journey planner ptv

Public Transport Victoria app 4+

Public transport victoria, designed for iphone, iphone screenshots, description.

Make travel easier. Real time information, journey planning and myki top up. Welcome aboard the Public Transport Victoria (PTV) app where you can top up your myki, plan your journey, get travel alerts and more. The PTV app lets you plan your journey using trains, trams, and buses, making travel around Melbourne and Victoria simple and convenient. Create an account and register your myki for added security. You can also schedule auto top up so you are always ready to travel. Personalise the app by saving your favourite routes and stops and get real time notification alerts for your preferred stops and journeys. - myki top up: Hold your myki to the back of your phone to check your balance and top up instantly - Apple Pay: Pay with Apple Pay for myki Money and myki Pass - Account management: Keep track of your mykis and easily access their balance, expiry dates, transactions, and travel history - Auto top up: Set up auto top up to ensure you always have sufficient balance on your myki - Alerts: Stay informed of disruptions to your journey, news and myki - Real time information: Get real time departure information for upcoming services - Live tracking: Watch your service arrive at any stop (available for bus and train only) - Favourites: Save your favourite stops, lines, journeys, and addresses for fast access - Reminders: Set journey planner reminders for leaving on time - Search: Look for destinations, stops, routes and myki outlets, or use your current location to search for nearby transport options. If you enjoy using our app, please leave us a review. If you would like to contact us about anything, please email [email protected]. Please note: Offline mode is not available in this app. The app is online only and requires an internet connection. This helps us to always provide you with the most up-to-date public transport information.

Version 4.6.2

Bug fixes and stability improvements

App Privacy

The developer, Public Transport Victoria , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Financial Info
• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• User Content
• Search History
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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Public Transportation

Getting Around Melbourne: A Guide to Public Transportation

Marina is a freelance writer who began contributing to TripSavvy in 2019. She set off with a one-way ticket to Asia in 2017 and has been living and traveling abroad ever since.

Don’t underestimate the size of Melbourne, Australia. Travelers may only stick to Central Business District and its surrounding neighborhoods—but the city extends so much further than that, stretching around Port Phillip Bay for 3,857-square miles.

Melbourne is kind of like New York City , in a geographical sense, because a lot of Melburnians live in the outer suburbs and travel into the city for work. The daily commute isn’t ideal by car, so people in the city opt to use the Public Transport Victoria train, tram, and bus system instead. Sixteen regular service train lines run north, south, east, and west into and out of the city. It’s an impressive and efficient system for such a big city. 

Here’s what you should know about getting around Melbourne.

How to Ride the Metro Melbourne Train Lines

Most people who use public transportation in Melbourne hop on the train. There are 16 Metro train lines that jut out of the city center and into the outer suburbs. The two main stations are Flinders Street and Southern Cross. Riding the train is a convenient alternative to driving, although a train ride could take just as long (if not longer) to get you where you want to go due to frequent stops.

• Passes: First, you’ll need to buy a myki card for AU$6. It gets you onto trains, trams, and buses throughout Melbourne and regional parts of Victoria. You can purchase one at 7-Eleven stores, a ticket booth at a premium train station, or on myki machines. Next, load the card with money to get from one stop to the next. You can do this at the ticket booth or at the myki machine. 
• Fares: The lowest amount of money you can add to your myki card is AU$10. That will get you two rides as the default fare for the train is $4.50 one way. Children, seniors, and students are eligible for discounted tickets. However, keep in mind that the price for each train ride is different, depending on how far you travel and when you travel. A smart thing to do if you’re visiting for a week is to buy a seven-day myki pass for AU$44. This will save you from continually topping up your card. You can check fares using the myki fare calculator .  
• How to Ride: Once you’ve purchased and loaded a myki pass, you must tap your card onto the center of the reader as you enter the railway platform. When you get off at your desired stop, simply tap off the same way you tapped on. Metro police conduct random checks on every train to see if passengers paid for their ride. If you don’t tap on before entering the platform and an officer catches you, it could result in a hefty fine. 
• Hours of Operation: The train lines operate from 5 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Thursday. The night network runs Friday through Sunday, with trains operating every hour after 12 a.m. 
• Service Changes: It’s typical for the Metro train to have periodic service changes. Delays may happen due to construction on the tracks, public events, or disorderly conduct by passengers. In the event of a service change, there will be announcements made throughout the station and written on the monitors. Sometimes, buses replace trains between specific stops, but there is always clear signage to help you navigate your way. You can check to see if your train line is running on time using the Public Transport Victoria journey planner . 
• Transfers: Transfers are relatively easy to complete when using the Metro train. You can hop off one train and onto another without re-tapping your myki card. If you get confused about a transfer, ask a Metro train station employee (you’ll spot them in neon orange jumpers). They’re usually on the platforms during hours of operation to help passengers with their journey.  
• Accessibility: PTV train stations are accessible to people with disabilities. Ramps, designated seating, and a combination of audio and visual announcements are available at larger stops. If you have hearing difficulties, you can use the National Relay Service . For more information about accessibility and mobility aid specifications, check out the Public Transport Victoria website . 

