As an international student living in Melbourne, I often depend on public transport to get home after part-time work, late-night movies or outings with friends. When it is my only practical way home, seeing busy streets makes me wonder whether nearby services will still be frequent. Understanding these patterns could help me think ahead about getting home when planning late-night outings. This curiosity led me to compare pedestrian activity with scheduled train and tram departures after 10 PM: do the city’s streets and timetables wind down together, or follow different patterns?
This question is relevant to students, shift workers and other late-night travellers who rely on public transport.
This analysis asks how pedestrian activity varies after 10 PM and how those patterns compare with scheduled train and tram stop-departures near monitored locations. I combine hourly pedestrian observations and sensor locations from the City of Melbourne (n.d.-a, n.d.-b) with scheduled train and tram departures from the Department of Transport and Planning (n.d.).
The first chart compares the daily pedestrian rhythm on weekdays (Monday–Friday) and weekends (Saturday–Sunday). This calendar-day overview differs from the evening-based definition used in Figures 2–5, where hours after midnight belong to the preceding night.
The 10 PM marker provides a reference point for the late-night analysis. Hover for hourly values, click a legend entry to hide or show a series, or drag across the chart to zoom.
Chart description: Line chart of mean pedestrians per sensor for each hour of the day, weekdays versus weekends, with a shaded band for the middle half of sensors. At 10 PM the weekend mean is 352.5 and the weekday mean is 274.6.
| Day type | Hour | Mean pedestrians | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 0 | 59.4 | 10.0 | 96.5 |
| Weekday | 1 | 32.7 | 5.6 | 50.6 |
| Weekday | 2 | 19.4 | 3.5 | 31.5 |
| Weekday | 3 | 14.2 | 2.8 | 24.0 |
| Weekday | 4 | 13.5 | 3.4 | 19.9 |
| Weekday | 5 | 29.6 | 7.2 | 38.7 |
| Weekday | 6 | 95.5 | 28.0 | 121.2 |
| Weekday | 7 | 236.4 | 75.9 | 311.2 |
| Weekday | 8 | 517.2 | 173.2 | 674.2 |
| Weekday | 9 | 433.5 | 159.5 | 634.9 |
| Weekday | 10 | 441.4 | 171.6 | 652.8 |
| Weekday | 11 | 537.2 | 195.4 | 771.1 |
| Weekday | 12 | 801.8 | 294.5 | 1170.0 |
| Weekday | 13 | 796.1 | 279.0 | 1118.8 |
| Weekday | 14 | 683.9 | 220.5 | 929.8 |
| Weekday | 15 | 688.9 | 201.7 | 907.6 |
| Weekday | 16 | 770.9 | 239.5 | 1024.2 |
| Weekday | 17 | 914.4 | 287.9 | 1152.2 |
| Weekday | 18 | 700.6 | 238.4 | 867.2 |
| Weekday | 19 | 537.4 | 167.8 | 748.7 |
| Weekday | 20 | 439.9 | 128.5 | 609.8 |
| Weekday | 21 | 365.2 | 90.7 | 498.4 |
| Weekday | 22 | 274.6 | 61.0 | 398.6 |
| Weekday | 23 | 163.4 | 37.1 | 246.9 |
| Weekend | 0 | 178.6 | 21.7 | 271.9 |
| Weekend | 1 | 111.2 | 10.9 | 184.9 |
| Weekend | 2 | 71.9 | 7.5 | 119.2 |
| Weekend | 3 | 52.0 | 5.6 | 81.1 |
| Weekend | 4 | 32.2 | 4.2 | 51.1 |
| Weekend | 5 | 29.6 | 5.0 | 46.8 |
| Weekend | 6 | 47.4 | 12.2 | 72.2 |
| Weekend | 7 | 96.3 | 27.6 | 126.8 |
| Weekend | 8 | 176.4 | 63.2 | 233.1 |
| Weekend | 9 | 308.3 | 120.1 | 448.4 |
| Weekend | 10 | 462.3 | 165.9 | 724.7 |
| Weekend | 11 | 613.6 | 179.1 | 899.3 |
| Weekend | 12 | 728.4 | 191.0 | 999.3 |
| Weekend | 13 | 789.3 | 205.8 | 1036.0 |
| Weekend | 14 | 812.1 | 193.1 | 1069.4 |
| Weekend | 15 | 819.8 | 186.3 | 1052.4 |
| Weekend | 16 | 794.3 | 189.4 | 1048.4 |
| Weekend | 17 | 744.4 | 183.5 | 1005.6 |
| Weekend | 18 | 690.4 | 185.7 | 1014.8 |
| Weekend | 19 | 598.0 | 149.8 | 843.2 |
| Weekend | 20 | 489.5 | 119.4 | 684.8 |
| Weekend | 21 | 415.5 | 80.0 | 580.3 |
| Weekend | 22 | 352.5 | 83.1 | 497.3 |
| Weekend | 23 | 236.8 | 46.6 | 360.2 |
Figure 1. Mean hourly pedestrian counts by day type. Each retained sensor contributes equally to the hourly mean; the shaded band spans the middle half of sensors (25th to 75th percentile). The dashed line indicates 10 PM. Data: City of Melbourne (n.d.-a).
The city-wide average establishes the daily pattern. I next look at individual locations, because an average cannot show which monitored streets remain active after dark.
The overall average hides geographical differences. Some monitored streets remain busy late at night, while others become quieter.
Explore the map by switching between Friday and Saturday nights. Click a circle to see its location and average pedestrian activity. Click a map circle to highlight its corresponding point in Figure 5. You can also choose a location using the accessible selector beside the scatterplot; select “All sensors” to clear the highlight.
