Comments on: Lack of Fare Options for Visitors Using Transit http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html Vancouver Blog Miss604 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:48:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SkyTrain Fare Gates Poll » Vancouver Blog Miss 604 by Rebecca Bollwitt http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3326 SkyTrain Fare Gates Poll » Vancouver Blog Miss 604 by Rebecca Bollwitt Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:10:51 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3326 [...] about possible turnstiles in SkyTrain stations back in November of 2007 and also linked back to where I mentioned that a smartcard system would be great. These are not new ideas by any means and the people of greater Vancouver have [...] [...] about possible turnstiles in SkyTrain stations back in November of 2007 and also linked back to where I mentioned that a smartcard system would be great. These are not new ideas by any means and the people of greater Vancouver have [...]

]]> By: Miss604 Poll: Skytrain Fare Enforcement » Vancouver Blog Miss 604 by Rebecca Bollwitt http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3325 Miss604 Poll: Skytrain Fare Enforcement » Vancouver Blog Miss 604 by Rebecca Bollwitt Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:27:45 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3325 [...] cards? NOW we’re talkin‘. One might think most fare paying Skytrain riders would generally be supportive of the [...] [...] cards? NOW we’re talkin‘. One might think most fare paying Skytrain riders would generally be supportive of the [...]

]]> By: Darcy http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3324 Darcy Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:55:13 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3324 I'm surprised that Vancouver hasn't done more about the smartcard too. The Olympics are coming! I was in Europe last summer & the best deal was in Vienna. For 20 euros a day your Tourist Card, (a Stop & Go pass) put you on the metro & 3 different bus route tours leaving steadily from the Opera House. We spent the day on all 3 buses, sitting on the top, at the front & went all over Vienna, getting off at various points of interest. We only had 2 days there. What a great way to see a city fast! A ride around Old Vancouver on that vintage bus costs $22! I’m surprised that Vancouver hasn’t done more about the smartcard too. The Olympics are coming!
I was in Europe last summer & the best deal was in Vienna. For 20 euros a day your Tourist Card, (a Stop & Go pass) put you on the metro & 3 different bus route tours leaving steadily from the Opera House. We spent the day on all 3 buses, sitting on the top, at the front & went all over Vienna, getting off at various points of interest. We only had 2 days there. What a great way to see a city fast!
A ride around Old Vancouver on that vintage bus costs $22!

]]> By: Miss604’s Canuck Life :: A Vancouver Blog » Blog Archive » Miss604 Poll: Would Skytrain Radio Fly? http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3323 Miss604’s Canuck Life :: A Vancouver Blog » Blog Archive » Miss604 Poll: Would Skytrain Radio Fly? Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:31:56 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3323 [...] enjoy comparing our region’s transit options to other cities’ when it comes to fares and donuts in their stations. More than half the time I’m using the other systems as examples [...] [...] enjoy comparing our region’s transit options to other cities’ when it comes to fares and donuts in their stations. More than half the time I’m using the other systems as examples [...]

