Robin Sandell
@urbanferryist.bsky.social
Making ferries work as public transport.
I’ve been spoiled - a week-end away on Pittwater for my birthday.
November 14, 2025 at 3:29 AM
I’ve been spoiled - a week-end away on Pittwater for my birthday.
Before it was built, I was skeptical about the value of the Pier Pavillion. Changed my mind now - it’s a magnet for Barangaroo office workers at lunch-time.
November 12, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Before it was built, I was skeptical about the value of the Pier Pavillion. Changed my mind now - it’s a magnet for Barangaroo office workers at lunch-time.
Reposted by Robin Sandell
73% of Copenhageners don’t own a car, and the city has made huge strides reclaiming public space for people that had been previously surrendered to cars. Now candidates in the upcoming city election want to prioritize “car storage” again. Not surprisingly, @colville-andersen.com isn’t holding back.
Debunking political myths about car #parking in #copenhagen #kv25 #cities #cars
YouTube video by Coolville feat.:The Life-Sized City
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:57 AM
73% of Copenhageners don’t own a car, and the city has made huge strides reclaiming public space for people that had been previously surrendered to cars. Now candidates in the upcoming city election want to prioritize “car storage” again. Not surprisingly, @colville-andersen.com isn’t holding back.
This is a great website on station access and line transfers in cities around the world (mainly European). Look at Milan Centrale station for great access points. Sydney Metro stations are not really like this. stations.albertguillaumes.cat
November 4, 2025 at 3:19 AM
This is a great website on station access and line transfers in cities around the world (mainly European). Look at Milan Centrale station for great access points. Sydney Metro stations are not really like this. stations.albertguillaumes.cat
An excellent piece by @Darrendavis.bsky.social on the transformation of Auckland’s bus network.
adventuresintransitland.substack.com?utm_source=n...
adventuresintransitland.substack.com?utm_source=n...
Adventures in Transitland | Darren Davis | Substack
Musings about public transport and other cool stuff in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and around the globe. Click to read Adventures in Transitland, by Darren Davis, a Substack publication with hundreds of sub...
adventuresintransitland.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:48 AM
An excellent piece by @Darrendavis.bsky.social on the transformation of Auckland’s bus network.
adventuresintransitland.substack.com?utm_source=n...
adventuresintransitland.substack.com?utm_source=n...
It’s one of the striking differences between US and Australian cities - almost no one drives to a stadium in Australia. They take public transport instead.
I’m in the stage of grief where one criticizes the winning team’s generally bad city planning. #WorldSeries
November 3, 2025 at 11:04 PM
It’s one of the striking differences between US and Australian cities - almost no one drives to a stadium in Australia. They take public transport instead.
There’s a lot of treasures to be discovered in Sydney. This is one I discovered at Open Sydney today.
November 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM
There’s a lot of treasures to be discovered in Sydney. This is one I discovered at Open Sydney today.
There are good reasons for pausing redevelopment of Circular Quay. One is the need to first develop a strategy for introducing a battery electric ferry fleet, with big implications for wharf design and the network as a whole. www.architectureanddesign.com.au/editorial/op...
Broken Wharves or Big Visions at Circular Quay | Architecture & Design
Every state government since has declared the importance of Circular Quay as a major urban and infrastructure space. As The Sydney Morning Herald’s editorial noted this week, the Liberal government of...
www.architectureanddesign.com.au
October 19, 2025 at 2:40 AM
There are good reasons for pausing redevelopment of Circular Quay. One is the need to first develop a strategy for introducing a battery electric ferry fleet, with big implications for wharf design and the network as a whole. www.architectureanddesign.com.au/editorial/op...
Always impressed at how easily Sydney Trains handles a big crowd leaving Sydney Olympic Park Stadium. Really well designed station, which will be supplemented by the new metro service from 2032.
October 5, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Always impressed at how easily Sydney Trains handles a big crowd leaving Sydney Olympic Park Stadium. Really well designed station, which will be supplemented by the new metro service from 2032.
The new seat covers on the Emerald Class ferries have been a good move. Much easier to clean than the old ones.
October 3, 2025 at 1:05 AM
The new seat covers on the Emerald Class ferries have been a good move. Much easier to clean than the old ones.
Just watched 126 people disembark a ferry at Milsons Point in 2 mins 51 secs. That’s 45 per minute. Many other cities do far better. Vessel/wharf interface design is so important for reliability and efficient capacity utilisation, but little priority is given to it in Sydney.
September 28, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Just watched 126 people disembark a ferry at Milsons Point in 2 mins 51 secs. That’s 45 per minute. Many other cities do far better. Vessel/wharf interface design is so important for reliability and efficient capacity utilisation, but little priority is given to it in Sydney.
These comments from the NSW Govt suggest a lack of ambition in transport. No confidence it can plan new projects to completion - better to have no long term planning so we can’t be criticised for not doing what we promised.
September 15, 2025 at 9:09 PM
These comments from the NSW Govt suggest a lack of ambition in transport. No confidence it can plan new projects to completion - better to have no long term planning so we can’t be criticised for not doing what we promised.
I’m shocked - 38 passengers boarded at Balmain West for the 0806 sailing this morning. But little demand at either Chiswick (3, including me) or Drummoyne (6). The service doesn’t work for the river pax as it’s too much of a diversion into Balmain West - adds 7 mins to the journey.