You can use the journey planner on the PTV website or app to plan your route and find out real-time departure and arrival information.

Riding the Melbourne Metropolitan Bus Network

The public buses in Melbourne are another standard mode of transportation. There are 346 routes within Melbourne and regional Victoria, so it covers more than the train. You can get to shopping centers, hospitals, sporting venues, and other Melbourne attractions via bus. This map shows the different bus routes within Melbourne. You can use the Public Transport Victoria journey planner to help you find the specific stop you’re looking for. 

The public bus takes the myki card as a bus pass, so make sure it’s loaded with money before you get on the bus. Fares are the same as the train. Note that riding the bus will take significantly longer than the train. Traffic, stop lights, and stops will add an extra 10–20 minutes to your journey. 

Airport-Specific Shuttles

Melbourne has a fast, frequent, and cheap airport shuttle called the SkyBus . It’s a big red bus with WiFi onboard and plenty of seating. From Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, there are six SkyBus services: Melbourne City Express, Southbank Docklands Express, St Kilda Express, Peninsula Express, Western Express, and Airport Bus Eastside. The Melbourne City Express bus, for instance, departs every 10 minutes and transfers passengers directly from the airport to Southern Cross Station (and vice versa). It takes about 30–40 minutes and costs AU$19.75 one way.

Melbourne city trams are convenient for traveling to a specific destination within the city and the surrounding neighborhoods. The best part? It’s free within Melbourne CBD . Outside of this free tram zone, the tram takes the myki card, with fares the same as the train. Keep in mind that you cannot purchase a myki card on a tram or at a tram stop. 

Use the Metropolitan tram network map to help you get to where you want to go. Locate the area where you want to go, then check the route number and destination on the front of the tram.  

Taking the ferry in Melbourne is a great way to get on the water and travel across the peninsula. From Melbourne CBD, you can take a one-hour cruise to Williamstown, an outer suburb known for being the city's first seaport. It costs AU$24 one way and departs at various times, depending on the season. There’s also a 90-minute cruise from the city to Portarlington , a historic little town on the Bellarine Peninsula. This costs AU$16 for an adult one-way ticket.

Melbourne sits along the Yarra River, where you can hop on a water taxi to shuttle to different stops along the waterway. It operates seven days a week and departs every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to midnight. It’s a popular way to get around during the summer, so it’s recommended to book a water taxi ticket in advance.

Taxis and Ride-Sharing Apps

If you’re in a hurry, taxis and ride-hailing services are available throughout Melbourne. Local cabs, such as 13cabs , are white cars with bright orange writing on the sides. Ride-railing services such as Uber, DiDi, and Ola operate all over the city, including the surrounding suburbs. It’s a common and quick way to get around.

Car Rentals 

Renting a car to use within Melbourne CBD may not be the best idea. The city is dense with traffic, parking can get pricey, and the town has something called “ hook turns ,” which, if you’re not familiar with, are very tricky to navigate.

On the other hand, if you want to explore the Great Ocean Road or other outer suburb attractions, it might be a good idea to rent a car for the freedom to explore. Melbourne has car rental companies such as Budget, Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis. You can rent a car from the airport or within the city. Don’t forget, Aussies drive on the left side of the road! 

Tips for Getting Around Melbourne

Getting around Melbourne isn’t very difficult. The city has an impressive amount of public transportation options with informative signs and friendly employees to help you navigate your way around.

• Be wary of rush hour: Traveling during rush hour can be a bit of a headache. Peak traffic on public transportation and the roads is Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. During this time, the roads leading into and out of the city will be jam-packed with people traveling to and from work. If you’re traveling by train, be attentive towards the express services.
• Melbourne CBD is very walkable: Melbourne CBD is easy to walk around because the streets are set up like a grid. If you’re following a map, it’s very straightforward, and sometimes quicker to walk than take the tram. 
• If given the option, choose the train over the bus: The train is a bit more reliable without the traffic and quicker without so many stops. 
• Download the Public Transport Victoria app: This will help with planning your journey throughout the city and the surrounding suburbs. It is available on both Google Play and the Apple Store .

