At least y’all are consistent. Melbourne‘s Metro Trains have been voted the worst rail network in Australia for the fifth year in a row, with punters hammering ’em on service reliability, trip comfort and ticket price.
The biggest problems identified in Canstar Blue’s 2016 review tended to cover the much-maligned myki ticketing system, overcrowding on services and the shittiness of fellow passengers – which, to be fair, is actually a puzzle embedded into the broad tapestry of human experience and not really a problem specific to Melbourne trains.
“In the five years of these ratings we have not seen any significant improvement from Metro Trains,” Canstar Blue editor Simon Downes told The Age.
“Metro customers clearly think they’re paying too much to travel and are generally disappointed with the overall service they receive. The ticketing system is a particular focus of anger and frustration.”
The intense and aromatic smells coming from fellow passengers is a massive concern, with 52% of respondents identifying it as an issue they have a serious problem with.
Despite the complaints from Melbournites, they actually tend to pay less per week than most of Australia. Metro Trains customers pay an average of $35 per week, compared to customers in Brisbane ($46), Sydney ($43) and Adelaide ($38). Buncha sooks! Though, to be fair, ticket collectors in sunny Melb are uniquely aggressive.
Only 42 percent of Metro Trains passengers report feeling safe travelling on trains late at night. That figure is roughly the same across all rail services, so clearly this is a universal concern.
Sydney isn’t really off the hook, generally – Sydney Trains is only marginally better, coming in fourth out of five. The best rail service in Australia, according to the survey, is Transperth. There ya go.
Source: Canstar Blue.
Photo: Thomas the Tank Engine.