Chart description: Map of Melbourne pedestrian sensors. Circle size shows mean pedestrians per hour between 10 PM and 3:59 AM, and a layer control switches between Friday and Saturday nights. The busiest location on Friday nights is Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) (about 857 per hour) and on Saturday nights Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) (about 965 per hour).
Select a circle to highlight a location in Figure 5.
View the selected location in Figure 5
| Location | Night | Mean pedestrians/hour |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Point | Friday night | 34.0 |
| Victoria Point | Saturday night | 53.1 |
| Royal Mint 280 William Street | Friday night | 63.3 |
| Royal Mint 280 William Street | Saturday night | 66.6 |
| La Trobe Street- William Street (South) | Friday night | 73.5 |
| La Trobe Street- William Street (South) | Saturday night | 77.2 |
| Docklands Waterfront City Building Side | Friday night | 44.4 |
| Docklands Waterfront City Building Side | Saturday night | 52.4 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Footpath | Friday night | 140.3 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Footpath | Saturday night | 161.6 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Crossing | Friday night | 19.1 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Crossing | Saturday night | 23.4 |
| New Quay | Friday night | 33.3 |
| New Quay | Saturday night | 42.7 |
| I-Hub 892 Bourke Street | Friday night | 6.8 |
| I-Hub 892 Bourke Street | Saturday night | 6.0 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Flinders Street (2-6 King) | Friday night | 177.0 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Flinders Street (2-6 King) | Saturday night | 252.6 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Latrobe Street (317-335 King) | Friday night | 105.0 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Latrobe Street (317-335 King) | Saturday night | 111.6 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Lonsdale Street Entrance - South | Friday night | 224.0 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Lonsdale Street Entrance - South | Saturday night | 240.3 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - North | Friday night | 255.1 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - North | Saturday night | 272.7 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - South | Friday night | 189.3 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - South | Saturday night | 231.4 |
| COM Pole 1120 - Towards the City, Near Federation Square Bridge | Friday night | 123.6 |
| COM Pole 1120 - Towards the City, Near Federation Square Bridge | Saturday night | 76.8 |
| COM Pole 2353 - Towards the city, NAB Building | Friday night | 9.8 |
| COM Pole 2353 - Towards the city, NAB Building | Saturday night | 10.4 |
| COM Pole 1647 - Sandridge Bridge Signal Box | Friday night | 27.0 |
| COM Pole 1647 - Sandridge Bridge Signal Box | Saturday night | 35.5 |
| Sandridge Bridge | Friday night | 119.0 |
| Sandridge Bridge | Saturday night | 140.8 |
| Awning of Nationwide Parking 474 Flinders Street | Friday night | 175.5 |
| Awning of Nationwide Parking 474 Flinders Street | Saturday night | 235.3 |
| Hamer Hall Entrance (COM Pole 1584) | Friday night | 147.9 |
| Hamer Hall Entrance (COM Pole 1584) | Saturday night | 182.5 |
| Mounted on Toilet - Spencer Street, Batman Park | Friday night | 253.0 |
| Mounted on Toilet - Spencer Street, Batman Park | Saturday night | 339.9 |
| Birrarung Marr - COM - Pole 1109 | Friday night | 273.2 |
| Birrarung Marr - COM - Pole 1109 | Saturday night | 270.3 |
| iHub 489 Elizabeth Street | Friday night | 194.4 |
| iHub 489 Elizabeth Street | Saturday night | 187.6 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Footpath) | Friday night | 51.4 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Footpath) | Saturday night | 54.5 |
| 475 Spencer Street | Friday night | 18.0 |
| 475 Spencer Street | Saturday night | 18.3 |
| 484 Spencer Street | Friday night | 9.3 |
| 484 Spencer Street | Saturday night | 10.5 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Crossing) | Friday night | 15.2 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Crossing) | Saturday night | 15.5 |
| Collins Place (South) | Friday night | 87.7 |
| Collins Place (South) | Saturday night | 88.3 |
| 61-67 Power Street Southbank | Friday night | 39.4 |
| 61-67 Power Street Southbank | Saturday night | 42.2 |
| Collins Place (North) | Friday night | 16.9 |
| Collins Place (North) | Saturday night | 16.8 |
| Pumping Station No.2, 330 Macaulay Road | Friday night | 6.2 |
| Pumping Station No.2, 330 Macaulay Road | Saturday night | 6.5 |
| 368 Elizabeth Street | Friday night | 566.4 |
| 368 Elizabeth Street | Saturday night | 576.5 |
| 163 King Street | Friday night | 319.8 |
| 163 King Street | Saturday night | 373.8 |
| 124 Elizabeth Street | Friday night | 295.3 |
| 124 Elizabeth Street | Saturday night | 340.0 |
| 197 Elizabeth Street | Friday night | 390.8 |
| 197 Elizabeth Street | Saturday night | 431.8 |
| RMIT Building 22 - 330 Swanston Street | Friday night | 70.0 |
| RMIT Building 22 - 330 Swanston Street | Saturday night | 72.7 |
| Chinatown-Swanston Street (North) | Friday night | 400.8 |
| Chinatown-Swanston Street (North) | Saturday night | 465.4 |
| Bourke Street Mall (South) | Friday night | 160.9 |
| Bourke Street Mall (South) | Saturday night | 179.1 |
| Chinatown-Lt Bourke Street (South) | Friday night | 406.0 |
| Chinatown-Lt Bourke Street (South) | Saturday night | 688.5 |
| Flinders Underpass - Walkway | Friday night | 379.3 |
| Flinders Underpass - Walkway | Saturday night | 435.4 |
| 155-161 Russell Street | Friday night | 318.2 |
| 155-161 Russell Street | Saturday night | 404.9 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (South) | Friday night | 104.3 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (South) | Saturday night | 122.3 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (North) | Friday night | 344.7 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (North) | Saturday night | 397.2 |
| Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre | Friday night | 224.0 |
| Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre | Saturday night | 282.3 |
| QV Market-Peel Street | Friday night | 47.7 |
| QV Market-Peel Street | Saturday night | 47.8 |
| Street Kilda Rd-Alexandra Gardens | Friday night | 155.7 |
| Street Kilda Rd-Alexandra Gardens | Saturday night | 199.5 |
| Melbourne Central | Friday night | 769.3 |
| Melbourne Central | Saturday night | 833.1 |
| Lonsdale Street (South) | Friday night | 527.6 |
| Lonsdale Street (South) | Saturday night | 619.0 |
| Lygon Street (West) | Friday night | 171.5 |
| Lygon Street (West) | Saturday night | 222.5 |
| Southbank Promenade | Friday night | 467.7 |
| Southbank Promenade | Saturday night | 601.2 |
| Queen Street (West) | Friday night | 284.4 |
| Queen Street (West) | Saturday night | 281.9 |
| Alfred Place | Friday night | 12.5 |
| Alfred Place | Saturday night | 13.1 |
| Town Hall (West) | Friday night | 802.3 |
| Town Hall (West) | Saturday night | 904.1 |
| Lonsdale Street-Spring Street (West) | Friday night | 75.0 |
| Lonsdale Street-Spring Street (West) | Saturday night | 85.8 |
| Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) | Friday night | 857.2 |
| Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) | Saturday night | 965.5 |
| Grattan Street-Swanston Street (West) | Friday night | 24.8 |
| Grattan Street-Swanston Street (West) | Saturday night | 20.4 |
| Monash Rd-Swanston Street (West) | Friday night | 25.3 |
| Monash Rd-Swanston Street (West) | Saturday night | 22.6 |
| Tin Alley-Swanston Street (West) | Friday night | 20.1 |
| Tin Alley-Swanston Street (West) | Saturday night | 17.8 |
| Little Collins Street-Swanston Street (East) | Friday night | 517.1 |
| Little Collins Street-Swanston Street (East) | Saturday night | 597.2 |
| Pelham Street (South) | Friday night | 3.7 |
| Pelham Street (South) | Saturday night | 3.6 |
| Melbourne Central-Elizabeth Street (East) | Friday night | 349.1 |
| Melbourne Central-Elizabeth Street (East) | Saturday night | 385.0 |
| QVM-Therry Street (South) | Friday night | 137.5 |
| QVM-Therry Street (South) | Saturday night | 136.0 |
| Princes Bridge | Friday night | 698.7 |
| Princes Bridge | Saturday night | 794.9 |
| Faraday Street-Lygon Street (West) | Friday night | 72.6 |
| Faraday Street-Lygon Street (West) | Saturday night | 83.2 |
| QVM-Franklin Street (North) | Friday night | 50.0 |
| QVM-Franklin Street (North) | Saturday night | 48.7 |
| Elizabeth Street-Lonsdale Street (South) | Friday night | 189.6 |
| Elizabeth Street-Lonsdale Street (South) | Saturday night | 232.4 |
| Collins Street (North) | Friday night | 172.3 |
| Collins Street (North) | Saturday night | 194.6 |
| Lincoln-Swanston (West) | Friday night | 69.6 |
| Lincoln-Swanston (West) | Saturday night | 64.3 |
| Lonsdale Street - Elizabeth Street (North) | Friday night | 275.3 |
| Lonsdale Street - Elizabeth Street (North) | Saturday night | 286.4 |
| Bourke Street - Spencer Street (North) | Friday night | 289.5 |
| Bourke Street - Spencer Street (North) | Saturday night | 338.8 |
| Building 80 RMIT | Friday night | 285.7 |
| Building 80 RMIT | Saturday night | 263.0 |
| Flinders Underpass - Myki Barriers | Friday night | 163.8 |
| Flinders Underpass - Myki Barriers | Saturday night | 193.0 |
| RMIT Building 14 | Friday night | 139.8 |
| RMIT Building 14 | Saturday night | 131.3 |
| La Trobe Street (North) | Friday night | 183.9 |
| La Trobe Street (North) | Saturday night | 187.0 |
| 231 Bourke Street | Friday night | 347.2 |
| 231 Bourke Street | Saturday night | 433.7 |
| QV2 Apartments, 300 Swanston Street | Friday night | 512.8 |
| QV2 Apartments, 300 Swanston Street | Saturday night | 542.9 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (South) | Friday night | 172.5 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (South) | Saturday night | 197.1 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (North) | Friday night | 60.8 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (North) | Saturday night | 63.0 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (Crossing) | Friday night | 28.6 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (Crossing) | Saturday night | 36.4 |
| Errol Street (East) | Friday night | 65.4 |
| Errol Street (East) | Saturday night | 70.9 |
| Westwood Place | Friday night | 11.1 |
| Westwood Place | Saturday night | 10.5 |
| Flinders Street- ACMI | Friday night | 140.6 |
| Flinders Street- ACMI | Saturday night | 151.2 |
| Spring Street- Flinders st (West) | Friday night | 21.3 |
| Spring Street- Flinders st (West) | Saturday night | 18.7 |
| Macaulay Rd- Bellair Street | Friday night | 10.4 |
| Macaulay Rd- Bellair Street | Saturday night | 8.6 |
| Harbour Esplanade (West) - Pedestrian path | Friday night | 88.9 |
| Harbour Esplanade (West) - Pedestrian path | Saturday night | 118.0 |
| Flinders Street (South) | Friday night | 352.5 |
| Flinders Street (South) | Saturday night | 409.6 |
| Webb Bridge | Friday night | 17.1 |
| Webb Bridge | Saturday night | 19.2 |
| Elizabeth Street - Flinders Street (East) - New footpath | Friday night | 508.2 |
| Elizabeth Street - Flinders Street (East) - New footpath | Saturday night | 561.1 |
| Macaulay Rd (North) | Friday night | 15.6 |
| Macaulay Rd (North) | Saturday night | 13.8 |
| Queensberry Street - Errol Street (South) | Friday night | 11.2 |
| Queensberry Street - Errol Street (South) | Saturday night | 12.7 |
| Errol Street (West) | Friday night | 27.7 |
| Errol Street (West) | Saturday night | 24.7 |
| Southern Cross Station | Friday night | 72.1 |
| Southern Cross Station | Saturday night | 76.9 |
Figure 2. Mean hourly pedestrian activity between 10 PM and 3:59 AM at retained sensor locations. Larger circles indicate higher activity. The size legend gives example counts using the same scaling as the markers. Sizes are scaled for readability and are not proportional areas; hover or click for exact counts. The same size scale is used for both nights. Friday circles are coral and Saturday circles are teal. The map does not represent unmonitored streets. Data: City of Melbourne (n.d.-a, n.d.-b).
