Re: Fascinating Tram Trip

[Dave McL <davemcl@iprolink.co.nz>]

Martin Bienwald wrote:

> A few years ago, Melbourne had the second biggest tram network after
> Leningrad/St Petersburg. I've heard rumours of some route closures in St
> Petersburg, however, so Melbourne could well have the biggest by now.


"Biggest" is relative, of course. Melbourne has/had the second largest 
system based on track kilometres. St Petersburg has/had the most track 
kilometres. Wien is third behind Melbourne. Other cities like Milano are 
close behind that.

But Melbourne's is a low-density system serving sprawling suburbs, very 
unusual for a tramway system, most of which serve densely populated urban 
areas.

Thus, many tramways carry vastly more passengers than Melbourne's 
near-paltry 120-million per annum.

 
> Of course, that's no excuse for having the worst failure of a ticketing
> system I've ever heard of.

That's what happens when they try to reinvent the wheel.

Dave McLoughlin
Auckland New Zealand