What are your favourite day/overnight countrylink trips?

Mark_SA · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:17 pm

After a great day out last Saturday when my wife and I had a day trip down to Canberra, I want to hear about other peoples favourite train day trips. (or overnight) Having just moved to Sydney from Adelaide last year country train travel is a real treat! It reminds me of many moons ago when Adelaide use to have a country network covered by the old "Bluebirds." I found it very enjoyable to sit back and watch the country side past by interrupted only by the occasional stop where you could look out the window to see the driver performing his safeworking duties. I have already started to plan my next trips! I would like to do the trip to broken Hill one day, as I reckon that would be a real treat.

So whats your favourite day/overnight countrylink experience?

Oldfart · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 9:05 pm

IMHO good sections of picturesque track served by Countrylink are:

- Maitland through to Taree (Casino or Grafton XPTs)
- Queensland border area (Brisbane XPT)
- Tamworth to Armidale (Armidale XPL)
- Scone to Werris Creek (Armidale/Moree XPL)

I'd rate all of them better than the Canberra run overall.

One overnight trip to Melbourne I did in a sleeper on a bright moonlight night was like watching a black and white movie of the passing countryside.

For a few weeks in January in most years the daylight Melbourne XPT goes via Wollongong and up the Illawarra escarpment to Moss Vale due to trackwork - very slow but spectacular.

Down the Cowan bank and across the Hawkesbury River to Gosford, from Maitland to Dungog and across the Blue Mountains are covered by Cityrail as well as Countrylink services.

Cityrail services down the Illawarra line to Kiama and beyond are excellent, although the standard of passengers can be a little weird at times. You've already been on the line, but Cityrail 'Endeavour' services from Campbelltown through to Moss Vale are pleasant enough and allow a few stops at civilised places like Picton and Bowral for a bit of lunch or sight seeing.

There's some seriously pretty country to be seen from trains in NSW.

He remembered he was doubly irritated because he had forgotten and because he had remembered he had reminded himself twice not to forget (James Joyce).

alltrainzfan · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 9:15 pm

I must be missing out on heaps! The only Countrylink services I've taken was once last year: the early morning service to Canberra and late afternoon to evening service from Canberra. Being able to sit back, with your chair reclined, curtains tied back and watching outside, the ability to see the Sunrise and Sunset is truly spectacular. I really enjoyed the Sunset on the return trip, and I really enjoyed watching the sunset while having dinner - truly magnificent. Watching the unique and green countryside roll by is something you cannot experience by air and car. And I thought that was good... Shocked

Now I know there's heaps of better services to take - thanks Oldfart for the tips. Very Happy

Bwana · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:19 am

I'll back everything Oldfart said, but with a warning - the Brisbane XPT is a LOOOOOOONG haul. I thoroughly enjoyed the Border ranges, but wasn't as enthusiastic by the time I got to Mullet Creek and the Hawkesbury, which I would normally rate as good as anywhere.

I'll add as an overall trip experience the Melbourne XPT by day, particularly from Yass Junction to Junee, and the Griffith explorer - I was particularly amused by the emu farm next to the track at old Junee.

I am SO moving to Victoria Street!!

Check out my pics at http://bwana.fotopic.net

CS2905 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:37 am

GeoffreyHansen · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 11:20 am

Sydney to Brisbane overnight.

Bring the 3900s back to Brisbane
Bring Karlsruhe Tramtrains to Australian cities
Extend the proposed Metro to Taylor Square
Extend the Gold Coast line to the Tweed

Mark_SA · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 4:22 pm

Raichase · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 4:22 pm

I quite enjoy the run to Canberra and back - I make the trip once a year (sometimes twice), and it's certainly some nice countryside, especially after Goulburn. Of course, I've not traveled much beyond this, so it's nice to know there are better sights awaiting!

- Raichase.
My Flickr! and Website - Trackside

Comments made are not my own and may be complete rubbish.

EL60 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 7:03 pm

the best trip was over a month back when i went to Cootamundra it was one of the best trips i have ever done in my life the Countrylink crew were very nice people i've ever met more better than V/line i wish Countrylink were a operator in Victoria running victorian services.
i've got 4 months before i do another trip this time the whole trip to Sydney then onto Dubbo Smile

SCT G's and EL60 best combo on freights!!

flathog · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 7:19 pm

Maikha · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:33 pm

Could I say I don't enjoy any Countrylink trip? Done enough WW - Sydney trips that the novelty of long-distance train travel has worn off.

Cheers
Maikha Ly

The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/

Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned.

dalts 1985 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:37 pm

Bwana · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 6:04 am

Sydney-Dubbo would be my least favorite trip, but I might have gotten a bad impression from the one time I've done it - The whole thing was painfully slow, and we ended up stopped just outside Blayney (Polona maybe) for 40 minutes on the return trip, with no explaination given, and not passing anything before leaving. Hope you can see why I might be tainted on that route.

For those that have mentioned overnight trips, what's the appeal to overnight? The few times I've done it sitting up I had difficulty sleeping, you can't see the scenery, it's a bit of a waste of time, might as well get the first plane the next morning.

I am SO moving to Victoria Street!!

Check out my pics at http://bwana.fotopic.net

flathog · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 6:50 am

CS2905 · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:08 am

Ah, Blayney. Now that brings back an old memory. I can't remember how old I was at the time, but I was probably still in primary school, so at least 30 years ago. A relative out Wellington or Dubbo way had taken ill, and my father had already driven there (we lived at Emu Heights, a bit past Penrith, at the time). The rest of us took the train later.

It was an overnight train (probably a mail train?), and the bit that sticks in my memory the most was being stopped at or near Blayney in the middle of the night, in the freezing cold (heaters weren't working, or non-existent), for what seemed like an eternity.

By the early 1980's I'd started work and had moved out of home, and the rest of my family had moved to the Nowra area soon after. So I'd often take the train to Bomaderry on weekends to visit. Back then it was usually booked seating in diesel-hauled carriages that had compartments, and the train left from Central. Quite scenic in parts, if there was enough daylight left.

Since moving to Canberra in the late 1980's, the only CL trains that I've been on is the local Explorer service a few times, but only as far as Moss Vale. I thought about taking my son to Sydney and back last Saturday, when CL had their Mother's Day special on, but instead I did MTR track work. Oh well, I got to ride in a HiRail for the first time. Laughing

I've toyed with the idea of taking the family (I'm talking wife and two kids now) to the Gold Coast by train, but the connections to and from Canberra are either too dicey, or mean an overnight stay in Sydney. It's also more expensive than flying, even when CL has one of their "Kids for a dollar" specials on.

But looking at CL's web site, there aren't many routes left these days that haven't been bustituted, wholly or partially. Sad