The highest-average monitored location on Friday nights is Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West), with 857.2 pedestrians per hour. On Saturday nights, Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) records the highest average, at 965.5 per hour.
A weekday–weekend average can conceal differences between individual days.
The heatmap shows pedestrian activity across the full week, allowing the late-night period to be understood in its broader evening and overnight context.
Chart description: Heatmap of hourly mean pedestrian activity from 6 PM to 3:59 AM, with after-midnight hours assigned to the preceding night. Coral outlines mark Friday and Saturday at 1 AM. At 1 AM, Friday retains 22% and Saturday retains 26% of their respective 10 PM pedestrian activity.
| Night | Hour | Mean pedestrians/hour |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 18:00 | 592.8 |
| Monday | 19:00 | 437.3 |
| Monday | 20:00 | 354.0 |
| Monday | 21:00 | 272.6 |
| Monday | 22:00 | 172.6 |
| Monday | 23:00 | 88.7 |
| Monday | 00:00 | 43.8 |
| Monday | 01:00 | 23.6 |
| Monday | 02:00 | 14.4 |
| Monday | 03:00 | 10.7 |
| Tuesday | 18:00 | 658.8 |
| Tuesday | 19:00 | 485.1 |
| Tuesday | 20:00 | 389.6 |
| Tuesday | 21:00 | 303.9 |
| Tuesday | 22:00 | 203.3 |
| Tuesday | 23:00 | 115.6 |
| Tuesday | 00:00 | 49.6 |
| Tuesday | 01:00 | 27.3 |
| Tuesday | 02:00 | 16.0 |
| Tuesday | 03:00 | 12.1 |
| Wednesday | 18:00 | 697.0 |
| Wednesday | 19:00 | 520.7 |
| Wednesday | 20:00 | 421.5 |
| Wednesday | 21:00 | 350.6 |
| Wednesday | 22:00 | 253.2 |
| Wednesday | 23:00 | 141.3 |
| Wednesday | 00:00 | 74.5 |
| Wednesday | 01:00 | 40.2 |
| Wednesday | 02:00 | 23.3 |
| Wednesday | 03:00 | 15.9 |
| Thursday | 18:00 | 739.2 |
| Thursday | 19:00 | 557.0 |
| Thursday | 20:00 | 451.8 |
| Thursday | 21:00 | 382.9 |
| Thursday | 22:00 | 291.6 |
| Thursday | 23:00 | 163.5 |
| Thursday | 00:00 | 72.6 |
| Thursday | 01:00 | 41.1 |
| Thursday | 02:00 | 24.2 |
| Thursday | 03:00 | 17.9 |
| Friday | 18:00 | 815.4 |
| Friday | 19:00 | 686.6 |
| Friday | 20:00 | 582.8 |
| Friday | 21:00 | 515.7 |
| Friday | 22:00 | 451.3 |
| Friday | 23:00 | 307.7 |
| Friday | 00:00 | 162.0 |
| Friday | 01:00 | 98.2 |
| Friday | 02:00 | 64.1 |
| Friday | 03:00 | 46.0 |
| Saturday | 18:00 | 793.4 |
| Saturday | 19:00 | 710.7 |
| Saturday | 20:00 | 587.8 |
| Saturday | 21:00 | 513.1 |
| Saturday | 22:00 | 485.1 |
| Saturday | 23:00 | 345.0 |
| Saturday | 00:00 | 195.2 |
| Saturday | 01:00 | 124.3 |
| Saturday | 02:00 | 79.9 |
| Saturday | 03:00 | 58.0 |
| Sunday | 18:00 | 587.4 |
| Sunday | 19:00 | 485.2 |
| Sunday | 20:00 | 391.1 |
| Sunday | 21:00 | 317.9 |
| Sunday | 22:00 | 219.7 |
| Sunday | 23:00 | 128.5 |
| Sunday | 00:00 | 56.7 |
| Sunday | 01:00 | 31.2 |
| Sunday | 02:00 | 19.0 |
| Sunday | 03:00 | 14.4 |
Figure 3. Mean pedestrian activity by night of week and continuous evening-to-morning hour (6 PM–3:59 AM). Observations between midnight and 3:59 AM are attributed to the preceding evening (e.g., Sunday 1 AM belongs to Saturday night). The coral outlines mark the Friday and Saturday 1 AM cells discussed in the headline. Hover over a cell to compare its exact count with other nights and hours. Data: City of Melbourne (n.d.-a).
