Victorian Ferry observations 2019

[MotorOmnibus8562]

Welcome to 2019

[normie]

Port Phillip Ferries have announced they will have a twice daily ferry service from Geelong to Docklands, staring sometime in December 2019. The journey is going to take a rather slow 100 minutes, compared to the current train trip taking about 60-70 minutes.

[normie]

The ferry trial from Geelong to Melbourne is scheduled to start on Monday 2nd December 2019 with 2 services each day.

[normie]

Looks like the fare for the ferry from Geelong to Melbourne will be a rather high $18 each way, their is currently a $12 early bird offer available until November 20th but still no timetable has been released. Current train price from Geelong to Melbourne is $9.38 off peak and $13.40 during peak.

[normie]

The timetable has been released for the Geelong - Melbourne Ferry. The maiden voyage will leave Geelong at 6.45am December 2nd with a estimated travel time of between 90 and 100 minutes Full timetable is available at the Port Phillip Ferries website.

[1whoknows]

They have been granted the speed increase up the Yarra after two years of negotiation so the timing is now a flat 90 minutes.

[1whoknows]

They have been granted the speed increase up the Yarra after two years of negotiation so the timing is now a flat 90 minutes.

[Heihachi_73]

It needs to match myki fares in order to be competitive, all it needs are the myki validators and equipment on board just like a bus. Sydney's ferries have been using Opal cards for several years (and prior to that, the Sydney variant of Metcard, although the ticketing system was not unified thus a Sydney Ferries ticket was not usable on buses/trains etc. unlike our system). Make it the same price as (or even cheaper than) V/Line and people would flock to it, otherwise it will be virtually empty aside from transport enthusiasts and old people treating it as a poor man's Spirit of Tasmania cruise.

[normie]

Totally agree, on Channel 7 Monday night they compared the price to V/Line. V/Line was quoted as $26.80 for a return fare and the ferry as $30 return. What they didn't tell you to get the $30 return you need to buy a Multi Pass Fare 10 pack for $150. A V/line 7 day pass Geelong to Melbourne is $89.40. Regular price for the ferry is $18 one way which is not competitive with a service which is slower than the train. Loading's on the first service were about 50 pax which i cant see this improving with the current fare model. The 5.30pm ferry service Melbourne to Geelong is competing with the 5.32pm Southern Cross express to North Geelong taking around 60 minutes to get to the Geelong main station. I would be suggesting the ferry to have a departure time of 5.15pm and the same price as V/line and i think you would get a good load of passengers on that service considering people are already waiting to board the 5.32pm S/Cross to W/Ponds service from around 5.15pm.