Spirit of Queensland Brisbane to Proserpine by Tilt Train

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Bundy Bear

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You may have seen my most recent thread, Whitsunday Escape where I had booked a bareboat trip with some friends and had planned to fly between Brisbane and Proserpine by plane until I got sick.

I thought this part of the trip needed its own thread as it is an experience in itself.

The Spirit of Queensland is a travel train service that runs 5 days a week from Brisbane to Cairns. The Spirit of Queensland is the replacement to the Sunlander that started service in 1953 running between Brisbane and Cairns, the new Spirit of Queensland is a diesel tilt train that has a top speed of 160kmh and completes the journey from Brisbane to Cairns just over 24 hours.

When I cancelled the flight to Proserpine on the Thursday afternoon I still didn’t have a booking on the Friday train service from Roma Street, on the phone I was offered the Saturday afternoon service from Roma Street but that would have meant a logistical challenge to be able to board the boat in the Whitsundays without the boat having to make a return trip to port.

Like old plane/train services of past I thought I would try my luck after 4pm 24hours within the departure of the trip as usually most bookings will be cancelled if payment not made.

To my luck/surprise good fortune a Rail Bed Sleeper became available for the Friday service ex Brisbane Roma Street departing at 3:45pm to arrive at Proserpine Saturday morning at 6:30am with a bus connection to Airlie Beach to arrive around 7:00am, the cost a reasonable $432.50,

If you can plan ahead there is around a 30% discount for pensioners and other concessions.

I left work around 2:30pm and was dropped off at Roma Street just after 3:00pm, the train was their waiting, I found an attendant and showed them my ticket and they said car C towards the front and said that was the flash part of the train and said to enjoy my trip.

About 3:30pm boarding commended and was guided to my seat, the sitting in this section was 2 and 1 and the sitting reminded me of business class in an airline.

2021_Train2-1seating.JPG




Large comfortable seats with lots of a legroom and a good size TV. Waiting at the seat was a water bottle and a small bag with hand sanitizer, cream and a face cloth, at the back of the carriage was a place to store your luggage and there were 2 toilets and a shower area.

The carriage behind was a food and dining area and behind that was premium economy, kind of what the seating you would get in economy if flying.

Once the train started, we were served a small juice and dinner orders were taken. The whole feeling of service was what you would expect in domestic business class on a plane.

Our first stop was Caboolture,


2021_TrainCaboolture.JPG




and there would be further stops along the way, Nambour, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Sarina, Mackay and Proserpine, there were probably other smaller stops as well.

Once we left Nambour dinner was served choice of fish or lamb and a choice of wine or a beer,


2021_TrainDinner.JPG


there were no 2nd servings of alcohol but if you were still thirsty or hungry you could get something from the dining area.


2021_Traingdining.JPG


Meals were taken away and tea and coffee were served, the bed turn down service would start about 9:00pm with lights out about 10:00pm.

Each bed would have to be turned down as it was a mechanical type process but a mattress and bed sheets laid on the back part of the seat once it was folded flat.

2021_Traingbed.JPG



I watched 2 reasonably good movies, Eddie The Eagle and another one I can’t quite remember both were a good way to pass the time after meal and before bed. Large parts of trip didn’t have phone service and the train didn’t have any wifi service that I could pick up, so if you are trying to keep track of your Friday night football score forget it.

I got a few good chunks of sleep from Gladstone to Rockhampton and then from Rockhampton to Sarina, I did wake up as the train was motoring along at around 130km an hour and the train was rocking a bit, eventually the train slowed down a bit or I got used to the motion and got a bit more sleep.

Once we reached Mackay at 5:30 I asked for the bed to be turned back into a seat and I went to the dining car to order some breakfast. Breakfast was served in the front carriage after it had left Proserpine but as I was getting off before I was able to get hot breakfast and drink included in the ticket price.

Traveling along on the stretch just before our arrival into Proserpine.



2021_TrainSunrise.jpg



The trip on the Spirit of Queensland had been a nice start to the trip which was looking like it might go off the rails but the trip on the Spirit of Queensland is really a trip in itself.

For the $432.50 price to Airlie Beach via rail sleeper was brilliant and passed all my expectations.

I thought this was a good review with better photos.

Now back to the rest of the story for those wanting to read rest of the story,
 
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