August 25, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I’m shocked - 38 passengers boarded at Balmain West for the 0806 sailing this morning. But little demand at either Chiswick (3, including me) or Drummoyne (6). The service doesn’t work for the river pax as it’s too much of a diversion into Balmain West - adds 7 mins to the journey.
Good ferry service from Chiswick.
August 25, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Good ferry service from Chiswick.
Canada Bay Mayor calls for ferry wharf at Rhodes on ABC radio this morning. I feared this after Balmain West wharf reopened. Everyone wants a ferry wharf, but not every location is suitable. Navigable channel at Rhodes is a long way from the shore. Long ramp reqd, stopping other uses of the waterway
August 24, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Canada Bay Mayor calls for ferry wharf at Rhodes on ABC radio this morning. I feared this after Balmain West wharf reopened. Everyone wants a ferry wharf, but not every location is suitable. Navigable channel at Rhodes is a long way from the shore. Long ramp reqd, stopping other uses of the waterway
I’m less concerned about the Wynyard LR stop location than the stop between Wynyard and Town Hall. It should be equidistant between the two (Strand Arcade), instead of QVB. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
How Merivale’s powerful political ties helped move a light rail stop
The hospitality giant’s chief executive, Justin Hemmes, has spent a decade cultivating his contacts at the top of the Liberal Party.
www.smh.com.au
August 21, 2025 at 2:47 AM
I’m less concerned about the Wynyard LR stop location than the stop between Wynyard and Town Hall. It should be equidistant between the two (Strand Arcade), instead of QVB. www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Understanding network topology is vital for good design of public transport systems. Here's something I've posted about its applications to urban ferries robinsandell.substack.com/p/network-to...
Network Topology
How network structure affects the usefulness of a ferry system
robinsandell.substack.com
August 19, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Understanding network topology is vital for good design of public transport systems. Here's something I've posted about its applications to urban ferries robinsandell.substack.com/p/network-to...
Ruby Payne Scott loads passengers at Balmain West wharf this morning. First day for the reopening of Balmain West wharf.
August 17, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Ruby Payne Scott loads passengers at Balmain West wharf this morning. First day for the reopening of Balmain West wharf.
How direct is your ferry line? open.substack.com/pub/robinsan...
Circuity
How direct is your ferry line?
open.substack.com
August 12, 2025 at 1:21 AM
How direct is your ferry line? open.substack.com/pub/robinsan...
Will transitioning from diesel to battery electric propulsion mean longer turnarounds at terminals for urban transit ferries? Bigger fleets and pressure on terminal capacity? Maybe, but there are ways to minimise the impact.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Decarbonising Urban Transit Ferries
Will we need bigger fleets and more berth capacity when transitioning to battery electric ferries? Not necessarily, but longer turnarounds at terminals need to be offset by time savings elsewhere - an...
substack.com
August 4, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Will transitioning from diesel to battery electric propulsion mean longer turnarounds at terminals for urban transit ferries? Bigger fleets and pressure on terminal capacity? Maybe, but there are ways to minimise the impact.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The new timetable for the F3 Parramatta ferry route, to take effect from 18 August, is now available. It’s good news for Balmain West as the journey to Barangaroo is scheduled to take just 15 minutes. transportnsw.info/documents/ti...
transportnsw.info
August 4, 2025 at 6:07 AM
The new timetable for the F3 Parramatta ferry route, to take effect from 18 August, is now available. It’s good news for Balmain West as the journey to Barangaroo is scheduled to take just 15 minutes. transportnsw.info/documents/ti...
Some things take a long time don’t they? This is the latest post on the Watsons Bay wharf upgrade site - looks like responses to feedback on the design for the new wharf haven’t been finalised yet - 2.5 years after consultations closed.
July 24, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Some things take a long time don’t they? This is the latest post on the Watsons Bay wharf upgrade site - looks like responses to feedback on the design for the new wharf haven’t been finalised yet - 2.5 years after consultations closed.
This is some salutary information from NZ electric ferry designers EV Maritime - 75% of Auckland's ferry services burn more fuel than the car journeys they replace. Sydney's numbers may be a little different but the principle is the same - decarbonising Sydney ferries needs to be a high priority.
July 23, 2025 at 4:47 AM
This is some salutary information from NZ electric ferry designers EV Maritime - 75% of Auckland's ferry services burn more fuel than the car journeys they replace. Sydney's numbers may be a little different but the principle is the same - decarbonising Sydney ferries needs to be a high priority.
Ferries are returning to Balmain West wharf on 18 August. It's an additional sub line on the Parramatta River with stops at Huntleys Pt, Drummoyne and BW, terminating at Barangaroo. Shouldn't disadvantage existing F3 passengers but headways are long - 60 mins transportnsw.info/news/2025/ba...
Balmain West Wharf to return to F3 Parramatta River route
Balmain West Wharf will return to the F3 Parramatta River ferry route from Monday 18 August.
transportnsw.info
July 23, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Ferries are returning to Balmain West wharf on 18 August. It's an additional sub line on the Parramatta River with stops at Huntleys Pt, Drummoyne and BW, terminating at Barangaroo. Shouldn't disadvantage existing F3 passengers but headways are long - 60 mins transportnsw.info/news/2025/ba...