[LINK] Vic transport smartcard to cost $1bn

[Russell Ashdown]

Marghanita da Cruz wrote:
> Perth has had a time based ticket system, for as long as I can 
> remember, you can use the same ticket to get onto a bus (and 
> presumeably a train and I recall they have some ferries) within two 
> hours.
The Perth ticketing system combines elements of zones and time across 
the network (buses, trains and ferries.)  For journeys up to 4 zones, 
the Perth ticket system allows two hours to transfer between services. 
For trips covering 5 to 8 zones, you have three hours.

By contrast, the Brisbane ticketing system covers 23 zones radiating 
from Brisbane to as far North as Gympie (170 km north of Brisbane) to 
Coolangatta (100 km south of Brisbane). The zones stretch as far west as 
Helidon (80 km west of Brisbane) and as far east as the bayside suburbs 
of Brisbane.
>
> I recently, regularly caught buses in Canberra - the problem there 
> seems to be a small population over a huge area. Which by the way is a 
> problem Perth shares.
A much simplified ticketing system:  Basically time based with no zones.