Wol

Very true.

But again: Mrs Wol went up to t'smoke (Sydney) last month. First train had hardened vomit on one door, blood smears down the other side (plus the usual filth). Second one had a girl overdosed on the floor screaming all the way.

You ain't seen nuffing until you've experienced the NSW train system. But you can't blame the operators really when there are so many ferals destroying the trains 24/7: it's part of life in the area.

(Just responding to the thread title, not whingeing.)

BadgeIsBack

Just wanted to add that it might have declined. I used to travel down south from the NSW Central Coast to Sydney and it was a pleasure. I'm a big fan of the double deckers. (Right old spotter eh!)

But it's not really the country train if that makes sense...I do remember going to Dubbo in a more northerly direction 8 years ago and it was OK - just country folk.

Melbourne's suburban trains are just like the ones in London perhaps 5 years ago -to look at. And they are a bore just because they're that - suburban.
Demographics - nothing more.

bcworld

I reckon the trains in both Melbourne & Sydney are like mobile dustbins...far more so than those in London ever were. Other than that I can't knock the service in Sydney though...virtually no need to check schedules for about 17-18 hours a day as there is always a train soon and generally on time (just my experience City <> Chatswood).

Brisbane on the other hand had clean trains but miss one...and wait half an hour for the next.

BadgeIsBack

I rate the trains in Sydney more so than Melbourne. I would not consider any of them mobile dustbins and considering there are no bins [on Melbourne trains], it's a miracle they are not worse. And yes, they are fairly frequent. During rushhour they are very 20mins or so, in one tight spot c. 5pm every 5-10mins. Better than London for the same 'journey' [my journey].

Pollyana

That's so ture. When the trains are on time they are great, but if they cancel one (all too frequent) or you miss one

DownUnderPaddy

oh for f$%ks sake. Get a grip

joh117

The only thing I dont like living in Oz is the distance we are from family and friends in the UK. When you are having a bad day you cant just pop around or pick up the phone (cos they are usually in bed!) but other than that I love it here.

Jo

fish.01

Happy with my train line in Brisbane so far. Even if one is cancelled usually only a 10-20 minute gap between them. Probably different out in the burbs.

Examples times in morning peak:

7:03 am
7:13 am
7:21 am
7:26 am
7:31 am
7:38 am
7:50 am
7:55 am
8:05 am
8:07 am

Edit: Oops...just realised the thread I posted this on....not happy with the above times...could be better

Pollyana

Depends where exc you are and what line you're on. Windsor is usually 30 minutes between trains, except in peak times, yet we are very close to the city.

Wol

That's one of my big hates about the place - the obsession (bordering on the pathological) - with "investment" in property. It's not healthy.

Of course it's aided and abetted by the government, and it's one of the major reasons for the ridiculous price of housing. Even if ministers had the brains to see this, none of them has the balls to change the tax breaks.

Pollyana

There's a girl at work suckered in by this. Aged 22, well paid job, hasn't had time to build up credit card debts etc, and she already has two "investment properties". Listening to me talking about the UK she now has wanderlust and wants to do the working holiday visa stuff - but she can't she's trapped by having these properties which aren't bringing in enough money so she has to keep working. She asked how so many Brits manage to do working holidays etc when they are a lot older than her, and was stunned to hear that a lot of Brits don't bother buying, and certainly haven't got the investment property obsession that there is over here. I think its really sad, 22 and she is trapped by huge mortgages already.

mark wool

Just imagine huge morgages at 22, potentially bankrupt at 25. Greed can be dangerous.

Pollyana

I know, its scary. yet she really believes she is doing the right thing because thats what the AUssies around her have told her to do, buy property as soon as she can.

Officer Dibble

Nothing beats waiting half an hour for a bus in 35 degree heat. Right laugh a minute.

mark wool

I have never met people so obsessed with trying to make money as the ozzies. They just do not believe house prices can go down.