Comparing the UK with the largest Australian states of NSW and Victoria (Sydney: 5.5m and Melbourne 5.1m are respective capitals), the UK does better on:
(a) frequency, especially long distance where in NSW there might be two trains a day (e.g. Sydney to Albury, 645km)
(b) ready availability with trained 'route knowledge' drivers of alternative routes - a constant theme in UK, but mostly unavailable in Australia
(c) competing operators in some cases - gives passengers the opportunity to do a 'round trip', or perhaps find a cheaper fare
(d) large numbers of branch lines still with passenger trains e.g. Gunnislake or Looe would be road coaches in Australia - for instance, the NSW Casino - Murwillumbah line close to Queensland's famous Gold Coast surfing beaches was closed in c.2002: previously had the 'Gold Coast Motorail Express' from Sydney that was a popular train with sleeping and sitting cars
(e) availability of Eurail/Interrail Passes - in Australia, the Austrailpass if it still exists isn't worth it (though NSW TrainLink have a good Discovery Pass that offers travel to Melbourne and Brisbane as well)
(f) speed: the fastest speed in Oz is only on a few sections of a few lines, and is 160kmh (although fair swathes of V/Line trains in Victoria achieve this: in NSW, lines tend to often be more 'steam age' with many curves)
(g) the huge number of major heritage and tourist railways (such as NYMR, WSR etc)
(h) how managers such as at LNER operated catering on trains in the week just gone, and how trains kept running a partial service (helped by how RMT members struck but ASLEF ones did not I gather from afar)
Where the two Oz states tie with UK:
(a) historic stations - plenty in all three jurisdictions
(b) ease of access between trains and platforms - certainly not the case in much of Europe with 'steps down' still on some trains and low level platforms at many stations
(c) safety - although NSW TrainLink had two killed in the cab of an XPT at Wallan, 45km north of Melbourne when the pilotman in the cab failed to tell the driver to slow to 25kmh at a crossing loop in a track maintenance area
Where at least one Oz state beats the UK:
(a) rail- coach connections: typically operated by government owned NSW TrainLink and in Victoria, V/Line and depart from interchanges at stations, not 'next to the station' as at Taunton for Bishops Lydeard
(b) probably the availability of car parking for travellers/commuters - perhaps reflects UK land values
(c) airconditioning on trains - necessity in the Australian summer, although temperatures do vary, but highs of 30-38 degrees not uncommon
(d) ready availability of drinking water on trains - I can't recall seeing this in the UK
(e) while for railway enthusiasts, NSW still has its XPT trains (based on UK HST design) operating until 2023 from Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane/Grafton/Casino and Dubbo
(f) in Victoria especially,being able to take bikes on trains (though limited, and conductors can refuse, not that I've seen this lately)
(g) cheaper fares per rail kilometre - how you afford some of the fares given median incomes in UK are below Australia's astounds me, but perhaps only affluent Britishers use first class sections on (say) Avanti/GWR/LNER)
(h) in Victoria, the myki smartcard is valid on shorter distance V/Line plus Metro Trains (Melbourne), trams and buses in the latter, so perhaps simpler ticketing than in UK
