High air fares have led to many people taking the train rather than flying between Sydney and Melbourne, as evidenced by the packed train. The height of luxury it might not be, but it's a very relaxing way to travel if you are not in a hurry and the crews are generally very pleasant. Meals are available and the snack bar is an option not available on planes. New trains are on the way so I hope rail travel becomes an even more enjoyable way to get about. It's worth it just to avoid Sydney Airport!
Unfortunately the new CAF Civity trains will not include Sleeper accomodation so the train will no longer be a good alternative to flying. Unless they change their minds of course. Also they will not be operated by push-pull power cars at each end but have a Diesel engine under each car (probably Diesel Electric so they will be DEMUs - Diesel Electric Multiple Units) presumably a more noisey solution.
Regarding the comment about there not being a window seat available and the train being full , this is good news as this demonstrates that people are using this service , and could provide incentives for expansion ! Too many train services have been lost or curtailed due to in the past due to lack of patronage . " Use it or lose it " !
I've only travelled on the XPT once and that was from Brisbane to Kempsey. I honestly didn't think the train was going to make it at one part sitting back in Economy. The rattles and bangs that were going on down underneath. 10Kms from Kempsey and there was smoke coming from the front of the train and staff running forwards with fire extinguishers. I don't know what the fire was but there were fire trucks waiting on our arrival. That was one heel of an adventure on the XPT.
Way back in the early 1960's, my parents agreed that I could use some of my savings from my Saturday job to take myself on a week's holiday in Melbourne. Rather than fly, I took the Southern Aurora (then very new) to Melbourne and the Intercapital Daylight back. The sleeper train was very comfortable, even though I did not have my own shower (the compartment only had a loo and handbasin). The Daylight seat etc was comfortable enough and it was good to see the countryside. By Australian standards of the day, the travel was reasonably fast (far from that by European timings). The food on both journeys was indifferent but fresh and safe. I don't think I'd repeat the journey.
We were on the xpt train from Melbourne to Sydney, noisy bumpy ride, such a long day travelling, lots of slow riding due to people stealing the copper wire in Broadmeadows. So glad to reach Sydney bout 9 O clock at night. We also had a stowaway on board so they stopped at station a police wreck waiting for him.
@@jslasher1I've seen many rail videos, and I'd say some of the third world trains are better than what we have here in NSW. Even Queensland does it better, which shows the difference between a government that cares about their rail infrastructure, or at least once did, and one that hasn't bothered caring since the 1950s.
Wow, this looks like time travelling. He would have thought such a rich, modern country as Australia would have such antquated trains. Inside the 'first class' carriage looks like something from the 70s. Puts me right off train travel in Australia
True enough. A large, sparsely populated, country. With cities only becoming largish after the car and aeroplane were around. Therefore, train isn't the preferred method of travel for most people, therefore no investment, therefore outdated train isn't preferred method travel. The usual public transport demand-investment cycle seen in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
I thought about taking the train between Sydney and Melbourne when I’m there in June, but I opted for just flying I’m taking the Indian Pacific and the Ghan across Australia 🇦🇺 so I figured I’d save a little time on that that portion of my travel Plus, your review is great. But as you know, and can see these cars are definitely needing a replacement.
Thanks for a nice video. I am not so sure about the music (matter of taste). I wonder what percentage of seats were occupied by folks going from Sydney to Southern Cross? Given the time and cost differences.
I travel on the XPT Sydney/Melbourne line several times a year. I quite enjoy it. Cheaper for me to travel by train then the expense of fuel to drive up and back. One trip I did, I ask one of the stewards how fast does the train average speed and replayed 160 kmph when there is no rail restrictions.
10 points for perseverance. The XPT is an example of sweating an asset. And the replacement is at least three years late. Which will be a worse experience for the passenger.
The train really is a success story, even today on it's last legs. Designed for 20yrs/10m km's, he we are at 42yrs/40+m km's. It has been pushed way beyond it's design life, and operating services it wasn't originally built for. It has one of the highest utilisations (kms travelled) of any train in the world, with each set covering +/- 2,000km per 24 hours.
Almost certainly not. Vary few people travel the full distance, or very few did until the last couple of years when airfares got out of control. 11 hours train with two services a day, or 1 hour flight (plus airport times, maybe 3 hours all up) with flights better than every half hour. Flying is far easier for almost 100% of people.