]]> By: David http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3322 David Thu, 20 Sep 2007 05:14:30 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3322 It's worth mentioning that while the Boston T is very good at making it a good, affordable choice for visitors, the transit itself (at least the last time I was using it regularly, which was 2005 and earlier), was very uneven. Certain subway lines, like the Red Line, had realtively fast, modern trains. On the other hand, the Green Line was essentially a slow bus on rails, and often very crowded and uncomfortable. Also, getting from some places to other places, even though they are relatively close to each other (say, Cambridge to Brookline) was extremely difficult by subway, requiring that you go in to the center of town in order to change to another spoke. I suppose there are some buses for that, but I never managed to figure it out well in the 15 or so years I lived there. Boston never managed to get the directions of lines on the subway maps and boarding areas to make any sense. You might be at a stop, wanting to go to say, Charles/Mass General Hospital from Downtown Crossing and you'd have to ponder whether that was 'outbound' or 'inbound', Unlike Paris, where they always named the direction of the Metro line by the stop on the end of it the train was heading toward (and the way the Skytrain _sort of_ does it), Boston never named the maps this way (although sometimes you'd see it on some of the trains). Finally, that slow Green Line also split into 4 different parts, and if you got on the wrong train (a B, C, D or E - I have no idea what happened to the A), you'd find yourself having to backtrack, and this could get really complicated. It's true that Boston did have good pricing and a good web site, but it was not really a user-friendly city. Just writing about this stuff has reminded me of how frustrating it was at times. It’s worth mentioning that while the Boston T is very good at making it a good, affordable choice for visitors, the transit itself (at least the last time I was using it regularly, which was 2005 and earlier), was very uneven. Certain subway lines, like the Red Line, had realtively fast, modern trains. On the other hand, the Green Line was essentially a slow bus on rails, and often very crowded and uncomfortable. Also, getting from some places to other places, even though they are relatively close to each other (say, Cambridge to Brookline) was extremely difficult by subway, requiring that you go in to the center of town in order to change to another spoke. I suppose there are some buses for that, but I never managed to figure it out well in the 15 or so years I lived there.

Boston never managed to get the directions of lines on the subway maps and boarding areas to make any sense. You might be at a stop, wanting to go to say, Charles/Mass General Hospital from Downtown Crossing and you’d have to ponder whether that was ‘outbound’ or ‘inbound’, Unlike Paris, where they always named the direction of the Metro line by the stop on the end of it the train was heading toward (and the way the Skytrain _sort of_ does it), Boston never named the maps this way (although sometimes you’d see it on some of the trains). Finally, that slow Green Line also split into 4 different parts, and if you got on the wrong train (a B, C, D or E – I have no idea what happened to the A), you’d find yourself having to backtrack, and this could get really complicated.

It’s true that Boston did have good pricing and a good web site, but it was not really a user-friendly city. Just writing about this stuff has reminded me of how frustrating it was at times.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3321 Anonymous Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:26:38 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3321 I just came back from New York and stayed in Manhattan for a week and I got one of those 7-day MetroCards. It's so convenient, $24 for unlimited travel on the subways and buses. They also have options where you can pre-load a certain amount of cash on the MetroCard and use it like a debit card on the transit. Once you run out, you can either toss the card or reload it. I was in Montreal a couple of years back and they have a similar system with their subways too. I can't remember how much it was for the 7-day pass, but it was between $20-$30. I don't think it had a load/reload option, but it was better than what we have here. Granted, we don't have a subway, but we should have something to entice visitors/tourists to use public transit. I just came back from New York and stayed in Manhattan for a week and I got one of those 7-day MetroCards. It’s so convenient, $24 for unlimited travel on the subways and buses. They also have options where you can pre-load a certain amount of cash on the MetroCard and use it like a debit card on the transit. Once you run out, you can either toss the card or reload it.

I was in Montreal a couple of years back and they have a similar system with their subways too. I can’t remember how much it was for the 7-day pass, but it was between $20-$30. I don’t think it had a load/reload option, but it was better than what we have here.

Granted, we don’t have a subway, but we should have something to entice visitors/tourists to use public transit.