These overnight patterns provide the pedestrian reference for Figure 4. The next comparison separates trains and trams to see whether their schedules change at the same relative pace.
Each line shows the percentage remaining relative to its own 10 PM value (10 PM = 100). Compare how quickly pedestrian activity, trains and trams change through the night. Pedestrian counts are historical averages; departures come from one selected timetable weekend. The comparison describes relative patterns, not passenger demand or available capacity. Click a legend entry to hide or show a measure; hover to see both its index and its underlying count.
Chart description: Two-panel interactive line chart comparing Friday and Saturday night. Each line starts at 100 at 10 PM. The pedestrian series uses historical mean counts, while the departure series uses a selected weekend's scheduled train and tram stop-departures within 600 metres of sensors. At 1 AM Friday the indices are 22 for pedestrians and 48 for departures.
| Night | Measure | Hour | Value | Index (10 PM = 100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 22:00 | 451.3 | 100.0 |
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 23:00 | 307.7 | 68.2 |
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 00:00 | 162.0 | 35.9 |
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 01:00 | 98.2 | 21.8 |
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 02:00 | 64.1 | 14.2 |
| Friday night | Pedestrian activity | 03:00 | 46.0 | 10.2 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 22:00 | 485.1 | 100.0 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 23:00 | 345.0 | 71.1 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 00:00 | 195.2 | 40.2 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 01:00 | 124.3 | 25.6 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 02:00 | 79.9 | 16.5 |
| Saturday night | Pedestrian activity | 03:00 | 58.0 | 12.0 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 22:00 | 1752.0 | 100.0 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 23:00 | 1549.0 | 88.4 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 00:00 | 1412.0 | 80.6 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 01:00 | 837.0 | 47.8 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 02:00 | 475.0 | 27.1 |
| Friday night | All stop-departures | 03:00 | 452.0 | 25.8 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 22:00 | 1644.0 | 100.0 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 23:00 | 1538.0 | 93.6 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 00:00 | 1442.0 | 87.7 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 01:00 | 899.0 | 54.7 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 02:00 | 499.0 | 30.4 |
| Saturday night | All stop-departures | 03:00 | 443.0 | 26.9 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 22:00 | 126.0 | 100.0 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 23:00 | 125.0 | 99.2 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 00:00 | 81.0 | 64.3 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 01:00 | 27.0 | 21.4 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 02:00 | 17.0 | 13.5 |
| Friday night | Train stop-departures | 03:00 | 17.0 | 13.5 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 22:00 | 1626.0 | 100.0 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 23:00 | 1424.0 | 87.6 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 00:00 | 1331.0 | 81.9 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 01:00 | 810.0 | 49.8 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 02:00 | 458.0 | 28.2 |
| Friday night | Tram stop-departures | 03:00 | 435.0 | 26.8 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 22:00 | 131.0 | 100.0 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 23:00 | 131.0 | 100.0 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 00:00 | 77.0 | 58.8 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 01:00 | 25.0 | 19.1 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 02:00 | 17.0 | 13.0 |
| Saturday night | Train stop-departures | 03:00 | 17.0 | 13.0 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 22:00 | 1513.0 | 100.0 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 23:00 | 1407.0 | 93.0 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 00:00 | 1365.0 | 90.2 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 01:00 | 874.0 | 57.8 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 02:00 | 482.0 | 31.9 |
| Saturday night | Tram stop-departures | 03:00 | 426.0 | 28.2 |
Figure 4. Relative change after 10 PM in historical mean pedestrian counts and scheduled stop-departures, with train and tram lines shown separately alongside the combined total. Each series is separately indexed to 10 PM = 100. The transport series uses the selected Friday 16 October 2026 and Saturday 17 October 2026 timetables. A stop-departure is one scheduled departure at one stop, not a unique vehicle, passenger, or seat. Stop events within 600 metres of multiple sensors are counted only once in this study-area total. The datasets cover different periods. Data: City of Melbourne (n.d.-a, n.d.-b); Department of Transport and Planning (n.d.).
The table shows the scale behind the indexed lines. The 1 AM column refers to the morning following the named evening. Each count is a scheduled departure at a qualifying stop.
| Night | Mode | 10 PM departures | 1 AM departures | Remaining at 1 AM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday night | Train | 126 | 27 | 21% |
| Friday night | Tram | 1626 | 810 | 50% |
| Saturday night | Train | 131 | 25 | 19% |
| Saturday night | Tram | 1513 | 874 | 58% |
| Weekend | Night | Mode | 10 PM departures | 1 AM departures | Remaining at 1 AM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16–17 October | Friday night | Train | 126 | 27 | 21% |
| 16–17 October | Friday night | Tram | 1626 | 810 | 50% |
| 16–17 October | Saturday night | Train | 131 | 25 | 19% |
| 16–17 October | Saturday night | Tram | 1513 | 874 | 58% |
| 23–24 October | Friday night | Train | 150 | 23 | 15% |
| 23–24 October | Friday night | Tram | 1626 | 810 | 50% |
| 23–24 October | Saturday night | Train | 150 | 23 | 15% |
| 23–24 October | Saturday night | Tram | 1513 | 874 | 58% |
Trams retain a larger share than trains on both nights of both selected weekends. The distinction therefore persists across these dates within the retained timetable.
