Short XPT trips / Australia Questions

[rg177]

Hello all,

I was supposed to take the XPT from Melbourne to Sydney today, but my carriage had a fault and the alternative offered was 10 hours on a bus. I did plead my case with staff that I'd specifically come to ride one but alas, it was booked solid. I haven't taken them up on the alternative and have a flight in two hours instead.

So, my question is - what are the shortest journeys you can make on an XPT out of Sydney? I know its Labor Day weekend so services will be quite busy - but are there any stations within the 'Opal' area (served by other trains, so I can also get back!) that I can have a trip to? I expect that the very closest stations will be barred for local journeys?

Edit - I've managed to get myself a seat on a service to Maitland on Wednesday which suits me well as I wanted to go up to Newcastle which is only a short journey back down and across.

I've also called Transport for NSW and after some initial reluctance, they've agreed to refund the cost of the XPT ticket to Melbourne. I suppose technically they did offer an alternative, but for someone who booked the train because they wanted to take the train, not so much I don't know if this is a regular thing with the trains getting on in age, but it was astonishingly bad luck for it to only be my carriage affected.

 

[stadler]

Hello all,

I was supposed to take the XPT from Melbourne to Sydney today, but my carriage had a fault and the alternative offered was 10 hours on a bus. I did plead my case with staff that I'd specifically come to ride one but alas, it was booked solid. I haven't taken them up on the alternative and have a flight in two hours instead.

So, my question is - what are the shortest journeys you can make on an XPT out of Sydney? I know its Labor Day weekend so services will be quite busy - but are there any stations within the 'Opal' area (served by other trains, so I can also get back!) that I can have a trip to? I expect that the very closest stations will be barred for local journeys?

Unofficially you can take an XPT on some short Sydney city journeys. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Hornsby (30m), Sydney to Gosford (70m), Sydney to Wyong (90m), Sydney to Fassifern (120m), on the routes to Brisbane or Casino or Grafton. Sydney to Campbelltown (30m) on the routes to Melbourne. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Paramatta (20m), Sydney to Blacktown (30m), Sydney to Penrith (50m), Sydney to Katoomba (100m), on the Dubbo route.

Officially it is not allowed as pick up only or set down only at these Sydney area stations. But the worst they can do is kick you off at the next stop which is where you are alighting anyway. Just claim you thought it was allowed to use an Opal card on it.

But if you want to do a XPT officially than you have to travel quite a far distance. Sydney to Broadmeadow (150m) or Sydney to Maitland (170m) is the shortest on the Sydney to Brisbane or Casino or Grafton routes. Sydney to Moss Vale (100m) or Sydney to Goulburn (150m) is the shortest on the Melbourne routes. Sydney to Lithgow (140m) or Sydney to Rydal (160m) or Sydney to Tarana (180m) or Sydney to Bathurst (220m) on the Dubbo route.

Personally i am not a fan of the XPT trains. You are not missing out on much if you do not use it. They are knackered old trains in poor condition. They all have stuff wrong with them. I was not impressed when i travelled on them during my last Australia visit. The new trains can not come soon enough. But i know their HST resemblance makes them popular among railway enthusiasts.

Also these regional (XPT and Xplorer) trains seem to employ the most miserable jobsworth staff you can imagine. I found the guards and staff on the local EMU stuff (Sydney Trains and Intercity Trains) to always be very friendly nice people but for some reason the XPT and Xplorer staff seem to hate their jobs. I am sure they have some good staff too but from my experience the ones i came across all had the attitude of hating customers.

Edit - I've managed to get myself a seat on a service to Maitland on Wednesday which suits me well as I wanted to go up to Newcastle which is only a short journey back down and across.

I've also called Transport for NSW and after some initial reluctance, they've agreed to refund the cost of the XPT ticket to Melbourne. I suppose technically they did offer an alternative, but for someone who booked the train because they wanted to take the train, not so much I don't know if this is a regular thing with the trains getting on in age, but it was astonishingly bad luck for it to only be my carriage affected.

Sorry just seen you had booked a trip to Maitland on it. I think i clicked on the thread before you edited your post. Enjoy your trip on it. If you are coming back on return by the local EMU trains then stopping off at Wondabyne for an hour is recommended. It is a tiny station by a lake with a platform that fits one door and with no road access or any roads nearby. A very unique station.

 

[rg177]

Sorry just seen you had booked a trip to Maitland on it. I think i clicked on the thread before you edited your post. Enjoy your trip on it. If you are coming back on return by the local EMU trains then stopping off at Wondabyne for an hour is recommended. It is a tiny station by a lake with a platform that fits one door and with no road access or any roads nearby. A very unique station.

