> No memory timetable
On most lines trains run every 15 or 20 mins off peak with 30 mins at night
(except Sandringham which is every 20)
Saturdays - every 20 minutes until 7pm then every 30 minutes (Sandringham
excepted - 20 mins)
Sundays - every 30 or 40 minutes during day, 40 minutes after 7pm.
Also, where the frequencies coincide between weekdays and Saturdays, the
times are the same.
eg Greensborough station - trains to city between 9.30am and 3.30pm depart
on the 08,28,48 Mon to Sat. Trains back depart 07,27,47 via loop or 16,36,56
direct until 1pm weekdays.
>Inadequate information
Every station has a timetable posted with the times for that station
highlighted in highlighter. As you approach the station, a large poster is
usually next to or around the ticket window saying 'Trains to.....<insert
destination here>' with the times written badly in texta. Plus platforms now
have push button gadgets that announce to you when you push the green button
times of the next three trains from that platform and how long until they
arrive. Also at suburban stations now is a computer generated announcement
similar to the talking box saying when the train is about to arrive plus the
stopping pattern.
As for your XPT experience, at Spencer Street where you got off to change to
a suburban service to Glen Waverley, there are (and have been as long as I
can remember) VDUs above the ticket checking gates stating when the next two
trains depart, their stopping pattern, the platform they depart from and how
long until it departs. How much more clearer do you want? Plus when you get
on the platform there are more VDUs along the platform which give a detailed
stopping pattern with the trains time and destination in large letters at
the top. Plus a countdown to next train and a brief description of the
following train and countdown at the bottom of the right hand screen. (eg
3.37 Glen Waverley 5mins). Plus on the front of the train is a
destination sign saying where it's going (not always correctly set but
usually).
I would be interested to hear about your experience to see where you
think information is lacking in respect to the above.
Having lived in Sydney for 5 months, I would find the info provided there is
much lesser than Melbourne. The trains have no destination on the front
until recently when you guys started to install them, your on train
announcements are better though. The stations have platform timetables and
those destination blinds although I rarely saw them set. At Central I found
the old destination indicators in the subway hard to understand and the
first time I used the Sydney system, I went to the wrong platform as some of
the dots on the platform number were missing plus they are hard to read. On
the platform are the destination signs with the lights next to the station -
it was hard to distinguish the white lights from the white writing with the
station names - again presentation of irrelevant information. However, some
have said here they like it so I may put it down to differences between
cities (much like Melway vs. UBD - I find UBD hard to read quickly whereas
Sydneysiders seem to swear by it and find Sydway hard to read). Plus there
are no quick reference posters at station entrances. I find Sydney's train
timetables large and slightly bulky to carry vs. Melbourne's slimline design
and yet the writing is smaller.
Enough of my nitpicking, I would be interested to hear how you think our
information could be better presented.