Seeing Australia by train
November 29th 2007 00:16
Travelling to Sydney by train has always been a favourite of mine. The day stretching ahead with all those hours lying before you at your disposal - nothing more to do than sit back and watch as the scenery changes, framed by the large glass windows, perhaps have a chat to a fellow traveller or lose yourself between the pages of your latest read.
Countrylink are offering ridiculously cheap Christmas fares - Brisbane to Sydney for $77 and you can take your kids along for only $1! (I wonder if that price will include husbands or partners?)
Trains departing to Sydney leave from Brisbane`s Roma Street at 6:30am (if you take the day train). Onboard facilities include a buffet dining car with bar facilities, satellite phones and comfortable reclining chairs. Sleeper cars are available for part of the journey at an additional fee and include complementary breakfast and toiletries. If you travel on the overnight service in Economy security guards patrol the train throughout the night and overhead luggage compartments or the option of booking your luggage through are available.
Countrylink also offers some great travel passes for the International visitor.
Backtracker Rail Pass: there are various options available for this ticket, but for the bargain price of $420.00 you can have unlimited travel between Melbourne and Brisbane for 6 months, as long as you are in possession of a foreign passport and return airline ticket. This also includes a DayTripper card which allows unlimited travel around Sydney on buses, ferries and trains (exclusions apply, please check link for conditions) and two one way tickets to the Blue Mountains.
East Coast Discovery Pass: now you can travel along Australia`s East Coast with this great pass - even if you are an Australian Resident! Start in Cairns and slowly make your way down the coast to Melbourne with as many stopovers as you like along the way, as long as you complete your journey in 6 months. (You can also travel in the opposite directions from Melbourne to Cairns). This pass will also allow you a 50% discount on any train trip you take West of this line, plus a 50% discount on your return trip once you have reached your final destination. (Surely with all those 50% discounts added up you can travel for free?
) Prices vary according to what you want to do but an example fare is as follows: Melbourne - Cairns (direct or via Canberra/Sydney/Kyogle/or Casino) - $493.90. Some inclusions have now been made for backtracking via coach, however all train travel must be in one direction only
Austrail Flexi-Pass: this is the mother of all rail passes! You can travel around most of the country with this little baby. You can buy either a 15 day or 22 day pass which allows you travel on CountryLink, Queensland Rail and Great Southern Railways. It is valid for 6 months and you do not have to travel on consecutive days. Once again you must possess a foreign passport and return airline ticket in order to purchase this pass.
Please note that prices quoted on this post were correct at the time of posting. These are just to give a rough guide for train travel around Australia and it is best to click on the links and check the most current information from those websites, should you decide to use this alternative.
Life`s a journey - enjoy the ride!
Countrylink are offering ridiculously cheap Christmas fares - Brisbane to Sydney for $77 and you can take your kids along for only $1! (I wonder if that price will include husbands or partners?)
Trains departing to Sydney leave from Brisbane`s Roma Street at 6:30am (if you take the day train). Onboard facilities include a buffet dining car with bar facilities, satellite phones and comfortable reclining chairs. Sleeper cars are available for part of the journey at an additional fee and include complementary breakfast and toiletries. If you travel on the overnight service in Economy security guards patrol the train throughout the night and overhead luggage compartments or the option of booking your luggage through are available.
Countrylink also offers some great travel passes for the International visitor.
Blue Mountains, Sydney
East Coast Discovery Pass: now you can travel along Australia`s East Coast with this great pass - even if you are an Australian Resident! Start in Cairns and slowly make your way down the coast to Melbourne with as many stopovers as you like along the way, as long as you complete your journey in 6 months. (You can also travel in the opposite directions from Melbourne to Cairns). This pass will also allow you a 50% discount on any train trip you take West of this line, plus a 50% discount on your return trip once you have reached your final destination. (Surely with all those 50% discounts added up you can travel for free?
) Prices vary according to what you want to do but an example fare is as follows: Melbourne - Cairns (direct or via Canberra/Sydney/Kyogle/or Casino) - $493.90. Some inclusions have now been made for backtracking via coach, however all train travel must be in one direction onlyAustrail Flexi-Pass: this is the mother of all rail passes! You can travel around most of the country with this little baby. You can buy either a 15 day or 22 day pass which allows you travel on CountryLink, Queensland Rail and Great Southern Railways. It is valid for 6 months and you do not have to travel on consecutive days. Once again you must possess a foreign passport and return airline ticket in order to purchase this pass.
Please note that prices quoted on this post were correct at the time of posting. These are just to give a rough guide for train travel around Australia and it is best to click on the links and check the most current information from those websites, should you decide to use this alternative.
Life`s a journey - enjoy the ride!
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