Thanks - yes funnily enough I've just been looking at Wondabyne (also Zig Zag on the Blue Mountains Line) as a potential stop off. Point also taken on the fact that they're knackered trains - let's just hope we don't have a technical fault once again! All the XPTs were booked solid all weekend which wasn't entirely unsurprising, but I essentially have a week (exc. one day to do an out and back to Canberra, train out, plane back), touristy things aside, to have a plod around the Sydney Trains network (and ferries, Metro, light rail...).

Should I have the time when I return I'll whack it together into a trip report!

 

[Lukeo2311]

I spent some time at Wondabyne Station last year, I enjoyed the peace and quiet there! and I plan to go back with my proper camera! Assortment of photos (including shots taken at Wondabyne and other locations!) Sydney Metro Tallawong to Sydenham 28/09/2024 - Hyperlapse - I recorded this on the same weekend

 

[stadler]

Thanks - yes funnily enough I've just been looking at Wondabyne (also Zig Zag on the Blue Mountains Line) as a potential stop off. Point also taken on the fact that they're knackered trains - let's just hope we don't have a technical fault once again! All the XPTs were booked solid all weekend which wasn't entirely unsurprising, but I essentially have a week (exc. one day to do an out and back to Canberra, train out, plane back), touristy things aside, to have a plod around the Sydney Trains network (and ferries, Metro, light rail...).

Should I have the time when I return I'll whack it together into a trip report!

Zig Zag station is indeed worth a visit too. It is another quirky little station. There is no road access but it is a transfer point to a heritage railway. I think of it as the Australian equivalent of Smallbrook Junction station.

I definitely recommend the Blue Mountains area. That is a very scenic area to explore. Well worth a day trip to the area if you have the time. It is a pleasant train ride there and i think they also still use the older EMU stock that is getting withdrawn very soon.

 

[SLTRegular]

Anyone know if the Brisbane xpt is curtailed due to the storm?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I read somewhere that some XPT trains are going being replaced by other stock, while they are being refurbished for life-extension.
That's because of delays to introduction of the new CAF trains.

I have done Sydney-Lithgow on the Dubbo XPT in the past, with a local train back to Katoomba where the frequent Sydney Trains EMUs start.
There's plenty to see and do in tourist-oriented Katoomba.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Anyone know if the Brisbane xpt is curtailed due to the storm?

It has been on at least one day, terminating at Casino.

From sometime in March 25, for a year, the Grafton XPT will be replaced by coaches, this is to enable them to be refurbished, doesn’t look like the new trains will start for a while

 

[Greetlander]

Enjoy the Maitland trip - it's a great run and if you can spend some time at that historic station you can watch the coal trains go through on 24/7 cycle. As mentioned on here you can get off the XPT earlier - you just can't book it.

Explorer to Canberra is also a good run - let us know how hard you laugh when you see what the terminal station at Australia's capital city looks like.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Update on XPT services towards Brisbane/Casino/Grafton from NSW XPT and Xplorer TrainLink Group on Facebook, all NSW Trainlink North coast services terminating at Taree with onward travel by coach

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Explorer to Canberra is also a good run - let us know how hard you laugh when you see what the terminal station at Australia's capital city looks like.

It's clean and modern, perfectly suited to its 3 trains a day (2-car DMUs at the moment).
Though they might regret not keeping the original terminus closer to the city centre than Kingston.
I also had my best sighting of Australian wildlife (at least 50 kangaroos having a get-together) from the train just outside Canberra.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

From sometime in March 25, for a year, the Grafton XPT will be replaced by coaches, this is to enable them to be refurbished, doesn’t look like the new trains will start for a while

https://www.railway.supply/en/upgrades-planned-for-ageing-xpt-rail-fleet-across-nsw/

Upgrades Planned for Ageing XPT Rail Fleet Across NSW​

19.02.2025

The NSW Government is implementing major improvements to the XPT rail fleet to enhance regional transport services. This investment aims to ensure reliability, safety, and passenger comfort while new trains remain under development.

 

[SLTRegular]

It has been on at least one day, terminating at Casino.

From sometime in March 25, for a year, the Grafton XPT will be replaced by coaches, this is to enable them to be refurbished, doesn’t look like the new trains will start for a while

The Replacement was testing at Mt Druitt the other night wasn't it? Bizarre place to test a train i may add

 

[railfan99]

It's clean and modern, perfectly suited to its 3 trains a day (2-car DMUs at the moment).
Though they might regret not keeping the original terminus closer to the city centre than Kingston.
I also had my best sighting of Australian wildlife (at least 50 kangaroos having a get-together) from the train just outside Canberra.