This check holds the qualifying stops fixed and compares 23–24 October with 16–17 October. Both weekends come from the same downloaded feed: this tests variation across scheduled dates, not accuracy against an independently archived feed or actual operations.
Each point is one monitoring location. The horizontal axis shows mean nearby scheduled stop-departures per hour, and the vertical axis shows historical mean pedestrian activity on Friday and Saturday nights (10 PM–3:59 AM). Colour compares Saturday with Friday: 1 means equal activity, above 1 means higher Saturday activity, and below 1 means higher Friday activity.
Choose a sensor below or click it in Figure 2 to highlight its point while keeping the other locations visible. Short labels identify three locations furthest from the fitted relationship; their full names and values appear in the discussion below. Nearby stop-departures reflect both scheduled frequency and the number of stops within 600 metres.
Chart description: Interactive scatterplot of 91 monitoring locations. X is scheduled stop-departures per hour; Y is historical mean pedestrians per hour. Colour represents Saturday-to-Friday pedestrian ratio. Spearman rho is 0.67. Selecting a sensor highlights it without removing the other points; map clicks send a selection to this scatterplot.
| Location | Mean pedestrians/hour | Mean nearby departures/hour | Saturday/Friday activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Point | 42.6 | 96.8 | 1.6 |
| Royal Mint 280 William Street | 64.9 | 104.2 | 1.0 |
| La Trobe Street- William Street (South) | 75.3 | 85.3 | 1.0 |
| Docklands Waterfront City Building Side | 47.0 | 38.6 | 1.2 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Footpath | 150.5 | 242.3 | 1.2 |
| 114 Flinders Street Car Park Crossing | 18.9 | 261.4 | 1.3 |
| New Quay | 34.8 | 48.0 | 1.3 |
| I-Hub 892 Bourke Street | 4.9 | 34.3 | 0.9 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Flinders Street (2-6 King) | 214.7 | 185.7 | 1.4 |
| I-Hub Corner of King Street and Latrobe Street (317-335 King) | 108.2 | 56.0 | 1.1 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Lonsdale Street Entrance - South | 231.9 | 113.1 | 1.1 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - North | 263.6 | 160.1 | 1.1 |
| I-Hub Southern Cross Station - Bourke Street Entrance - South | 210.1 | 169.3 | 1.2 |
| COM Pole 1120 - Towards the City, Near Federation Square Bridge | 81.9 | 134.0 | 0.7 |
| COM Pole 2353 - Towards the city, NAB Building | 8.1 | 93.7 | 1.1 |
| COM Pole 1647 - Sandridge Bridge Signal Box | 31.0 | 233.6 | 1.3 |
| Sandridge Bridge | 128.4 | 218.0 | 1.2 |
| Awning of Nationwide Parking 474 Flinders Street | 205.2 | 194.4 | 1.3 |
| Hamer Hall Entrance (COM Pole 1584) | 155.3 | 229.4 | 1.2 |
| Mounted on Toilet - Spencer Street, Batman Park | 296.1 | 167.8 | 1.3 |
| Birrarung Marr - COM - Pole 1109 | 267.3 | 202.1 | 1.0 |
| iHub 489 Elizabeth Street | 190.9 | 149.2 | 1.0 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Footpath) | 52.5 | 43.2 | 1.1 |
| 475 Spencer Street | 17.8 | 19.2 | 1.0 |
| 484 Spencer Street | 9.6 | 20.2 | 1.1 |
| I-Hub 526 La Trobe Street (Crossing) | 14.9 | 43.2 | 1.0 |
| Collins Place (South) | 87.9 | 146.8 | 1.0 |
| 61-67 Power Street Southbank | 40.7 | 49.3 | 1.1 |
| Collins Place (North) | 16.0 | 142.2 | 1.0 |
| Pumping Station No.2, 330 Macaulay Road | 5.3 | 11.8 | 1.1 |
| 368 Elizabeth Street | 570.9 | 223.4 | 1.0 |
| 163 King Street | 346.6 | 150.3 | 1.2 |
| 124 Elizabeth Street | 317.4 | 344.2 | 1.1 |
| 197 Elizabeth Street | 410.9 | 300.9 | 1.1 |
| RMIT Building 22 - 330 Swanston Street | 71.3 | 207.1 | 1.0 |
| Chinatown-Swanston Street (North) | 432.7 | 287.2 | 1.2 |
| Bourke Street Mall (South) | 169.8 | 318.1 | 1.1 |
| Chinatown-Lt Bourke Street (South) | 546.6 | 300.2 | 1.7 |
| Flinders Underpass - Walkway | 406.9 | 240.6 | 1.1 |
| 155-161 Russell Street | 361.2 | 305.6 | 1.3 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (South) | 113.2 | 181.5 | 1.2 |
| Spencer Street-Collins Street (North) | 369.6 | 181.5 | 1.1 |
| Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre | 252.8 | 130.2 | 1.3 |
| QV Market-Peel Street | 47.3 | 78.4 | 1.0 |
| Street Kilda Rd-Alexandra Gardens | 177.4 | 186.8 | 1.3 |
| Melbourne Central | 800.4 | 223.7 | 1.1 |
| Lonsdale Street (South) | 572.8 | 276.6 | 1.2 |
| Lygon Street (West) | 196.4 | 81.4 | 1.3 |
| Southbank Promenade | 533.7 | 218.8 | 1.3 |
| Queen Street (West) | 283.1 | 287.6 | 1.0 |
| Alfred Place | 11.2 | 272.8 | 1.1 |
| Town Hall (West) | 852.3 | 301.2 | 1.1 |
| Lonsdale Street-Spring Street (West) | 79.8 | 147.9 | 1.2 |
| Flinders Lane–Swanston Street (West) | 908.9 | 282.8 | 1.1 |
| Grattan Street-Swanston Street (West) | 22.5 | 83.5 | 0.8 |
| Monash Rd-Swanston Street (West) | 23.6 | 69.3 | 0.9 |
| Tin Alley-Swanston Street (West) | 18.4 | 63.4 | 0.9 |
