Public Transport Costs

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I took the kids through to Adelaide zoo the other day and decided to take the train.

 

I find short term parking fees in the city to be expensive.

For those people who drive into the city each day and pay for parking it might be helpful to provide an idea of what it costs you?

 

I picked up a Metrocard price list and have scanned it to give a comparison of how much it would cost to catch a train, bus or tram.

The electrified Seaford (formerly Noarlunga) line is supposed to be back to normal...or better than it was with the new locomotives and carriages...by the end of February so this gives an idea of how much it would cost to commute into the city by train. I think that the monthly rates are good especially when you compare the cost of fuel and parking.

 

Any thoughts welcome...

 

[Guest BurgessFamily]

There used to do a 10 trip metrocard for about $29, so the cost is more or less the same per week (ie. $28.50) to commute but you now get unlimited travel in that time.

 

I guess the only downside would be if you work less days, as the 28 days is fixed, so it would be less cost effective (as the old 10 trip ticket had no time limit)

 

 

Regarding the Noarlunga line, are the express trains back to normal?

[zebedee]

I have decided not to bother with the monthly price - you only have to have one or two days off and it's more expensive. I work from home one day a week, so not worth it.

 

Right, the Noarlunga line. This is the latest.

 

Seaford opens on Sunday 23rd with still almost all diesel trains, and with one electric train. More will be commissioned as time goes on.

 

Express services are not back, the Seaford > City run is down for about 52 mins, but I'd give it 60 mins considering the delays.

 

According to the latest info, once the Tonsley line is open, express trains will return, i.e. it'll be the middle of the year before that line is really back to normal.

[Toni]

I live closer to the city (and work near the city) so it is a 2 section metrocard at $1.78 each way. So it works out to $72.00 for 20 working days (28 calendar days) which saves $42.00 on the 28 day pass. I rarely take the train or bus for longer trips and prefer to take the car. I don't go to the city at all on the weekends. Also it only takes one or two public holidays to make it work out even less cost effective (if you live nearer the city).

 

You can find earlybird parking in the city at $12.00 per day.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

I get free parking at work, so I drive in. Office is at the top of Unley Rd.

[zebedee]

I get free parking at work, so I drive in. Office is at the top of Unley Rd.

 

SOOOO jealous! Work on Grenfell Street, no parking....train all the way. To be honest, it's been hell commuting since we moved South but I do think as the gov are pushing the South as an expanding area, they really have to get the train running down to 40 mins travel time for commuters.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

Government has been pushing the south for years. The population in the south has certainly been increasing at a great rate.

 

When they extend the rail line towards Aldinga, I'm not sure if it will improve commute times or have a negative effect on it. For me, there are too many crossings instead of bridges - so it will never be that great.

[Guest Guest12727]

There used to do a 10 trip metrocard for about $29, so the cost is more or less the same per week (ie. $28.50) to commute but you now get unlimited travel in that time.

 

I guess the only downside would be if you work less days, as the 28 days is fixed, so it would be less cost effective (as the old 10 trip ticket had no time limit)

 

 

The metrocard has replaced the 10 trips ticket. Works the same, but you pre-charge the card at newsagent, supermarket, ticket machine at interchanges, online etc (like an Oyster card in England). The cost per trip is deducted from the card when you use it at the lower rate. This works well if you don't travel everyday and is better than the old multi-trip as it deducts the actual fare for the time of travel, so if you travel between 9 and 3 it deducts the lower inter-peak rate.

 

If you travel 10 trips per week, the new monthly pre-charge would be the way to go.

[NicF]

I have a metro card and have it on auto renew so I don't have to worry about it running out of credit. Costs me $3.29 per trip at peak times, or $6.58 for a days commute. Much better than early bird parking, which in some car parks isn't valid unless you leave after a certain time. Fine if you are at work all day but if you have to leave early to pick a sick kid up from school you get hit with a huge charge for parking for just 4 or 5 hours.

 

I have driven to work on the odd occasion but I find that by the time I've got to the car park, parked the car then walked the extra distance to work I don't gain that much time compared to the bus. Certainly not enough to make it worth the extra expense of buying and running a second car, the petrol driving to work and the cost of car parking. However, if I ever get that much better paid job and decide to buy a car and drive to work I would get a season ticket thing for one of the car parks. From what I've been told these cost about $240 a month for a non reserved space (more if you want your own space) and the place I work at you can salary sacrifice the cost of the parking so save on tax.

[Guest Safari Shah]

Interesting thread guys. We landed in Oz yesterday and currently residing in one of Tamara's lovely cottages in Christies Beach. Just for clarity can someone advise, when the train will run for commuters from Port Noarlunga to CBD? Zebedee when you say Seaford opens on 23rd, will that also stop at Noarlunga? When I do a route plan on http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au using next Tuesday's date, I get a route using upto 4 different buses and a trip time of 80-90 mins ! Don't really want to have to drive in if poss.

 

Thanks

[zebedee]

The train still stops at Noarlunga - and will be leaving Seaford every 7/8 minutes during the commuter time in the morning - Noarlunga is the next stop and they will all stop there. Its slow, but very regular so you wont have any worries about rocking up at Noarlunga and getting a train. If you are like me, and get a bus as well, it gets a little trickier to tie up buses but Christies is quite well served by buses I think.

 

If you have a smartphone, there are a couple of apps - I used TripMate Adelaide which cost a couple of dollars but downloads the entire Metro timetable and you can specify fav stops \ routes etc for quick viewing. I think there is a free Metro app too.

 

There is an active Facebook group called Noarlunga Line Commuters 2013 which is good for the latest gossip and news - you get better info there than from Metro themselves!

Edited February 21, 2014 by zebedee

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Interesting thread guys. We landed in Oz yesterday and currently residing in one of Tamara's lovely cottages in Christies Beach. Just for clarity can someone advise, when the train will run for commuters from Port Noarlunga to CBD? Zebedee when you say Seaford opens on 23rd, will that also stop at Noarlunga? When I do a route plan on www.adelaidemetro.com.au using next Tuesday's date, I get a route using upto 4 different buses and a trip time of 80-90 mins ! Don't really want to have to drive in if poss.

 

Hi,

Thank you very much for this.

The Noarlunga line has been closed during the electrification and buses have been used as replacement transport. The buses take ages! The trains have been back for the past few weeks but they are still running the diesels whilst they sort out the introduction of the new electric trains. Not all the previous services have been restored(express trains and schedules) but there will be trains during the peak times and during the day. The two new stations in the Seaford extension will be open soon (and the line will be then called the Seaford line and not the Noarlunga line) but you won't have a problem getting a train into the city from Noarlunga.

There is also the bus terminus at Noarlunga which is next to the train station.

I will have a chat with you this weekend!

[zebedee]

Seaford opens tomorrow! Bit of an opening thing going on at the station on Sunday with free sausage sizzle.

[Guest Guest12727]

 

If you have a smartphone, there are a couple of apps - I used TripMate Adelaide which cost a couple of dollars but downloads the entire Metro timetable and you can specify fav stops \ routes etc for quick viewing. I think there is a free Metro app too.

 

 

I use the free app TransitTimes+. It does all the above.

[Guest Safari Shah]

Thank you all, most useful info ! Will also down load the app.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

According to the messenger (but you can't believe everything you read!)...the express trains will be back early April.

They will be picking up passengers at Seaford, Noarlunga and Brighton without stopping at any other stations (don't forget to wave!!!).

 

It says that the travel time will be cut by 20 minutes from Seaford.

The old diesel express trains took around 27 to 29 minutes from Noarlunga so lets see what the travel time is when the new electric trains start running.....