The XPlorer railcars to and from Canberra are three car sets, not two.

Unofficially you can take an XPT on some short Sydney city journeys. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Hornsby (30m), Sydney to Gosford (70m), Sydney to Wyong (90m), Sydney to Fassifern (120m), on the routes to Brisbane or Casino or Grafton. Sydney to Campbelltown (30m) on the routes to Melbourne. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Paramatta (20m), Sydney to Blacktown (30m), Sydney to Penrith (50m), Sydney to Katoomba (100m), on the Dubbo route.

Officially it is not allowed as pick up only or set down only at these Sydney area stations. But the worst they can do is kick you off at the next stop which is where you are alighting anyway. Just claim you thought it was allowed to use an Opal card on it.

I would never do this, and I'm a local. Not good that you're promoting it.

 

[43094]

The on train staff will have a list of who is booked on each XPT service, and where each person is sat. In my experience, people sat where they’re not booked (let alone people not booked at all) doesn’t tend to go down well, unless agreed beforehand.

In addition, the train may not stop at pick up (or set down) only stops, if nobody is scheduled to join (or leave) there.

I have travelled Sydney - Strathfield a couple of times while there on holiday from the UK, to clear my last few power cars, when I didn’t have time to go to the first set down stop. Both moves were granted in advance by on train staff on the platform at Sydney, but only after some consideration.

So if you are hoping to undertake a journey to a pick-up only stop, ask first, and be prepared to be declined. Also, personally I wouldn’t attempt to join at a set-down only stop, they’ll have enough to do during the short station dwell, assuming it does actually stop.

 

[43096]

Unofficially you can take an XPT on some short Sydney city journeys. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Hornsby (30m), Sydney to Gosford (70m), Sydney to Wyong (90m), Sydney to Fassifern (120m), on the routes to Brisbane or Casino or Grafton. Sydney to Campbelltown (30m) on the routes to Melbourne. Sydney to Strathfield (10m), Sydney to Paramatta (20m), Sydney to Blacktown (30m), Sydney to Penrith (50m), Sydney to Katoomba (100m), on the Dubbo route.

Officially it is not allowed as pick up only or set down only at these Sydney area stations. But the worst they can do is kick you off at the next stop which is where you are alighting anyway. Just claim you thought it was allowed to use an Opal card on it.

That is really poor advice: I would very stronly advise not to do this.

@43094 gives much better advice of asking before joining the train. I've done it a couple of times by asking in advance - had a valid "rover" ticket and a friendly ask of the staff, who were OK with it. If the answer is no, then it's no.

 

[rg177]

That is really poor advice: I would very stronly advise not to do this.

@43094 gives much better advice of asking before joining the train. I've done it a couple of times by asking in advance - had a valid "rover" ticket and a friendly ask of the staff, who were OK with it. If the answer is no, then it's no.

As they seem to be booked solid all weekend (or in a bit of a state, as I speak the Dubbo XPT is still idling at Central nearly two hours after it was supposed to leave) I'm quite happy with my foray up to Maitland on Wednesday.

I've also booked one for Lithgow on Thursday but as the connection back to Katoomba is quite rubbish I might either jump off at Katoomba (I've paid to Lithgow after all) or just give it a miss entirely if the one to Maitland works as intended, seeing the booking system is obsessed with giving me aisle seats and the alternative is a V set (similarly vintage of course).

 

[railfan99]

I also had my best sighting of Australian wildlife (at least 50 kangaroos having a get-together) from the train just outside Canberra.

I too have always seen kangaroos between Joppa Junction (just south of Goulburn) and Canberra, and especially south of Tarago.

You'll tend to see more early in the morning or approaching dusk.

 

[LesS]

Current notices are that no trains on North are operating past Taree with buses from there.
The cyclone has dissipated but there is a lot of heavy rain north from Sydney causing flood warnings for all coastal rivers.
When XPT etc. trains are bustituted all first class fares are reduced to economy and refunds given.
Short journeys: The first service stops out of Sydney are Broadmeadow; Lithgow; Moss Vale. I recommend that no attempt be made for a shorter journey. All seats on these trains must have reservations.
For me, the most interesting day trips are to Maitland or Singleton or to Goulburn.
The passenger cars are in good condition and, I am told, are free from corrosion or rust. The power units are worn out and unreliable.
For several reasons the Brisbane service is often truncated. Sometimes for mechanical reasons and sometimes because of major rail construction work in Brisbane.
The first of the new replacement trains are under test. There is no sign of them ever entering service.
You can be unlucky if you get caught with a short notice cancellation. It happens far too often.