| Little Collins Street-Swanston Street (East) | 544.4 | 314.9 | 1.2 |
| Pelham Street (South) | 3.1 | 125.7 | 1.0 |
| Melbourne Central-Elizabeth Street (East) | 366.7 | 289.2 | 1.1 |
| QVM-Therry Street (South) | 136.7 | 154.2 | 1.0 |
| Princes Bridge | 745.8 | 221.8 | 1.1 |
| Faraday Street-Lygon Street (West) | 76.1 | 61.6 | 1.1 |
| QVM-Franklin Street (North) | 49.3 | 152.7 | 1.0 |
| Elizabeth Street-Lonsdale Street (South) | 210.8 | 274.0 | 1.2 |
| Collins Street (North) | 183.2 | 312.3 | 1.1 |
| Lincoln-Swanston (West) | 66.8 | 141.9 | 0.9 |
| Lonsdale Street - Elizabeth Street (North) | 281.7 | 262.2 | 1.0 |
| Bourke Street - Spencer Street (North) | 313.8 | 171.2 | 1.2 |
| Building 80 RMIT | 274.1 | 152.2 | 0.9 |
| Flinders Underpass - Myki Barriers | 178.2 | 240.6 | 1.2 |
| RMIT Building 14 | 135.4 | 158.9 | 0.9 |
| La Trobe Street (North) | 185.3 | 208.5 | 1.0 |
| 231 Bourke Street | 390.1 | 333.3 | 1.2 |
| QV2 Apartments, 300 Swanston Street | 527.2 | 215.1 | 1.1 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (South) | 184.6 | 300.1 | 1.1 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (North) | 61.2 | 300.1 | 1.0 |
| Flinders Ln -Degraves Street (Crossing) | 32.0 | 300.1 | 1.3 |
| Errol Street (East) | 66.6 | 29.7 | 1.1 |
| Westwood Place | 10.7 | 218.7 | 0.9 |
| Flinders Street- ACMI | 145.5 | 293.2 | 1.1 |
| Spring Street- Flinders st (West) | 19.0 | 116.4 | 0.9 |
| Macaulay Rd- Bellair Street | 8.5 | 11.8 | 0.9 |
| Harbour Esplanade (West) - Pedestrian path | 102.9 | 48.0 | 1.3 |
| Flinders Street (South) | 380.7 | 303.0 | 1.2 |
| Webb Bridge | 15.8 | 63.9 | 1.2 |
| Elizabeth Street - Flinders Street (East) - New footpath | 534.1 | 306.1 | 1.1 |
| Macaulay Rd (North) | 13.6 | 11.8 | 0.9 |
| Queensberry Street - Errol Street (South) | 10.5 | 27.2 | 1.1 |
| Errol Street (West) | 25.3 | 25.6 | 0.9 |
| Southern Cross Station | 74.4 | 144.2 | 1.1 |
Figure 5. Sensor-level association between historical late-night pedestrian counts and scheduled nearby train/tram stop-departures, with a keyboard-accessible sensor highlight and map-linked selection. Colour shows the Saturday-to-Friday pedestrian activity ratio (1 = equal activity). A grey point, if present, has no available ratio. Short labels identify the three largest absolute residuals from a log-transformed linear model; these are descriptive comparisons, not a formal outlier test. Each point is one eligible sensor. The source periods differ, and a stop may be within 600 metres of more than one sensor; do not sum the sensor-level departures. Data: City of Melbourne (n.d.-a, n.d.-b); Department of Transport and Planning (n.d.).
For late-night travellers, these locations show why activity on one street should not be used as a shortcut for judging the transport nearby. Each has low activity at its sensor despite many scheduled departures within the surrounding catchment. The street observation and the nearby timetable describe different spatial scales; neither alone identifies the service or destination a traveller needs. The data do not explain why these locations differ or establish whether their transport is adequate.
| Measure | Sensors | Spearman rho |
|---|---|---|
| Stop-departures | 91 | 0.67 |
| Unique nearby trips per sensor-hour | 91 | 0.62 |
Counting a trip once within each sensor-hour changes the rank correlation from 0.67 to 0.62. The association remains positive under both definitions. A trip can still appear in more than one hour and more than one sensor catchment; these counts should not be summed across sensors or interpreted as passengers or capacity.
For the three originally labelled locations, pedestrian activity is below the trip-based fitted relationship at Pelham Street (South) (residual rank 1); below the trip-based fitted relationship at Alfred Place (residual rank 2); below the trip-based fitted relationship at Westwood Place (residual rank 3).
| Catchment (metres) | Sensors | Sensors with no departures | Spearman rho |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | 91 | 2 | 0.64 |
| 600 | 91 | 0 | 0.67 |
| 800 | 91 | 0 | 0.60 |
With the sensor population held fixed, the correlation ranges from 0.60 to 0.67 across 400, 600 and 800 metres. The positive association is present at all three distances, although its strength changes. Sensors without departures in a smaller catchment are retained with zero departures rather than excluded.
| Period | Sensors | Spearman rho |
|---|---|---|
| 1 AM–3:59 AM | 91 | 0.66 |
| 10 PM–12:59 AM | 91 | 0.66 |
Each period averages three hours on each of the two reference nights for the same sensors. The association is positive and similar in both periods, so splitting these hours does not reveal a materially different rank pattern in this check. Figure 5 summarises average overnight patterns, not the departures available at every hour or the experience of a particular journey.
