge across the road (the bus leaves directly outside the station NOT across the road!). It's certainly not a glamorous or efficient way to travel so it comes down to how much you value your time. Would I give up ~1 hour of my time again to save ~$15? Hmmmm probably not.
I would be interested in trying the route at 5pm when the sky bus gets delayed by traffic as trains aren't delayed at all. It's probably the most efficient time to do it.
Broadmeadows is as rough as guts- there is no way I would do this after dark. Even at 2pm I felt quite uneasy waiting for the bus (I stood out like a sore thumb).

Just remember Protective Service Officers patrol at train stations after 6pm daily and all night on Friday and Saturday.

 

[Ausbt]

I love the double-deckers, reminds me of London and my 'commute' down to Twickenham on the 267 when I'm there, however I'm feeling they don't work as well for Skybus. The whole unloading process feels slower and really the view is not all that inspiring.

 

[Melburnian1]

Just remember Protective Service Officers patrol at train stations after 6pm daily and all night on Friday and Saturday.

While the 901 does not run at 0300 in the morning, so it's a bit of a moot point, these PSOs are not at every railway station at say 0300 on Saturday and Sunday mornings (what we might call 'Friday and Saturday nights.') They are at these times at a small minority of the 200 plus Metro railway stations.

 

[gizzard]

Was using the PTV web-site today and the 901 option has completely vanished when removing the Skybus option. I tried it from my local station and from Southern Cross and there are no options showing.

 

[opusman]

The PTV journey planner is flaky to say the least.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

While the 901 does not run at 0300 in the morning, so it's a bit of a moot point, these PSOs are not at every railway station at say 0300 on Saturday and Sunday mornings (what we might call 'Friday and Saturday nights.') They are at these times at a small minority of the 200 plus Metro railway stations.

They are at Broadmeadows every weekend all night

 

[G00r]

The PTV journey planner is flaky to say the least.

The good news is, journey planner is FINALLY turned on in Google Maps!
Downside is, no 901 option

 

[seanpodge]

The good news is, journey planner is FINALLY turned on in Google Maps!
Downside is, no 901 option

Really? It came up for me first time I tried all by itself. It listed four options based on journey time (901 was the slowest so it came last on the list, following three faster Skybus routes).

 

[smit0847]

Agree, smit0847 - the Metro train/ bus route 901 can be efficient during the weekday peak periods as that is when Skybus suffers most delays, with the latter taking almost an hour from the airport to Southern Cross or reverse.

So what you're really saying is if you had looked up the journey planner on the PTV website, deselected Skybus from the small 'further options' tab at the bottom and caught a train within say three minutes (saving 14 compared with your experience) and then caught a 901 bus outside the station in Pascoe Vale Road (couldn't be more convenient - about a fifty second walk from getting off the train if that) in say three minutes (saving another 12) you would have been at the airport in about 69 minutes.

You could potentially save more time by noting that from Southern Cross after about 1300 hours, the most efficient way can be to get a Werribee or Williamstown line train from platform 14, get off at North Melbourne and board the Craigieburn train there, alighting at Broadmeadows. This is because on weekday afternoons, Craigieburn line trains operate anticlockwise around the City Loop (going from SC to Flinders Street then three intermediate stops to North Melbourne.) Best to travel in the second last carriage from Southern Cross on the Werribee or Williamstown trains as that is where the escalators are, and that will also position you on the Craigieburn line trains close to the station barrier gate and hence exit at Broadmeadows railway station. Knowing where entrances and exits are on rail networks can save valuable minutes and make your journey even more efficient.

My best time from Flinders Street (or Southern Cross) to Melbourne Airport is between 55 minutes and an hour using this public transport. My worst trip on SkyBus took above 50 minutes (though I recall under an hour) so at the time for the latter I 'wasted' $15 in today's dollars. Do I consider SkyBus is worth the extra - no, especially because it then involves a transfer at Southern Cross to other public transport that if using Metro means going up in a lift or escalator then down again to the railway platforms.

I also dislike the way on Skybus that suitcases and backpacks are shoved in by passengers - the staff will not assist - on racks, one of which is close to floor level, the other at about chest height. There can then be a scrum upon arrival as impatient passengers try to retrieve suitcases on the bottom when others are stacked on top.

Thanks. I'm a bit of a novice at trains in melbourne as I very rarely catch them. It irritates me no end that every train I get from finders or SX goes seems to go through the loop - it wastes so much time.
With more planning I'm confident I could knock at least 20 minutes off the travel time next time.

PSO officers would help but it's just a pretty unpleasant area to transit!