 

[rg177]

I went to Canberra yesterday. Had been given an aisle seat but the window was free for the entire journey, as were quite a few other pairs of seats. The conductor was spreading people out best he could after departure. The run was pleasant I'd say, some nice rolling hills and a lot of farm animals - sadly nothing more exotic! Towards the end of the journey, we hugged the Molonglo River which was rather spectacular. Canberra itself was pleasant enough - pretty much as I expected, very quiet and not a place for thrillseekers But some lovely walks to be had around the river and up to Parliament House.

I'm currently on the XPT to Maitland which has thankfully managed to depart with me on board. Again I was chucked in an aisle seat but I've been told that the window seat isn't occupied until, well, Maitland This is the Casino service but terminating Taree as mentioned in the post above.

 

[LesS]

UPDATE:
I received communication from a friend who is a PA on tonight's service to Brisbane. It will be terminating in Grafton, then buses. the track damage further north makes travel over it risky so caution is the watchword. I feel sorry for the sleeping car passengers who will be changing to a bus around 1.00am.

 

[rg177]

Well, I'm currently at Doha Airport and on my way home having essentially completed the Sydney Trains network (bar some extremities on the InterCity services) and for the most part I was pretty impressed - spoke to some excellent guards and station staff and rush hour at Central is certainly something to behold.

Unfortunately there was a catastrophic signal failure yesterday and despite 'fixing' it, much of the network was basically unusable, with trains taking 4+ hours to do what should be a half hour trip. Having been effectively abandoned at Birrong (on the Bankstown line) with vague announcements about 'congestion', I managed to take a string of buses and the somewhat unaffected T4 line back to my hotel for an Uber to the airport. It sounds like there was a complete breakdown in communication between those dealing with the issue and frontline staff, and in turn very little communication with passengers!

 

[Greetlander]

Well, I'm currently at Doha Airport and on my way home having essentially completed the Sydney Trains network (bar some extremities on the InterCity services) and for the most part I was pretty impressed - spoke to some excellent guards and station staff and rush hour at Central is certainly something to behold.

Unfortunately there was a catastrophic signal failure yesterday and despite 'fixing' it, much of the network was basically unusable, with trains taking 4+ hours to do what should be a half hour trip. Having been effectively abandoned at Birrong (on the Bankstown line) with vague announcements about 'congestion', I managed to take a string of buses and the somewhat unaffected T4 line back to my hotel for an Uber to the airport. It sounds like there was a complete breakdown in communication between those dealing with the issue and frontline staff, and in turn very little communication with passengers!

Sydney trains have made huge efforts to “untangle the network” in recent years and on the whole, issues such as a track failure or medical incident in one place on the network no longer have catastrophic impact on the other side of the city. It does seem however that when there is a network-wide issue, communication can break down rapidly.

 

[SLTRegular]

C

Sydney trains have made huge efforts to “untangle the network” in recent years and on the whole, issues such as a track failure or medical incident in one place on the network no longer have catastrophic impact on the other side of the city. It does seem however that when there is a network-wide issue, communication can break down rapidly.

Communication is attrocious on Sydney trains. Prime example is went to see Slipknot 2 weeks ago. No mention anywhere on the Sydney trains network that there was free travel on trains and trams staff at both Penrith Granville and Central didnt know about the free travel. I get on the Tram they mention straight away there's free tram travel on L2/3/LX to Moore Park and they even mention there was a small rugby union game also in the area later on and to expect issues. Forgetting the fact it's rugby union and no one attends games in Australia or even watches it seems to have been lost on transdev but they still made the announcement.

 

[MarkSudbury]

Well, I'm currently at Doha Airport and on my way home having essentially completed the Sydney Trains network (bar some extremities on the InterCity services) and for the most part I was pretty impressed - spoke to some excellent guards and station staff and rush hour at Central is certainly something to behold.

Unfortunately there was a catastrophic signal failure yesterday and despite 'fixing' it, much of the network was basically unusable, with trains taking 4+ hours to do what should be a half hour trip. Having been effectively abandoned at Birrong (on the Bankstown line) with vague announcements about 'congestion', I managed to take a string of buses and the somewhat unaffected T4 line back to my hotel for an Uber to the airport. It sounds like there was a complete breakdown in communication between those dealing with the issue and frontline staff, and in turn very little communication with passengers!

This series is worth a watch if you can find it;
SBS - Inside Central Station

 

[LesS]

rg177 is right to mention Central station and its importance. The annual count of passengers travelling to and through Central exceeds 400 million.
It is nearly always very busy.