Melbourne, a city of over four million people offers its citizens access to one of the best public transport systems in Australia although it has a very high dependency on private automobiles for transport due to large scale urban expansion. The city is home to every imaginable mode of transport on water, air and land, environment friendly or otherwise.
A privatized integrated transport system organized under Metlink, a partnership of the city"s rail, bus and tram operators is the city"s way of moving large groups of people and it has had ups and downs depending on consumer preferences.
Melbourne"s most conspicuous and oldest means of getting about is the tram system that started during the 1880s and grew to be the largest tram network in the world with fifteen lines running 29 routes and remains the best way to get round the Central Business District and the inner suburbs. Two light rail routes are also part of the tram network.
Travelling away from the CBD there is a choice of trams and trains as well as 300 bus routes and a mass transit railway network operating on 16 lines with almost all of its tracks electrified. Services are operated by a fleet of 326 EMU trains.
The city is the centre of a statewide railway network consisting of freight and passenger services. Seven intercity passenger railway lines connect Melbourne to other cities in the state of Victoria. The centre of the regional railway passenger network is Southern Cross Station in the CBD.
The bus network is run by several companies. Approximately 300 routes are in operation with varying range of service frequencies. As the current service is a radial one an orbital network is being set up to facilitate cross city travel.
Convenience and environmental considerations aside, private vehicles are the predominant mode of transport in the city. Even with an extensive network of 21,381 km of highways, the city roads are gridlocked during peak hours. Melbourne is one of the most car centric cities in the world. Perhaps this is to be expected as it is home to Australia"s automotive industry.
Other modes of city transport include a multiple taxi hire system where service is always a major issue and an extensive bicycle network both for commuting and leisure. In addition to Melbourne airport, which is Australia"s second busiest airport, there are three domestic airports in the city that handle passengers and cargo. The Port of Melbourne is Australia"s busiest port for containerized and general cargo. Ferries and cruise ships go on coastal jaunts from Station Pier in Port Philip Bay the city"s main passenger terminal. The Department of Transport of the State of Victoria is responsible for integration and coordination of the city"s transport systems.
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