Travelling to Continuum from within Melbourne

More detailed information on travelling to Continuum will be posted once our venue is confirmed in the next couple of weeks. Closer to the convention itself, we will also produce a printable area map and location specific hints and tips. In the meantime, here is some general informtion about travel to and within Melbourne.

Public Transport in Melbourne

Timetables for Tram and Train routes (as well as other public transport) can be found using the following link: http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/

For those of you arriving from interstate, here is a quick explanation of the Melbourne Metropolitan Public Transport system. Basically, you can travel on any form of public transport (train, tram or bus) using the same “MetCard” ticket, but you need to be aware of a few things before purchasing it:

The Melbourne metro area is divided into three Zones, with the CBD and inner suburbs being in Zone 1. If you are travelling only within a single zone, you need only buy a ticket for that zone. If, however, you are beginning your trip in one zone and ending it in another, you will need to ensure that your ticket will cover all the zones through which you are travelling. If you are staying in Melbourne itself and only travelling around the city, you will probably only ever need a Zone 1 ticket. For more information about Zones, including maps, please consult the following link:
http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/metcard/fares_zones/zones.php

Tickets are sold in blocks of Time, allowing for unlimited travel within their particular allotment. Daily and Two-Hour tickets are the most popular, with Weekly, Monthly, Yearly and “10 x 2 Hour” tickets available as well. There are also “City Saver” tickets which enable travel for one trip only within the City Saver Zone, a small circle around and including the Melbourne CBD. On Sundays you can also make use of the "Sunday Saver" daily ticket which allows for unlimited travel in all Zones all day (unfortunately, this ticket can only be purchased from a limited number of manned train stations and other outlets, and not from any of the automated tickets machines on trams and unmanned stations). For a list of ticket types and fare prices, please consult the following link:
http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/metcard/fares_zones/index.php

Lastly, tickets are available as either Adult or Concession fares – and you will need to produce a valid concession card if you are travelling on a concession ticket. (Alternatively, if you hold a current Seniors Card, you are entitled to purchase a “60-Plus” ticket.) Interstate travellers please note, the travel concession card you use at home may not be valid in Victoria. For a list of valid Victorian travel concession cards, please consult the following link:
http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/metcard/concessions/index.php

MetCards can be pre-purchased from ticketing machines at all train stations, from ticket booths at staffed train stations, aboard buses and trams, and at selected retails outlets (usually newsagents or corner shops near to public transport – keep an eye out for the blue “MetCard” flags or signs out front). With the exception of tickets purchased aboard trams, none of these pre-paid tickets are validated for travel yet – meaning you can buy them ahead of time and carry them around until you are ready to use them. Tickets are validated using either the green boxes on trams and buses or the gates at train stations – only when they are time-stamped by these validation machines does their allotted time-span begin counting down.

Warning: Please ensure that you always validate your ticket, as travelling without doing so is considered fare evasion (yes, even if you have an unvalidated ticket in your wallet!).

Confused yet? Don’t worry, most of us Melbournians are as well! For more information about Public Transport, including timetables, fares and transport maps, please visit the official website: http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au

Travel by Taxi

As most public transport ceases to run much past midnight, night owls might need to engage the services of our friendly Melbourne cabbies from time to time. Melbourne taxis are numerous and easy to spot – they are all uniformly yellow. As well, drivers must always wear a neat uniform and have an identity card on show at all times. Taxis often wait in designated ranks that are clearly signposted at central locations like major hotels in the CBD, or busy spots such as Flinders Street Station. You can also hail a taxi in the street – if the rooftop light is illuminated, it means the taxi is available for hire – or book a taxi by telephone. Outside Melbourne, taxis widely operate in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, with additional cabs at country towns throughout the rest of the state.

In general, taxi meters are clearly visible so you can keep check of your fare. Melbourne taxis also attract additional charges like a late night surcharge from midnight to 6am, a fee for phone bookings, a fee for using the Citylink freeway and even a fee for taxis waiting at the airport rank. Melbourne’s major taxi companies include:

Arrow (ph 13 2211)
Black Cabs Combined (ph 13 2227)
Embassy Taxis (ph 13 1755)
Silver Top Taxis (ph 13 1008)
Yellow Cabs (ph 13 1924)

For wheelchair-accessible taxis, contact Central Booking Service (ph 1300 364 050). Yellow Cabs and Silver Top Taxis also coordinate and despatch wheelchair-accessible taxis.

Travelling to Continuum from outside Melbourne

Travel by air

For those planning to fly in for Continuum 3, there are two options for travel from the airport to the city. You can either take one of the numerous taxi cabs that constantly circle the terminals (see above) or you can catch the Skybus airport shuttle. Skybus services operate between Melbourne Airport and Spencer Steet Railway Station, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and leave every 15 minutes from 6.00am to 8.00pm (half-hourly to hourly intervals outside these times). More information about Skybus, including online timetables and fare costs, can be found on their website:
http://www.skybus.com.au/