Warning to MEL residents and visitors Metcard ends 28/12/12

[Deleted member 29185]

Now that Myki has been operating as Melbourne's only public transport fare system for nearly three months, I wonder how visitors are finding it?

What about use of bus route 901 to and from Tullamarine? It continues to be Melbourne's best kept public transport secret? Sure Skybus is quicker but is much more expensive. It would seem a few savvy travellers have discovered it's quite feasible to take the 901 bus to/from Broadmeadows and connect with the train. Broadmeadows is also a connection with V/Line and Countrylink trains. The 901 bus operates a convenient service from early morning until late at night Mondays to Saturdays with only slightly reduced hours on Sundays.

I've used it to/from my bus stop (at the end of my street!) at Ringwood. It's a two and a half hour trip but you can put your bags in the rack and settle back for a leisurely and affordable trip. Route 901 operates entirely in Zone 2.

As a tourist in MEL, I haven't considered using Myki for airport connections. My whole family now has a Myki card for use around the city (mainly with trams) but for the airport connections with 4 of us usually travelling, my preference is a rental. I just wish the rental mobs would stop ripping us off with a city dropoff excess from a airport rental. Frequently, it's cheaper for me to keep the car for days on end (which is also convenient) rather than hire (MEL), drive and drop (city) and vice versa for the return.