- Published:
- Sunday 13 January 2019
The Andrews Labor Government is making it easier for fans to enjoy the Australian Open with free travel and more than 3000 extra tram services between the city and the tennis.
Australian Open ticket holders and staff will be able to travel for free along the tram routes servicing Melbourne Park, taking them straight to the tournament gates.
110 extra trams will deliver almost 3,300 additional services on Route 70 and Route 70A for two weeks, taking fans between Spencer Street, Flinders Street and Melbourne Park, with trams every two to three minutes at busy periods of the day.
Trams will run from Rod Laver Arena back to the city until one hour after the end of play, ensuring that fans can relax and enjoy the tennis action without having to worry about when the night match on centre court finishes.
The Labor Government’s all night public transport on weekends means that tennis-goers can also stay out later to experience the city on Friday and Saturday nights and still get home using public transport.
Last year, 40 per cent of the record 743,000 crowd travelled to the Australian Open by tram during the two weeks of the tournament with even more expected this year.
Tennis fans will also enjoy the extra comfort of high-capacity E-Class trams which make up part of the tram fleet servicing the Australian Open.
E-Class trams are the biggest and most accessible in Victoria, with low floors, more myki readers, better customer information and space for more than 200 passengers.
The Australian Open runs between 14 and 27 January 2019.
For more information about services to the Australian Open please visit www.ptv.vic.gov.au.
Quotes from Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne
“The Australian Open is played at one of the world’s greatest sporting precincts, serviced by the world’s largest tram network.”
“We’re making it as easy as possible for the hundreds of thousands of international, interstate and local tennis fans converging on Melbourne Park to get to and from this major event using public transport.”