 

[Melburnian1]

If you cannot achieve the functionality on the website or app that you desire, ring them on 1800 800 007 and lodge a complaint.

That way if they receive multiple complaints on a particular subject some public servant may (eventually) act upon it. As noted above to receive the 901 bus route option via the journey planner you have to deselect the 'Skybus' option right at the bottom under something like 'other route options' which from memory is in a fairly small, clickable font.

The footpath where you wait for the Skybus on Pascoe Vale Road looks unpleasant - the multi storey building is 20 years old or so and not 'friendly to the footpath' - but I've never had anything untoward occur there, even at night, apart from it being chilly on a cooler night when it is windy. Sadly, ice (methamphetamine if I am not mistaken) addicts are now a fact of life in most Australian cities and towns (one media outlet did an expose of Wellington NSW near Dubbo, not the sort of historic town one might initially associate with drugs) but I haven't ever been bothered by these individuals at Broadmeadows' bus stops.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Living around the corner from North Melbourne station means the Skybus tends to take about 15min less, door-to-door, than the PT route but is much more pleasant. Being crammed into a Skybus (and they all seem to be crammed) is truly miserable, and you pay for the privilege.

Regarding Google Maps, the 901 route will only seem to show as an option if you choose 'Train' under 'Prefer' in the 'Route options'.

Looking at the schedule explorer, it seems the shortest time you can do it (with the best connections) is 1hr 5min. This, however, includes an 8min walk to get to the terminal at the end.

 

[Himeno]

Thanks. I'm a bit of a novice at trains in melbourne as I very rarely catch them. It irritates me no end that every train I get from finders or SX goes seems to go through the loop - it wastes so much time.
With more planning I'm confident I could knock at least 20 minutes off the travel time next time.

PSO officers would help but it's just a pretty unpleasant area to transit!

Not all trains between Southern Cross and Flinders go through the loop. There are lines that go direct between Southern Cross and Flinders without going through the other 3 stations on the loop. Problem is which lines do so change with most lines changing the direction of travel through the loop on weekdays around lunch time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Loop#Services_and_direction_of_travel

 

[QF WP]

I bet more than 50 per cent of Skybus travellers are solo, especially during peak periods. This has been my observation over many trips.

That way by raising the 'solo' fares and decreasing the 'family' fare, the company ends up with increased revenue.

Some families get picked up at the airport, and others are probably more inclined to take Uber or (shudder) a taxi, or collect their car from Tulla's or a competitor's long stay car park and drive off.

Have to agree - as a solo business traveller, I almost always travel Skybus into CBD (and definitely always out of Southern Cross back to the airport) - in fact I can't think of the last time I caught a taxi from MEL. Did this yesterday again, $38 return is still significantly cheaper than Uber and taxis (one way!). The majority of my clients are at the bottom end of Collins street or in South Melbourne (so an easy walk from Sth Cross to a 12 or 109 tram), or accessible to the train. Free wifi, I don't have to drive myself and get through Melbourne's "left lane to turn right" and dodge tram drivers, a driver that generally speaks better English than taxi drivers (and some Uber drivers) and he knows where he's going.

 

[Melburnian1]

QF WP, interesting to know that some Uber drivers' English is not good. I would have thought that reasonable English would be a prerequisite, but perhaps taxi drivers are abandoning cabs and joining Uber.

 

[QF WP]

I had one in Adelaide from Egypt and another in Brisbane from India last week. The issue wasn't advising where to go - as they both had my destination already. But trying to hold a conversation with them wasn't easy. I was saved last week when a client rang me and spent 15 mins talking.

On Skybus I have no issues, can just open up my iPad and do some work and don't need to worry about small talk with driver, let alone other pax (50%+ are either on smartphones or tablets)

 

[QF WP]

Plus you get an iconic bus like this as transport and because of pax numbers, the queue was only 3 mins as they board from both front and back with the scanning technology

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I had one in Adelaide from Egypt and another in Brisbane from India last week. The issue wasn't advising where to go - as they both had my destination already. But trying to hold a conversation with them wasn't easy. I was saved last week when a client rang me and spent 15 mins talking.

On Skybus I have no issues, can just open up my iPad and do some work and don't need to worry about small talk with driver, let alone other pax (50%+ are either on smartphones or tablets)

why worry about small talk? If you don't want to talk then don't talk, or just say you're doing work.

 

[serfty]

Plus you get an iconic bus like this as transport and because of pax numbers, the queue was only 3 mins as they board from both front and back with the scanning technology
View attachment 67152

I dislike the double deckers with intensity - most PAX have to head upstairs with only a few seats downstairs (which is basically a few big luggage racks).