The International Transport Game

[me123]

Then at 11:00 we board Air New Zealand (Operated by Air Nelson) flight NZ8079 to Dunedin Airport, South Island, New Zealand. We touch down at Dunedin Airport at 12:50 on Tuesday afternoon.

(I'm not bored of NZ )

Source: Google Flights

 

[johnnychips]

"There is currently no bus service between the airport and Dunedin"

www.dunedinairport.co.nz

So somebody could be crafty and try and find a normal bus service in walking distance, or it looks like we'll have to fly somewhere else.

 

[dzug2]

We take the 225pm (1425) Intercity bus from its Dunedin airport stop to Queenstown, Atholl Street carpark arriving at 6.25pm (1830) Tuesday evening


http://www.intercity.co.nz/search-results/Form

 

[Springs Branch]

No more useful moves available today, so we spend the night in scenic Queenstown (lucky it's mid summer down here).

We continue on the 0805 Newmans Coach Lines service NM9556 to Christchurch Airport, International Terminal arriving 1600 Wednesday afternoon.

Source: intercity.co.nz

 

[dzug2]

Not wishing to leave the area so soon we take the purple line Airport bus at 1637 to Christchurch town centre, arriving at Central Station at 1717 Wednesday evening

source http://www.metroinfo.co.nz/

 

[johnnychips]

Deleted, as I finally deduced, 'Central Station' seems to refer to the bus station, confused me a lot; not the rail station, which seems to be very bereft of buses. Will have another go tomorrow/today!

 

[Springs Branch]

Still plenty of daylight left to enjoy a trip to the seaside .....

We board Metro Bus route 60 from Central (bus) Station at 1727, arriving New Brighton, Oram Avenue at 1808 Wednesday evening.

Source: metroinfo.co.nz

 

[Bodie]

We don't see much if any of that sea. A tilt of the head to strain our nostrils for the faint hint of some sea breeze. That's all we can muster as we dash across to Beresford Street.

Here we board a Yellow line bus at 1815 and travel back into the centre of Christchurch, alighting at Westfield Riccarton at 1851 on Wednesday evening

Source: www.metroinfo.co.nz

 

[Springs Branch]

We transfer to the 1857 Purple Line Metro Bus to Christchurch International Airport, arriving at 1921 Wednesday evening (refer posts #605 & 607)

Source: metroinfo.co.nz

 

[me123]

I won't keep us in NZ any longer. We bid a fond farewell to this country for now wondering if we may see it flying a different flag on our return?

We board Jetstar flight 174, and the A320 takes us to Melbourne, Australia. Our flight arrives at 22:20 on Wednesday evening.

Source: jetstar.com

 

[Springs Branch]

A quick trip through immigration gets us to the bus stop in time for the 2250 Smart Bus 901 as far as Broadmeadows Railway Station, arriving at 2308 Wednesday evening.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Bodie]

Wow, a new playground to explore. I knew Melbourne was big, but I didn't realise how big and how extensive the transport systems. According to wikipedia we are in the home of the longest tram network in the world.

Apparently there is a lot of hybrid running. So I'm not sure what we are getting from Broadmeadows station.

Any how's we jump on the first thing available and that is at 2324 and takes us to Craigieburn arriving at 2335 on Wednesday night

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Springs Branch]

We're just too late for the last departure of the night, so it's overnight at Craigieburn.

Next morning we head for Melbourne city on the 0431 Metro train to Flinders Street Station, arriving at 0515 Thursday morning.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[dzug2]

We take the first eastbound country train out of Flinders Street at 0620 and ride to Traralgon, arriving at 0837 Thursday morning

https://www.vline.com.au/getattachment/5efc308a-d524-45ec-bce2-5ca9f826e2bf/Traralgon-Melbourne

 

[Springs Branch]

The V/Line Sprinter DMUs used on the Gippsland Line are a much nicer experience than their BR cousins, so we turn around and return on the 0920 V/Line train from Traralgon, avoiding the temptation to get off at Nar Nar Goon and alight at Dandenong at 1046 Thursday morning.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Bodie]

Time to explore the branch line here.

At exactly 1100 our Metro train leaves for Cranbourne arriving 1114 on Thursday morning

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Springs Branch]

Does Cranbourne deserve its local nickname of "Crimebourne"? We don't wait to find out as .....