Your Trip to Melbourne: The Complete Guide

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Related products, real-time traffic management software for multimodal networks.

PTV Optima delivers detailed traffic forecasts and monitoring dashboards, so you always have complete overview of the situation and take the right actions.  

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Discover all the new highlights and features of ptv's and econolite's software and hardware solutions., tell me more.

The traffic management software PTV Optima connects to all your sensor data, including from public transportation. It helps operators identify the best scenarios to manage congestion, road closures and construction sites, and to accurately simulate the resulting network performances.  

PTV Optima continuously reacts to changing conditions. It provides live information, enabling you to optimize network efficiency and increase user satisfaction - without adding new roads or services. 

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Get unique traffic information for every road, intersection and lane

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Top functions of the real-time traffic management system

Traffic data analysis.

Get a detailed overview of the network status quo, to manage demand and avoid congestion and tailbacks. PTV Optima incorporates data from a huge number of sources, such as floating car data (FCD), automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), detector information, and accident and construction site updates. The traffic management software continuously compares and validates live field data, eliminates biases, fills in data blanks, and integrates these with PTV Visum dynamic models . 

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Replace speculations with reliable predictions with our traffic control software: PTV Optima forecasts future traffic conditions. Its unique approach combines machine learning and transportation models, to cover effectively both planned and unplanned events. Get your system up and running in less than one hour - or deploy advanced features for the most complex use cases. 

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Build your own performance indicators, selecting monitored area and the forecast horizon. Easily assemble your KPIs into intuitive and effective dashboards, to simplify tasks and to react quickly.

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With PTV Optima, management centers improve traffic flow by simulating different scenarios and taking the right actions. The traffic management software allows operators to simulate and evaluate different mitigation strategies in a virtual environment. To steer traffic away from incidents, the model runs parallel simulations, and indicates the most effective of them. This takes only a few moments, and the results are the basis for a reliable decision. 

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Based on customized indicators, build workflows that simplify the actions of everyone at the control center. Automatize triggers based on custom conditions of the detected or predicted network status. Send messages to other teams, and dispatch data to systems and components.

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Traffic control software at its best: Optimize your signal control by connecting PTV Optima to PTV signal optimization tools. Optimize green waves at single intersections, andintersections and improve signal coordination in the entire network. When deployed with PTV Optima, the solution is even tolerant to detector fault.

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Improve incident management by simulating traffic scenarios in real-time and on a microscopic level. Develop ramp metering and managed lane strategies to optimize your network, based on a detailed vehicle-to-vehicle interaction. 

Public transportation operations

Integrate PTV Optima with your public transportation operation control center, to provide passengers with reliable travel information and expected delays. Monitor real-time fleet positions to determine expected delays where routes mix with private traffic. Use this traffic management system to build performance indicators and pre-identify critical points, making it easier for your operators to handle inconveniencies.

Journey planner

PTV Optima’s travel information empowers travel planners. The traffic management software also offers its own intermodal journey planner, combining different modes of transportation in any plausible combination. Combine information from PTV Optima with travel modes in your city, so users optimize their travel choices.

Integrated traffic management system

Facilitated connectivity and seamless integration: The real-time traffic management software connects to many subsystems and functions and supports all market standards for information exchange. It has an efficient setup process with offline calibration and model validations. System integration is facilitated by traffic data sent directly from the lanes. To meet a project specification, you can integrate PTV Optima with a separate user interface or rely on its web GUI.

Switch to smart city traffic management

Expanding transportation infrastructure is costly and might not result in less traffic bottlenecks. While congestion is hard to predict, our traffic management software PTV Optima unlocks your city’s true potential. With reliable forecasts, high-quality real-time data and enhanced decision support, you will deploy the best strategy for your network:

• Fuse different data sources for a detailed analysis of the current traffic situation 
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• Evaluate alternative scenarios and their effects to activate the most efficient counter measure 
• Reduce impacts of traffic incidents and improve road safety with early incident detection 

With multiple installations in Europe and Asia, PTV Optima is the proven tool for smart city traffic management. 

Discover how PTV Optima upgrades your network

Public transit operations management

One of the best ways for public transit providers to improve and speed up their operations management is to rely on quality real-time data. Relying on good data also enables operators to observe trends in the performance of their services and passengers’ reaction to them.

What customers say about PTV Optima

PTV Optima is an extremely sophisticated system, but it features a straightforward interface, making it simple for anyone to use.

We can better manage congestion and respond to incidents faster.

It’s already proving to be a success. We are able to manage the flow of traffic better in busy periods.

We rely on PTV Optima for its up-to-date and complete data, which is crucial for traffic management and control.

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