]]> By: Paul Hillsdon http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3320 Paul Hillsdon Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:42:38 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3320 I still find it rather amazing that it was only a few years ago that we had the old punch fares in the buses and the red ticket machines in SkyTrain stations. You would think that we should already have a smart card system in place, especially considering how many other cities around the world already have their implemented. What I find sad is, according to the official plans, Translink was supposed to study, and pending on judgement of that study, have a smart card in place by now. I guess it fell by the wayside thanks to all the monthly drama that occurs surrounding the GVTA.... Anyways, just by having a smart card up and running would imply that they would have the flexibility in the system to make these cool tourist fares real in no time. I think they are a fantastic idea Rebecca, and it's disappointing to know that Translink isn't at all innovative, or fast enough to come up with a solution that is not yet a "huge" problem. It's like they are always playing catch up and it's just sad. I do recall that there was a report on tourist having real bad troubles with wayfinding on the SkyTrain... even more of a reason for Translink to take into account how many visitors are, and would like to, use our transit system to get around. I still find it rather amazing that it was only a few years ago that we had the old punch fares in the buses and the red ticket machines in SkyTrain stations. You would think that we should already have a smart card system in place, especially considering how many other cities around the world already have their implemented. What I find sad is, according to the official plans, Translink was supposed to study, and pending on judgement of that study, have a smart card in place by now. I guess it fell by the wayside thanks to all the monthly drama that occurs surrounding the GVTA….

Anyways, just by having a smart card up and running would imply that they would have the flexibility in the system to make these cool tourist fares real in no time. I think they are a fantastic idea Rebecca, and it’s disappointing to know that Translink isn’t at all innovative, or fast enough to come up with a solution that is not yet a “huge” problem. It’s like they are always playing catch up and it’s just sad.

I do recall that there was a report on tourist having real bad troubles with wayfinding on the SkyTrain… even more of a reason for Translink to take into account how many visitors are, and would like to, use our transit system to get around.

]]> By: Karen http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3319 Karen Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:02:34 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3319 Just for a bit of an international comparison, I was in Hong Kong recently and noticed they also have a few tourist passes available: $50 HKD/~$7CAD for one day unlimited use; or their airport tourist octopus pass, which is $300HKD/~$43CAD for round trip on the airport express (to leave the airport, naturally) and 3 days of unlimited subway use. Not bad. Also, the front page of their customer site has a big "tourist information" button and a page describing all their offerings (including the Disneyland souvenir cards. eep): http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/whatsnew/tourismmktg/tourist_passes_e.htm. Also, in case you may not be familiar with the HK octopus card system, there is no such thing as an unlimited monthly pass. Their octopus smart card system charges by the distance travelled, and you fill up the octopus card kind of like a prepaid phone card. So those who travel shorter distances automatically spend less. Just for a bit of an international comparison, I was in Hong Kong recently and noticed they also have a few tourist passes available: $50 HKD/~$7CAD for one day unlimited use; or their airport tourist octopus pass, which is $300HKD/~$43CAD for round trip on the airport express (to leave the airport, naturally) and 3 days of unlimited subway use. Not bad. Also, the front page of their customer site has a big “tourist information” button and a page describing all their offerings (including the Disneyland souvenir cards. eep): http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/whatsnew/tourismmktg/tourist_passes_e.htm.

Also, in case you may not be familiar with the HK octopus card system, there is no such thing as an unlimited monthly pass. Their octopus smart card system charges by the distance travelled, and you fill up the octopus card kind of like a prepaid phone card. So those who travel shorter distances automatically spend less.

]]> By: Mark http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3318 Mark Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:14:20 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3318 It would also be nice to allow visitors to buy a DayPass online in advance. It would also be nice to allow visitors to buy a DayPass online in advance.

]]> By: Miss604 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3317 Miss604 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 05:22:31 +0000 http://www.miss604.com/2007/09/lack-of-fare-options-for-visitors-using-transit.html#comment-3317 Yes, but that works out to $56/week... hardly affordable or reasonable for anyone staying longer than a day in town. Also, that's a flat rate irregardless of zone so those traveling in Zone 1 all day are paying a much as someone going from Horseshoe Bay to Langley. It could work out, but I'd much rather be paying $15 for an entire week of inter-zone travel. Yes, but that works out to $56/week… hardly affordable or reasonable for anyone staying longer than a day in town. Also, that’s a flat rate irregardless of zone so those traveling in Zone 1 all day are paying a much as someone going from Horseshoe Bay to Langley. It could work out, but I’d much rather be paying $15 for an entire week of inter-zone travel.

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