The 131500 Transport Infoline is a phone and internet information service for public transit in Sydney, Australia. A new accessible travel planner is being tested.

Travellers in Sydney and Newcastle in the State of New South Wales in Australia are invited to use and comment on an accessible travel planner currently being tested by Greater Sydney Transport Information.

Easy Access Travel in Sydney

By using the telephone to call the 131500 Transport Infoline, or by using the trial version of the easy access trip planner on the Transport Infoline website, public transit users can book a journey to accommodate their own limited mobility needs.

The easy access trip planner uses the existing trip planner, but only provides information about low-floor buses and accessible train stations and ferry wharves.

Sample Trip Plan

Two very popular places in Sydney are the Sydney Opera House and Darling Harbour. The Sydney Opera House is located near Circular Quay. Ferries from Circular Quay connect to Darling Harbour via a short and pleasant ride. It's also possible to move from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour by land, but as a tourist, the ferry is much more enjoyable.

Select Advanced Search to Find Accessible Buses in Sydney

Upon opening the Trip Planner page for the 131500 service, it's not obvious that there is an accessible travel option. However, a closer look reveals that to find an easy access trip, the user should choose Advanced Search. The link for this is in blue writing at the bottom of the trip planner orange search box.

A page called Trip Planner: New Trip opens up.

To test the planner, we entered Sydney Opera House for the departure point and Darling Harbour for the destination, and then selected the check boxes for slow walk speed and easy access / wheelchair accessible. There was a choice between fastest trip time and least transfers. We pressed least transfers and were taken to the next page.

The system responded with a screen confirming which of several similar locations we wanted. After accepting the first of the choices offered, we were given a new screen with a choice of several trip times. The trips were fully described - how far to walk between transit points, what routes, and what mode of transport.

Unfortunately, none of the choices involved taking the ferry!

Planning a Trip on the Sydney Harbour Ferry

We modified the search so that the only mode of transport allowed would be the ferry, and were rewarded with several choices. Success!

It's worth noting here that the public transit ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour is just one way to travel across the water. There are commercial pleasure craft offering harbour cruises, with and without meals, easily arranged at Circular Quay. However, for a cheap ride and a fun experience, the public ferry is a winner.

Use a Map

This test indicates one rule for savvy travellers: use a map and decide more or less the route you want to take - then find the services to get you there. The trip planner is very good but it cannot read your mind.

If necessary, break your journey into separate stages (e.g. from your hotel to the Opera House, from the Opera House to Circular Quay, from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour, and from Darling Harbour back to your hotel by land), and specify the mode of transport you want to use for each stage, if that is important to you.

The 131500 Trial of Easy Access Trip Planning

The current easy access trip planner is being tested during October and November 2007. Users are invited to give their feedback to the 131500 organization.