Hutch

I agree. Does take a painfully long time (particularly when you're as far down the line as we are) but I think it's terrific value and has some amazing views. If I was going to commute I'd drive to Helensburgh and get the 'fast' train which only takes 40 mins.

Last time I was in the UK I was charged 108 quid (so ermm, $270!!!!) to travel practically the same distance between Stroud and London.

IvanM

Waterfall derailment stops trains

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...145616745.html

Olibeneli

Que ?

Have you heard the whole album or just the 1st single ?

Olibeneli

I thought I'd post an item from the local rag so anyone from outisde Oz going to that neck of teh woods has something to consider - useful information.

Now tell me how many fast trains there are each day from Helensburgh and at what times they run?........lets see how useful that is ??

Hutch

You thought you'd post the latest in a long line of threads about how shite you think the Illawara was.

We get it. You hated it so much you left. Some of us love it here - do you see me posting every day acting like the South Coast's propaganda department?

Incidentally mate - it's not your local rag any more. You live in England. Remember?

ponyrama

Oh I didnt realise Oli had actually come back? I think the trains are a bit slow but it would never be enough to make me leave (oh and I aint even there yet). I can cope with people ranting about daily frustrations of every day life, it helps to share - but banging on about it long after it ceases to be a part of your life.............well............................. .....

Olibeneli

I take it you forgot my positive posts then ?

Olibeneli

Not part of my life...but might just be helpful to others who may make it part of theirs. These forums are for people who have experienced life in Oz aswell as those on their way there or who are there already.

Before I went to Oz, I read all posts I could that were relevant to me +ve and -ve and tried to make sense of them as they would affect me. I just didn't do enough of that.

Why the aggresive posting against me ? Does not alter the story for the local paper as not being true does it? That may be useful to some people and someone here posted an alternative method of driving to Helensburgh. All that is surely useful info is it not ?

iamthecreaturefromuranus

If I had to make the journey on a regular basis it would drive me nuts.... but as I only catch the train into Sydney occasionally its more like taking a ride on a scenic railway.

Can't fault the cost though. Last time I made the trip it was as a family of four... cost $52.10.

Notts_bloke

You should now better than to critise OZ on here! lol

p.s. I am applying for PR today, but I am mature enough to acknowledge Oz's up and down sides.

Hutch

There's a lot of shit spouted on these forums in the name of 'acknowledging the ups and downs'. The majority of posts on these forums are now and always have been of the 'down' variety - it's human nature.

Seriously, read a few thread titles in here and the barbie, how many of them are of the "My life is deliriously happy, Australia is paradise and I orgasm every time I fart" variety? Nobody's denying that the Illawara train service is a bit shit, but if you can't see the cynical nature of Olib's post then you really are getting a skewed view of this country.

I've been travelling to Sydney on that train line from far further south than Olib ever did (and I might add I've lived in this region longer too) and my only complaint is how slow it is. Seriously - it costs like $25 peak return to Sydney (same distance as Bristol to Paddington) and it takes about 2 hours 45 minutes from my station to Central on the slow trains.

By contrast in the UK I used to regularly commute from Stroud to Paddington and was lucky if I could get a seat for the honour of spending over a 100 quid on my return ticket. Oh and that was the track that had a whole series of major incidents, including the Ladbrooke Grove crash. Plus GWR had a reputation every bit as shit as Cityrail's.

ponyrama

I was joking!

deryans

worth every penny if you work in the city, whats the cost of a season ?

Blossom

Were there any? The only posts i have read of yours have been absolutely in the negative.

You didn't like Wollongong, big deal, thousands do - the councils are corrupt - as proven - but i bet there is corruption anywhere, if you look hard enough.

Not everyone will need or want to travel to Sydney by train, the posts that have followed have nearly always had a positive side to this mode of travel.

Maybe you should have tried elsewhere before coming back to UK, as no doubt in about 18 months (or less) you'll find plenty to whinge about here!

You and your family are super intelligent, so please provide positive information to the peeps, explain the negatives but for goodness sake forget the grim reaper persona, it doesn't fit well!

Notts_bloke

Just think how good Sydney would be if it had a transport system like Singapore!