We board Cranbourne Transit's route 790 bus at 1140, arriving Frankston Railway Station at 1218 Thursday afternoon.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[me123]

We have the option of returning to a more central location, or going further afield. Naturally, I choose the route less well travelled and guide us onboard the 12:30 Metro Trains service to Stony Point, VA, Australia. We arrive at 13:06 on Thursday afternoon.

Source: Public Transport Victoria

 

[Springs Branch]

Not a lot to see or do at Stony Point, and the only onward connection seems to be the ferry to Cowes on Phillip Island (from where we could take a ponderous bus journey, via connections, back to Dandenong). Unfortunately the ferry does not connect with our train. Rather than wait here for the rest of the afternoon we retrace our steps on .....

The 1344 Metro Trains Stony Point Line service to Frankston arriving 1420 Thursday afternoon.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Bodie]

Now heading over to the bus stop on Young St, we board Portsea Passenger Service route 788 at 1435 travelling to Ocean Beach Road/ Kerferd Ave (Sorrento) arriving at 1612 on Thursday afternoon

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[Springs Branch]

Now heading over to the bus stop on Young St, we board Portsea Passenger Service route 788 at 1435 travelling to Ocean Beach Road/ Kerferd Ave (Sorrento) arriving at 1412 on Thursday afternoon

Seems to be a 12hr/24hr translation error here - that Route 788 bus actually arrives in Sorrento at 4.12pm / 1612 hrs. Taking this to be the case .....

It's mid-summer Down Under, so a good time for a sail on Port Phillip Bay.

We take the 650m walk to the Searoad Ferry Terminal and join the 1700 sailing from Sorrento to Queenscliff, arriving at 1745 Thursday afternoon.

Source: searoad.com.au

 

[dzug2]

We then take McHarrys bus 56 at 1855, travelling to Geelong Railway station, arriving at 1958 Thursday afternoon

http://tt.ptv.vic.gov.au/tt/TTB/20151216-233418/vic/06G56_ttb_TP.pdf

 

[Springs Branch]

Nearly 24 hours in the vicinity of Melbourne and we haven't been on a tram yet! But at least we've completed a public transport circumnavigation of the rather large Port Phillip Bay.

We take the 2012 V/Line train (a relatively rare loco-hauled country train) from Geelong to Southern Cross Station arriving 2117 Thursday evening.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[me123]

Well, if you fancy a trip on the tram, I'll take us onto the number 96. It's a leisurely connection for the tram at 21:42, which takes us to one of the Commonwealth Games venues (from back in 2006 - doesn't seem that long ago!). We alight at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre at 21:55 on Thursday evening.

 

[Springs Branch]

We transfer from the Light Rail station to the nearby tram stop at Albert Road / Aughtie Drive, Albert Park (Stop 131). We take a Yarra Trams Route 12 tram at 2215 to its terminus at Fitzroy St/Park St, St Kilda (Stop 143) arriving 2224 Thursday evening.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[me123]

It's a short walk to stop 134, where we can continue our late night exploration of an antipodal tram network by boarding a Yarra Trams 16 service at 22:43. It takes us to Melbourne University/Swanston Street (Carlton) (Stop 1), Melbourne, Australia; where we alight at 23:12 on Thursday evening.

Source: PTV Journey Planner

 

[Springs Branch]

Every so often we hit some minor milestone in International Transport game. Today we visit the world's southernmost point which can be reached on a tram.

We board the 2329 Yarra Trams Route 64 from Melbourne University to the terminus at Stop 68 East Brighton, arriving 0017 Friday morning.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[me123]

I wonder if we can make our way to the most Northernly tram stop, wherever that may be?

This tram stop seems to be the only public transport nearby, so I think we have no option but to hop back on. At 00:39, the next tram comes into the terminus, and we ride it on a short journey to Stop 57 (Glenhuntly Road/Hawthorne Road), Melbourne, AUS. We arrive at 00:45 on Friday morning.

 

[Springs Branch]

As the empty tram rumbles off towards Glenhuntly depot, we realise there's no more public transport from here tonight.

We take an early tram when service resumes ..... the 0518 Yarra Trams Route 67 towards the city, but alight just down the road at Elsternwick Railway Station, Stop 44 at 0524 Friday morning.

Source: ptv.vic.gov.au

 

[me123]

We make our way back to the city centre on heavy rail, transferring to the adjacent railway station and boarding the 05:37 Metro Trains service towards Melbourne Flinders Street Station. We arrive at 05:53 on Friday morning.

Source: PTV timetable