Tourism partnering with V/Line

Are you interested in partnering with V/Line to encourage people to travel to or from special events or destinations across Victoria?  We would love to hear from you.

As you can appreciate, V/Line is regularly approached with event and tourism opportunities.

 

To help you assess if your proposal will work within the V/Line rail and coach network, there are some important questions you will need to answer.

 

The following are prepared as a guide only and may not cover your specific considerations:

 

Ø       Does your opportunity fit with the V/Line network?

 

Ø       Does your opportunity require packaged travel and event entry packaging?

 

Ø       Are you looking to offer accommodation packages?

 

Ø       Are you proposing on-train entertainment or similar?

 

Ø       How do you propose getting customers from the V/Line station or coach stop to your event or destination and back again?

 

Ø       Does your initiative require a special train service or additional carriages?

 

Ø       More about the V/Line ticketing system.

 

Ø       Have you done your homework with your market?

 

Ø       Next steps

 

 

Does your opportunity fit with the V/Line network?

V/Line is a public transport provider. Our fundamental charter is about getting people safely to and from their V/Line station or coach stop to and from Melbourne and regional Victoria.

 

We do not manage local public transport beyond the V/Line rail station or coach stop.

 

Is your event or destination close to the V/Line station or stop? Do you have a solution for how customers will get from the V/Line drop off point to your destination or event? 

 

We suggest you work with local councils or regional offices of the state government’s Department of Transport [transport.vic.gov.au (new window)] to develop transport options to pick up people beyond the V/Line station or stop.

 

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Does your opportunity require packaged entry?

Due to our current ticketing system, V/Line is usually unable to sell packaged entry as part of the V/Line ticket.

 

However, V/Line does work with partners to create value adds for customers on presentation of their V/Line ticket.

 

An example is our partnership with major regional tourism destination, Sovereign Hill, in Ballarat. The Goldrush Special is a daily service to Ballarat to and from Melbourne. 

 

This service is met at Ballarat station by a mini bus, which is funded by Sovereign Hill. On showing the V/Line ticket at Sovereign Hill, the ticket holder receives 10% off the entry cost plus a free Cobb & Co coach ride.

 

V/Line and Sovereign Hill jointly promote this service. 

 

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Are you looking to offer accommodation packages?

V/Line is a provider of rail and coach services to travellers across regional Victoria.

 

We are not a travel agency and our ticketing does not allow for accommodation packages. 

 

We suggest you work with local tourism associations to ensure your accommodation product is included in their promotions.

 

V/Line works with local tourism associations and with Tourism Victoria to direct customers to local visitor information centres.

 

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Are you proposing on-train entertainment or similar?

The V/Line rail and coach network is about getting people safely to their destination. 

 

Our on-train staff are there to provide customer service to passengers.  On-train and coach entertainment can interfere with safe travelling and can restrict passenger and on-board staff movements.  

 

On-train entertainment may be considered on certain services, however staff and passenger safety will be the first priority of any consideration. 

 

Please note: Alcohol is not permitted on V/Line services. 

 

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How do you propose getting customers from the V/Line station or coach stop to your event or destination and back again?

The V/Line network is geared to getting people to the 82 rail stations and many more coach stops across the network. 

 

Larger regional centres have local bus services, which pick up passengers from the local V/Line station. 

 

It may be that your event is close to such a local bus route.  Contact your local council or local bus service or check the regional public transport information at viclink.com.au (new window) to find out about the local bus network. 

 

If your event is accessible from a V/Line station and via the local bus services, it is possible that V/Line could promote your event and the connecting bus service route on our website.  See our Discover Victoria section for examples.

 

If there is not a local bus solution and/or the times are not appropriate to meet your event logistics, you will need to work with local partners to charter a local services, to re-route a local community bus or similar. 

 

And, of course, make sure the local service works in with the V/Line timetable.

 

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Does your initiative require a special train service or additional carriages?

V/Line’s rail and coach infrastructure is fully utilised in supporting our statewide timetable.

 

Occasionally it is possible to commission special train services.  Commissioning of additional services or carriages on existing services will depend on a number of factors:

 

-          size of the event

-          likely use of public transport by attendees

-          event timing – i.e. off peak and weekends. 

 

However, extra trains and carriages do incur substantial costs, so a thorough assessment will be required. Operational planning for such services can take several months to organise around V/Line’s existing operational schedule.

 

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More about the V/Line ticketing system:

Fares on public transport are set by the Victorian Government.

 

V/Line’s paper-based ticketing system is set up to manage the full range of ticket types that allow travel on both regional and metropolitan public transport. The software has limited ability to provide joint ticket/event packaging. 

 

A simple value-add where people show their V/Line ticket for discount entry into the event works best.  The Goldrush Special http://www.vline.com.au/events/Special_Events/goldrush_sovhill.htmlis a good example of such a value-add opportunity, which simply requires showing a V/Line ticket to gain discounted entry into the Sovereign Hill tourism attraction.

 

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Have you done your homework with your market?

Do you know if your event is appealing to people outside your area?  To Melburnians or interstate and overseas visitors?  Who is your market?  How many of them are there? How do you plan to tell them about your event?   The V/Line service is one part only of the total experience.

 

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Do you have all the back end/licensing requirements to operate a pick up coach?

You may wish to use the services of a local coach operator to pick up passengers arriving from the V/Line service.

 

This operator will be required to have all the relevant paperwork and licensing to operate.

 

You and the coach operator will also need to ensure you have approval to pick up and drop off passengers from the local V/Line station. This can be arranged by liaising with the local V/Line regional manager and the local Department of Transport manager.

 

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Next steps

Think you have a genuine tourism or event opportunity, which considers the above considerations? Please detail your proposal in writing outlining:

 

-          specific event timing and location

-          organising body

-          anticipated audience numbers

-          target audience (i.e. families, music lovers)

-          likely travel behaviour of visitors

-          your end-to-end transport solution

 

and write to tourism@vline.com.au

 

 

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