Bump.
Thinking of taking a sleeper train (2 adults, 1 child) Mel - Syd in the next few months.
Regular cost (with 1x YHA 10% discount fare) is $1,470.80 return.
Would likely purchase 3x discovery passes (2 adult, 1 child), to use on this hopeful trip (pending change of accomodation dates allowed), then again use it within the 6 month travel limit (starting the date of 1st train travel).
Could even use it for day trips within NSW, to view other areas.
I've looked at the travel map, but not really understanding it. Can we catch any train that travels between listed stations, or are we required to book bybphone for every trip, including if it is 5 stops away?
NSW Discovery pass permitted travel map
You can book online. Go into the Transport NSW website, or just type in 'NSW TrainLink bookings' to your browser.
When I occasionally buy a DP, I usually buy in person in Melbourne at Southern Cross where there's a small office next to the luggage hall. Next best is to purchase by phone and then the staff at the Sydney call centre email you the passes (be sure to carry these, or have them on your phone) and can make reservations for you if you wish.
If booking online relatively new orange booking website will appear, but either before or after you make a 'ghost' booking, it will somewhere give you the option to use the 'old' booking site that has a blue background. This is better. When you book, select 'Discovery Pass'. If you want to sit together, best however to make bookings by phone, and essential for the sleepers.
If you book by phone, or want to change seats/sleeping berth allocations after you've booked online, ring the call centre and staff will arrange. For instance if paying the $88 supplement per berth for a Sydney to Grafton trip on the Brisbane-bound XPT, you might discover that the compartment's seat (which for day travel seats three, but only two at night: upper and lower berths) is facing backwards, so the call centre can try to change you and your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend to a forward facing sleeping cabin.
You can travel between any stations with NSW TL services.
You have to book in advance even if only for five stations. In busier times, seats can turn over two or three times during a trip. For instance I've been on a Melbourne to Sydney train that although only having about 220 seats, had a total of 400 passengers booked. Someone would travel Melbourne to Wagga, the next person Wagga to Cootamundra to connect with one of the many road coaches and then a third might join at Yass Junction to travel to Campbelltown. That's why you can't just jump on at the last minute, though if you had a Discovery Pass that had been validated by previous use, maybe a passenger attendant (conductor) would allow you on as usually (like airlines) there are no-shows.
All NSW TL trains are reserved except the twice daily 'Bathurst Bullets' that operate Bathurst to Sydney.
(Strictly if I recall, interurban trains to Blue Mts, Newcastle Interchange, Maitland, Dungog, Scone, Goulburn and Nowra are NSW TL not Sydney Trains. All these are unreserved so just hop on).
You can use a Discovery Pass to connect to/from your NSW TL journey on Sydney Trains (but not ferries/buses/light rail).
There are a huge number of connecting road coaches. For instance NSW TL operates Broken Hill to Adelaide (road coach) twice a week and once a week has a great train from Sydney to BH (Mondays) and next day back again.
It really is a good deal.
transportnsw.info
but it’s just around the corner....
