Jb

Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?

Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!

Thanks,


john

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], jb at
[email protected] wrote on 2/15/04 5:32 PM:

    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    >
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    >
    > Thanks,
    >
    >
    > john


http://www.gsr.com.au

If, as it appears, you are a foreigner, consider a flexpass. Can work out
cheaper than individual tkts.

Paul O

Sydney/Adelaide possible via either Melbourne or Broken Hill.


"jb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    > Thanks,
    > john

Terry Russell

"jb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    > Thanks,

individual base-class rail tickets are not much cheaper than air
on the inter-capital routes


You can travel from syd-melb then melb-adel in the green inhabited zone

or syd-adel via broken hill on Indian pacific
if you want to see something more open

20 years ago there were 3 buses a day Adelaide-Broken Hill , daily through
to Sydney
Now that route has _no_ scheduled bus services , but there are 3 planes a
day
and 2 trains a week.

Alfred

Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:

    > http://www.gsr.com.au
    >
    > If, as it appears, you are a foreigner, consider a flexpass. Can work out
    > cheaper than individual tkts.

Or get a YHA card: proof that you are a "backpacker" gets you student
fares. It was $155 from Adelaide to Perth, so should be well under than
that for heading East of Adelaide.
    >

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], alfred at
[email protected] wrote on 2/15/04 9:07 PM:

    > Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:
    >
    >> http://www.gsr.com.au
    >>
    >> If, as it appears, you are a foreigner, consider a flexpass. Can work out
    >> cheaper than individual tkts.
    >
    > Or get a YHA card: proof that you are a "backpacker" gets you student
    > fares. It was $155 from Adelaide to Perth, so should be well under than
    > that for heading East of Adelaide.
    >>
    >

Two days plus in the seats, plus tucker - would add up to $200 plus, easily,
without anesthetic (a/k/a booze)? Ugh. I paid something like $550 first
class on this exact itin (ADL-PER) for a single berth and including meals.
Sure, not cheap, but one of life's once-only indulgences and well worth it;
and, all considered, not too much more expensive. SYD-MEL and MEL-ADL are
overnight trips and doable on a shoestring, if you wish.

Alfred

Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:

    > in article [email protected], alfred at
    > [email protected] wrote on 2/15/04 9:07 PM:

    >>Or get a YHA card: proof that you are a "backpacker" gets you student
    >>fares. It was $155 from Adelaide to Perth, so should be well under than
    >>that for heading East of Adelaide.
    >
    > Two days plus in the seats, plus tucker - would add up to $200 plus, easily,
    > without anesthetic (a/k/a booze)? Ugh.

I cheated: got off in Kalgoorlie and caught the Prospector a few days
later so only had one night on the train. The cheap seats weren't so
bad, although the grumpy guard who made sure everyone was wearing shoes
and awake in the lounge car detracted somewhat.

Xpoes

If you want to avoid flying, maybe a bus then? You'll be more flexible..

See http://www.greyhound.com.au/ or http://www.mccaffertys.com.au/..

Marcel

"jb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    > Thanks,
    > john

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], alfred at
[email protected] wrote on 2/16/04 10:40 PM:

    > Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:
    >
    >> in article [email protected], alfred at
    >> [email protected] wrote on 2/15/04 9:07 PM:
    >
    >>> Or get a YHA card: proof that you are a "backpacker" gets you student
    >>> fares. It was $155 from Adelaide to Perth, so should be well under than
    >>> that for heading East of Adelaide.
    >>>
    >>
    >> Two days plus in the seats, plus tucker - would add up to $200 plus, easily,
    >> without anesthetic (a/k/a booze)? Ugh.
    >
    > I cheated: got off in Kalgoorlie and caught the Prospector

If you stopped for an overnight in Kalgoorlie, you're lucky the Prospector
was the only thing you caught! If the springs are rockin'....it may not
just be because of the train...

Alfred

Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:
    >
    > If you stopped for an overnight in Kalgoorlie, you're lucky the Prospector
    > was the only thing you caught! If the springs are rockin'....it may not
    > just be because of the train...

Hehe: I was intrigued by the location of the two backpackers in town -
they are both in Hay Street, opposite Langtrees and the pink and red
"houses". The YHA has in fact taken over a former brothel for longtermers.

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], alfred at
[email protected] wrote on 2/17/04 5:49 PM:

    > Raffi Balmanoukian wrote:
    >>
    >> If you stopped for an overnight in Kalgoorlie, you're lucky the Prospector
    >> was the only thing you caught! If the springs are rockin'....it may not
    >> just be because of the train...
    >
    > Hehe: I was intrigued by the location of the two backpackers in town -
    > they are both in Hay Street, opposite Langtrees and the pink and red
    > "houses". The YHA has in fact taken over a former brothel for longtermers.
    >

The Gold Dust (think I have that name right) is actually a former
no-tell-motel. The first hostel operators were wonderful, the ones who were
in charge in 2001 were godawful (may be the same crowd...)

Johnnie5

"jb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!

is that because ou dont like flying ?

or think that there are cheaper ways to travel ??

    > Thanks,
    > john

Kate

Train journeys are fantastic in Australia - you really get an
appreciation of how big the country really is. The train is expensive
though - usually more than a flight. But if you've got the time and
the money, definitely do it. Also is cheaper if you're a student or
under 26. Go to http://www.gsr.com.au for info. I've done Adelaide to
Sydney (my friend's dad works on the train and my mate and I got
bumped up to FIRST CLASS - what an amazing experience) and Adelaide to
Perth. That one took 3 days and 2 nights but was well worth it.
Economy is a bit uncomfortable on that one as it is so long. I'd go
for holiday class where you get a little cabin and fold out bunkbeds.

Steven

you can do them syd-adl on the ...train... thingo pacific which runs
syd-perth via adelaide. from friendly experience i've noticed that
usually train tickets cost just as much as plane tickets (and take 10
times longer)
dunno about adelaide to melbourne.

jb wrote:
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    >
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    >
    > Thanks,
    >
    >
    > john

Steven

i thought i pressed send, haven't seen my reply though. so here goes again.
you can do sydney to adelaide via train. the <something> pacific. it's a
train that runs sydney-perth and stops at adelaide.
however, from epxeriences by friends, it's very long and just as (if not
more) expensive than a plane ticket/trip.
dunno about adelaide to melbourne.
-s-

jb wrote:
    > Anyone know if it is feasable to think of doing a train trip from
    > Sydney to Adelaide? Also, Adelaide to Melbourne? Costs?
    >
    > Just trying to think of a way to avoid flying!
    >
    > Thanks,
    >
    >
    > john