@@TheGreatLordDufus interesting, with the current debate on climate change and of how the EU is banning flights that it considers “shorthaul” within EU member states, including in France, something that the Irish government is considering doing about flights between Ireland and the U.K. in compliance with EU climate change directives - a ban on flights and/or their plans for 15 mins “smart cities” away from rural areas could see the increased popularity of (diesel) ferry travel, sea connections or the plans for a high speed rail tunnel project under the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin, which up to this point has been shelved so many times, aside from the Irish governments recently increased investment in rail infrastructure in Ireland - every time ferries have been put onto Irish Sea routes they have reached capacity very quickly, even post-Covid and any restrictions on air travel between Ireland and the U.K. will very quickly accelerate that much further
@@michaeljohndennis2231 I wasn't aware of the Irish proposals, thanks for that. France, if memory serves, is banning flights where a train makes the trip in 2.5 hours or less. If you had TGV going Melbourne-Sydney on the current track alignment, assuming it was made ready for speeds (which would actually require a lot of bends removed or made shallower) would be 1 to 1.5 hours more than that. With few decent sized population centres in between to add interim catchment - Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga under 100k each are the only decent sized stops on any feasible route. Australia is big, and sparsely populated away from maybe eight centres - only five of which reach 1m and one more 500k which almost merges into one of the big five anyway. And one of those big five - Perth - is 2500km from the nearest of the others (roughly equivalent to London-Moscow) so not really an option. There is often talk, repeatedly for 40 years, of implementing HSR here but it seems very unlikely in the next couple of decades that Melbourne-Sydney (depending on the year the 2nd to 5th most flown domestic route in the world), Brisbane-Sydney, Canberra-Sydney or Adelaide-Melbourne will actually get built. History, geography, and demographics all add up to make the routes marginal at best. Plus Qantas are supreme lobbyists. Simply electrifying lines seems beyond our capability (or, more accurately, political will). There is supposed to be a business case being delivered at the end of the year for Newcastle-Sydney HSR. That could conceivably eventually become Brisbane-Sydney, a route that doesn't involve mountain ranges. But history suggests not a metre of high speed track will actually get built, just a bunch of junkets to France, Spain, China and Japan for "fact finding" before the plan gets shelved and dusted off for a new set of business cases and reports in another 5-10 years.
@@michaeljohndennis2231 The only people worried about that are governments and people that can’t stand up for themselves. You really are voluntarily walking right in to a dictatorship.
Average speed 300k my arse,it would not take 10hours to get to Melbourne.I drove many a time between Albury and Melbourne and not once did the train get there before me and my speed was 110km.There is unions rules how fast this train can be driven in all states.There will never be a high speed train in Australia.Where there should be high speed is between Sydney and Canberra,Melbourne and Geelong.
It will always be Spencer St Station, to us Victorian's 👍 I haven't travelled by train, from Melbourne to Sydney, and vise versa, since the late 60's🤗 Pity you didn't show the inside, of the train😢
No train averages 300km/h. Agreed that the average speed (which is 85km/h when on-time) is poor. The majority of the slow running is north of Junee. South of Junee the train is actually faster then driving (when running on time of course).
correct. don't know the history but because the major towns in vic are on the straightest alignment it is the shortest distance whereas in nsw it goes all over the place. @@johnleonard2202
Large distances and low population density make HS Rail extremely expensive to consider. if it wasn't for the long steep gradients these trains could have been faster (the power car traction motors had to be lower geared than the equivalent BR Class 43 units).
I watch a lot of these videos, please no music its really hard to enjoy a video especially that long, more people would watch if you just had audio...ask the train staff if you can do a walk through just before boarding, it gives your viewers a better perspective of the carriages interior than walking briskly past...add points of interest along the route ... and other useful information like prices, departure & arrival times, a route map, links to booking websites...as your promoting a service its always good to add all you can...
High air fares have led to many people taking the train rather than flying between Sydney and Melbourne, as evidenced by the packed train. The height of luxury it might not be, but it's a very relaxing way to travel if you are not in a hurry and the crews are generally very pleasant. Meals are available and the snack bar is an option not available on planes. New trains are on the way so I hope rail travel becomes an even more enjoyable way to get about. It's worth it just to avoid Sydney Airport!
Unfortunately the new CAF Civity trains will not include Sleeper accomodation so the train will no longer be a good alternative to flying. Unless they change their minds of course.
Also they will not be operated by push-pull power cars at each end but have a Diesel engine under each car (probably Diesel Electric so they will be DEMUs - Diesel Electric Multiple Units) presumably a more noisey solution.
Regarding the comment about there not being a window seat available and the train being full , this is good news as this demonstrates that people are using this service , and could provide incentives for expansion ! Too many train services have been lost or curtailed due to in the past due to lack of patronage . " Use it or lose it " !
It's being replaced soon with a standard intercity train and no sleeping cars.
