Getting to Melbourne Airport (Was: New Ticket available)

["Ben" <smithb@alphalink.com.au>]

"Michael Wierzbinski" <wizzer1865@NOSPAMoptusnet.com.au> wrote in message
3a51cf63$0$17102$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:3a51cf63$0$17102$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
>
> "Erk" <erk@erkV69.au.com> wrote in message
> 3a50501f$1@news.iprimus.com.au">news:3a50501f$1@news.iprimus.com.au...
> >
> > "James C." <james_ccj@my-deja.com> wrote in message
> > 92p4nj$bka$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:92p4nj$bka$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
> > |
> >
> > | > I guess you could say Sydney finally has a ticket comparable to a
> > | Metcard
> > | > daily zone 1/2/3.
> > |
> > | Still you can't use this ticket on airport bus/xplorer bus, SLRT,
> > | monorail.
> > |
> >
> > You can't use a daily Metcard on Sydney's Airport buses, SLRT (Sydney
> Light
> > Rail Tram?) or monorail either.
> >
> > Come to think of it, you can't use a Daily Metcard (or any Metcard) on a
> > direct Melbourne Airport - City bus service either as it is a similiar
> > preminum type service.
>
> Touché, however there is a way to get to Melbourne airport using normal
> public transport if you are willing to try it.
>

I've done that, its a pig of a place to get get to. This my experience of
getting to Tulla' on a metcard, sorry if I crap on a tad and get a bit off
topic.

Once I tried to get there from Moonee Ponds Junction. I checked the online
timetables before I left home, It said there was a bus to the airport at a
particular time, continuing to Sunbury. When I got there the bus was instead
going to Broadmeadows. The online timetables were obviously out of date, and
I wasn't going to sit around all day waiting on the off chance that a bus to
the airport would come so I went to Hungry Jacks instead.

The next time I tried I had a free afternoon from Uni. so I decided to try
again. This time I consulted no timetables and just left it to chance. So I
made my way to Spencer St and boarded the next train for Sunbury.

 When I arrived at Sunbury station there was a bus waiting that was going to
Moonee Ponds Junction, so I asked the driver if it went through the airport,
the driver said yes. So I went to the airport and had a look at the
renovated Qantas terminal that opened since I was there last. And spent some
time on the observation deck watching the Virgin/Impulse gates(prior to
multi-user terminal).

The only problem was getting back to a place where I could catch a train to
the city. According to the timetable on the stop there was a bus going to
Moonee Ponds so I waited and it never came. I decided to get the next bus no
matter whre it went, which would hopefully go to Moonee Ponds or
Broadmeadows but instead went to Sunbury. I even considered paying $10 or
whatever to go one-way on skybus to the city. But I persevered and went to
Sunbury and got the next train to the city.

The whole thing took bloody hours, I think I spent 3 hours (the last 1 hr
waiting for a bus) at the airport and  1 1/2 hours each way travelling to/
from the city. The sooner they build the airport line the better.

--
Ben Smith

Melbourne Victoria