28 September, 2015. 11:00
EGBERT ADRIANSON| Melbourne| Contact
Visitors arriving in Melbourne are amazed by how efficient the public transport system is, with the Victorian capital being praised by the Economist Intelligence Unit for having “The best public transport system in Victoria, and other parts of the world”.
“The trains in Japan are way too fast,” said one businessman from Tokyo, a city that is famous for having one of the world’s most efficient and reliable public transport networks.
“In Melbourne, sometimes delays can mean you get to sit on a train for an extra hour, all for the same price. If that’s not value for the money, I don’t know what is!”
Asked about punctuality, he went on to say that “In Japan, the trains are always on time 100% of the time. In Melbourne, sometimes they don’t even come at all. It really adds variety and unpredictability to your day!”
Foreigners were also quite impressed by Myki, which cost the Victorian government $1.5 billion and is the most expensive public transport ticketing system in human history.
“Many people are curious about Myki,” said one young backpacker from England. “Many countries have been copying London’s Oyster card because it’s such a great system, but you guys have come up with your own. Myki cost 5 times more than Oyster, so it must be five times better.”
Others were impressed by the friendly demeanour of the ticket inspectors.
“They’re like the modern day equivalent of medieval highwaymen, demanding money from you on the spot in return for peaceful travelling” said an elderly woman also from England.
“I like how they’re physically intimidating and treat you like a guilty person for no reason. Now I know how it must have felt to have been a convict… It’s a very unique cultural experience”
“Not to mention the amazing insights into Australia’s melting pot of multiculturalism, which can be seen on any given train carriage at any given time,”
“If you are particularly lucky, you might get to see a drunk caucasian man questioning a migrant mother of three on why she feels she has the right to be sitting next to him,”
“My youtube channel is full of videos that document this uniquely Melbourne experience,”