I've only travelled on the XPT once and that was from Brisbane to Kempsey. I honestly didn't think the train was going to make it at one part sitting back in Economy. The rattles and bangs that were going on down underneath. 10Kms from Kempsey and there was smoke coming from the front of the train and staff running forwards with fire extinguishers. I don't know what the fire was but there were fire trucks waiting on our arrival. That was one heel of an adventure on the XPT.
Lol
Way back in the early 1960's, my parents agreed that I could use some of my savings from my Saturday job to take myself on a week's holiday in Melbourne. Rather than fly, I took the Southern Aurora (then very new) to Melbourne and the Intercapital Daylight back. The sleeper train was very comfortable, even though I did not have my own shower (the compartment only had a loo and handbasin). The Daylight seat etc was comfortable enough and it was good to see the countryside. By Australian standards of the day, the travel was reasonably fast (far from that by European timings). The food on both journeys was indifferent but fresh and safe. I don't think I'd repeat the journey.
This is such a good channel and video it’s so underrated. I just can’t understand people sometimes
We were on the xpt train from Melbourne to Sydney, noisy bumpy ride, such a long day travelling, lots of slow riding due to people stealing the copper wire in Broadmeadows. So glad to reach Sydney bout 9 O clock at night. We also had a stowaway on board so they stopped at station a police wreck waiting for him.
Syd all the way to Melb on the XPT is one hell of an experience thats for sure, great video! subbed
I particularly like the "one hell of an experience" part of your commentary. The XPT is basically a third-world experience. Australia deserves better.
@@jslasher1I've seen many rail videos, and I'd say some of the third world trains are better than what we have here in NSW. Even Queensland does it better, which shows the difference between a government that cares about their rail infrastructure, or at least once did, and one that hasn't bothered caring since the 1950s.
You should show more about the train. The various sleepers, meals etc.
A long way from being first class.
Wow, this looks like time travelling. He would have thought such a rich, modern country as Australia would have such antquated trains. Inside the 'first class' carriage looks like something from the 70s. Puts me right off train travel in Australia
The train was introduced in 1982.
@@johnleonard2202 42 years ago. Oh lordy
It’s no Eurostar 😂
True enough. A large, sparsely populated, country. With cities only becoming largish after the car and aeroplane were around.
Therefore, train isn't the preferred method of travel for most people, therefore no investment, therefore outdated train isn't preferred method travel. The usual public transport demand-investment cycle seen in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
As an Australian yes it’s backward to the extreme. Yet we have transit fans foaming over this as if we should be proud.
I thought about taking the train between Sydney and Melbourne when I’m there in June, but I opted for just flying
I’m taking the Indian Pacific and the Ghan across Australia 🇦🇺 so I figured I’d save a little time on that that portion of my travel
Plus, your review is great. But as you know, and can see these cars are definitely needing a replacement.
Thanks for a nice video. I am not so sure about the music (matter of taste). I wonder what percentage of seats were occupied by folks going from Sydney to Southern Cross? Given the time and cost differences.
I travel on the XPT Sydney/Melbourne line several times a year. I quite enjoy it. Cheaper for me to travel by train then the expense of fuel to drive up and back. One trip I did, I ask one of the stewards how fast does the train average speed and replayed 160 kmph when there is no rail restrictions.
Does the train have power points ?
Thanks for the Video
I think the music suits the type of video. Almost makes it like a touristy info video. I know subscribing to music platforms can be expensive.
Thank goodness they’re finally going those crusty old trains. Upgrade was long overdue and over ten hours to Melbourne, ridiculous in 2024 !!
10 points for perseverance. The XPT is an example of sweating an asset. And the replacement is at least three years late. Which will be a worse experience for the passenger.
The train really is a success story, even today on it's last legs. Designed for 20yrs/10m km's, he we are at 42yrs/40+m km's. It has been pushed way beyond it's design life, and operating services it wasn't originally built for. It has one of the highest utilisations (kms travelled) of any train in the world, with each set covering +/- 2,000km per 24 hours.
The night melbourne to sydney was late on this day, how do I know? the train is sitting on platform 2 instead of 1.
The music spoils it
I have traveled once during the day and once did an overnight in a sleeper
You didnt mention the other differences
I E cost for economy and first class
The seat itself is actually a different design as well.
Going to Melbourne, Kylie Minogue’s home city, would be a real treat - I wonder if Kylie herself ever took this train when she was younger ❤❤❤❤❤
Almost certainly not. Vary few people travel the full distance, or very few did until the last couple of years when airfares got out of control. 11 hours train with two services a day, or 1 hour flight (plus airport times, maybe 3 hours all up) with flights better than every half hour. Flying is far easier for almost 100% of people.