Across 91 eligible sensors, Figure 5 shows a Spearman rank correlation of 0.67 between historical mean pedestrian activity and mean nearby scheduled stop-departures. A positive association means busier monitored locations tend to have more scheduled departures nearby; it does not imply that every location is equally served.
The main finding: Trams retain a larger share of their 10 PM scheduled stop-departures than trains at 1 AM following both selected evenings. Friday’s train and tram indices are 21% and 50%; Saturday’s are 19% and 58%. A combined departure total conceals this difference.
The sensitivity checks help distinguish a broad pattern from a result tied to one definition. Counting unique nearby trips gives a rank correlation of 0.62; changing the catchment from 400 to 800 metres gives correlations between 0.60 and 0.67. The positive spatial association therefore persists across these choices and in both overnight periods. The train–tram retention difference also persists on the second weekend within the retained feed. These checks support the descriptive patterns; they do not resolve the mismatch between historical counts and schedules or measure travel demand, capacity or reliability.
I began with a practical concern about getting home after a late-night outing. The comparison shows why I should consider the mode and location my journey depends on, rather than assume busy streets mean frequent services of every kind. Busier monitored streets generally have more scheduled departures nearby, but the three labelled locations show that this relationship varies across the city. These broad patterns can help me think ahead when planning outings; I would still check the current route and timetable before deciding how to get home.
The pedestrian analysis uses hourly counts and sensor locations from the City of Melbourne (n.d.-a, n.d.-b), covering 14 October 2025 to 13 October 2026.
Only sensors with at least 30 observed days and 80% of expected hourly records over the study window were retained.
Identical duplicate records were removed. Conflicting duplicates trigger a data-quality error rather than being silently aggregated.
For Friday and Saturday night analysis, observations between midnight and 3:59 AM are assigned to the preceding night.
The transport analysis uses the Department of Transport and Planning GTFS Schedule (n.d.) for a fixed reference weekend. The schedules cover Friday 16 October 2026 and Saturday 17 October 2026.
GTFS service calendars and exceptions determine active services. Times beyond 24:00 are interpreted as departures after midnight on the following calendar day.
Figure 4 divides each hourly series by its own 10 PM value and
multiplies by 100; train and tram indices use their respective
mode-specific 10 PM baselines. The analysis counts scheduled departures
at stops, not individual vehicles, passengers, seats or completed
journeys. The final stop of each trip is excluded because it is an
arrival, not a departure. Stops with pickup_type = 1 (no
passenger pickup) are also excluded. When the field is missing, the code
treats the stop as eligible. This means the plotted figures represent
scheduled opportunities to board, not every arrival at a stop.
The main figures use 16–17 October. A sensitivity check uses 23–24 October from the same retained feed and the same qualifying stops. This is not independent verification of the schedules. Special events or track works may affect schedules; their effects are not identified by this analysis.
I use a 600-metre catchment as a neighbourhood-scale analytical choice: it includes stops around each sensor while keeping the comparison local. It is not an official accessibility threshold or a measured walking route. Smaller and larger catchments (400 and 800 metres) test how much Figure 5 depends on that choice, keeping the same sensors, dates and hours.
Figures 4 and 5 use train and tram stops within 600 metres of retained pedestrian sensors. Figure 4 counts each qualifying stop event once across the study area; Figure 5 counts each qualifying stop event separately for each nearby sensor.
Distances are calculated using a projected coordinate reference system and represent straight-line proximity rather than actual walking routes. A trip stopping at several qualifying stops contributes several stop-departures, so this measure reflects stop density as well as scheduled frequency. It does not count unique trips or routes.
Figure 5 gives equal weight to the six hourly profiles on each of Friday and Saturday nights. This smooths differences within the night. The early-period check averages 10 PM–12:59 AM, and the later-period check averages 1 AM–3:59 AM, using the same sensors and 600-metre catchment. Figures 3 and 4 retain hourly detail. Neither an overnight mean nor a period mean describes a specific departure time.
The analysis has several important limitations:
Consequently, the results identify descriptive patterns and possible accessibility questions. They do not establish how many people lack suitable transport.
Anthropic. (2026). Claude [Large language model; version not recorded]. https://claude.ai
City of Melbourne. (n.d.-a). Pedestrian Counting System (counts per hour) [Data set]. Melbourne Open Data. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://data.melbourne.vic.gov.au/explore/dataset/pedestrian-counting-system-monthly-counts-per-hour/
City of Melbourne. (n.d.-b). Pedestrian Counting System – Sensor Locations [Data set]. Melbourne Open Data. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://data.melbourne.vic.gov.au/explore/dataset/pedestrian-counting-system-sensor-locations/
Department of Transport and Planning. (n.d.). GTFS Schedule [Data set]. Transport Victoria Open Data Portal. Retrieved October 27, 2026, from https://opendata.transport.vic.gov.au/dataset/gtfs-schedule
OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (GPT-6.1 Sol) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com
Generative AI tools, ChatGPT (OpenAI) and Claude (Anthropic), were used for R debugging, explanations of error messages, code suggestions, report editing and feedback on visualisation clarity and assignment requirements. AI suggestions were reviewed against the available source datasets and code outputs. The interpretations and final submission remain my responsibility.