@@TheGreatLordDufus interesting, with the current debate on climate change and of how the EU is banning flights that it considers “shorthaul” within EU member states, including in France, something that the Irish government is considering doing about flights between Ireland and the U.K. in compliance with EU climate change directives - a ban on flights and/or their plans for 15 mins “smart cities” away from rural areas could see the increased popularity of (diesel) ferry travel, sea connections or the plans for a high speed rail tunnel project under the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin, which up to this point has been shelved so many times, aside from the Irish governments recently increased investment in rail infrastructure in Ireland - every time ferries have been put onto Irish Sea routes they have reached capacity very quickly, even post-Covid and any restrictions on air travel between Ireland and the U.K. will very quickly accelerate that much further
@@michaeljohndennis2231 I wasn't aware of the Irish proposals, thanks for that. France, if memory serves, is banning flights where a train makes the trip in 2.5 hours or less. If you had TGV going Melbourne-Sydney on the current track alignment, assuming it was made ready for speeds (which would actually require a lot of bends removed or made shallower) would be 1 to 1.5 hours more than that. With few decent sized population centres in between to add interim catchment - Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga under 100k each are the only decent sized stops on any feasible route.
Australia is big, and sparsely populated away from maybe eight centres - only five of which reach 1m and one more 500k which almost merges into one of the big five anyway. And one of those big five - Perth - is 2500km from the nearest of the others (roughly equivalent to London-Moscow) so not really an option.
There is often talk, repeatedly for 40 years, of implementing HSR here but it seems very unlikely in the next couple of decades that Melbourne-Sydney (depending on the year the 2nd to 5th most flown domestic route in the world), Brisbane-Sydney, Canberra-Sydney or Adelaide-Melbourne will actually get built. History, geography, and demographics all add up to make the routes marginal at best. Plus Qantas are supreme lobbyists. Simply electrifying lines seems beyond our capability (or, more accurately, political will).
There is supposed to be a business case being delivered at the end of the year for Newcastle-Sydney HSR. That could conceivably eventually become Brisbane-Sydney, a route that doesn't involve mountain ranges. But history suggests not a metre of high speed track will actually get built, just a bunch of junkets to France, Spain, China and Japan for "fact finding" before the plan gets shelved and dusted off for a new set of business cases and reports in another 5-10 years.
@@michaeljohndennis2231
The only people worried about that are governments and people that can’t stand up for themselves. You really are voluntarily walking right in to a dictatorship.
Average speed 300k my arse,it would not take 10hours to get to Melbourne.I drove many a time between Albury and Melbourne and not once did the train get there before me and my speed was 110km.There is unions rules how fast this train can be driven in all states.There will never be a high speed train in Australia.Where there should be high speed is between Sydney and Canberra,Melbourne and Geelong.
Wish you had shown the meals.
It will always be Spencer St Station, to us Victorian's 👍 I haven't travelled by train, from Melbourne to Sydney, and vise versa, since the late 60's🤗 Pity you didn't show the inside, of the train😢
I’m subbed and I’m an AUZZIE
❤❤❤ average speed. 70 k not 300k like most InterCity Trains in developed countries.....no Money to upgrade the Infrastructure ❤❤❤
No train averages 300km/h. Agreed that the average speed (which is 85km/h when on-time) is poor. The majority of the slow running is north of Junee. South of Junee the train is actually faster then driving (when running on time of course).
correct. don't know the history but because the major towns in vic are on the straightest alignment it is the shortest distance whereas in nsw it goes all over the place. @@johnleonard2202
It's full of freight traffic and that's not good for the infrastructure, nor does it leave much time to repair it.
Brave person indeed.
The chug a lug trains in Australia……pathetic! Check out the trains in Europe, puts these old geezers to shame.
Yea Ostraya deeply backwards out of the capital cities. Mediocrity reigns supreme like an addiction.
Large distances and low population density make HS Rail extremely expensive to consider.
if it wasn't for the long steep gradients these trains could have been faster (the power car traction motors had to be lower geared than the equivalent BR Class 43 units).
Spencer Street station was better before it was 'upgraded' to what it is now.
I watch a lot of these videos, please no music its really hard to enjoy a video especially that long, more people would watch if you just had audio...ask the train staff if you can do a walk through just before boarding, it gives your viewers a better perspective of the carriages interior than walking briskly past...add points of interest along the route ... and other useful information like prices, departure & arrival times, a route map, links to booking websites...as your promoting a service its always good to add all you can...
Misery loves company. Not.
Sydney to melbourne or melbourne to Sydney train is old Not good 😊
Sorry, but I found this very boring to watch due to no voice commentary, and monotonous music.
Ha ha don’t bother!
Thing is rough as guts.
Only sleeper 4 me n wife..😂
what no wildlife
Embarrassingly backward.
Dreary crap music for 45 mins. I did not sub.
O ye !! Only 100km an ‘hour ha ha ha !!