Central to Broken Hill- NSW Trainlink XPLORER Review

[@AussieAF]

Good video. Just a point I think is important to make. The food honestly isn't that bad on services. I feel like you maybe comparing it to a restaurant or home meal. Please just consider there is no cooking facilities onboard and you are eating in the middle of nowhere. Its better than eating things you would find along the tracks. I think if you travel and compare it to other countries with a similar priced meal plans, you'll find they are quite good. Also just remember everyone seems to have a dietary need nowadays. Hence they give you salt, because they avoid adding it. Glad to see you made it in one piece and at least you didn't hit a camel. Western is a nice region to explore

[@blokeabouttown2490]

Why is Australia so backwards? 13 hours stuck on that train just to go from Sydney to Broken Hill? Also the service is only weekly, otherwise you have to catch the old XPT to Dubbo and then a coach all the way to Broken Hill making the journey about 15 hours. To top it off the only airline that flies from Sydney to Broken Hill are REX and they charge around $750 return. For that price you could fly return to Hong Kong with Qantas. No wonder people are stuck with no alternatives but slow old trains and buses. A similar distance journey on the fast TGV trains in Europe would take about 5 hours. You can travel from Paris to Marseilles (almost the same distance as Sydney to Melbourne) in 3 hours on a modern comfortable TGV.

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

Yep. Definitely agree. My guess is that since most of the population is in Sydney and Melbourne, the government have chosen to neglect those in more rural areas. Quite embarrassing and sad.

[@jslasher1]

Our transport is third-world at best. Chalk it down to an anti-rail government, particularly the state government in NSW, which has tried to eliminate passenger train services [without success] on several occasions in the past decade.

[@transportvlogs2841]

Yes, agree! Australia is slowly but surely becoming a third world country now while those Asian countries up there are advancing with their high speed train projects! If you have chance, just fly to Malaysia and check out the brand new MRT transport network there in Kuala Lumpur , its stunning! Kuala Lumpur transport system is 10x much much better than in Sydney! They have light rail, monorail, commuter trains, divereless trains, and now MRT transport network serving the KL CBD and outer suburban areas. I dont understand why Sydney want to build thlse slow trams in the city? Its slow and ugly. why dont trhey build those above ground fars light rail which is better. It carry more people and faster than the old trams! It seems we have those backward thinking politicians or numb skulls are in both Fed and state govern, at this rate of going, we are already a third world.

[@MattExzy]

As far as the NSW state government is concerned, the known universe ends beyond the outer limits of Sydney. Having said that though, I quite like the XPTs. And yeah, there's only one train to and from a week, but I mean... it's Broken Hill after all... I don't think epic fast trains on rails in the virtual desert that are probably prone to warping and errant wildlife is a good idea. And I'm pretty sure the TGV is electric - good luck electrifying the rails to Broken Hill ;)

[@sylviaelse5086]

The difficulty is in part the low level of traffic. One train a week, and couple of flights, usually not direct, per day, and those are small aircraft, carrying 34 passengers. Such traffic is not going to justify any major investment. The existing track meanders all over the place to keep the gradient within limits, which means the train has to travel further, and the curves keep the speed down. Even a high speed line between the major cities in Australia has economics which are questionable, because the cities are so far apart. Building a fast line to provincial towns is a non-starter. It's a shame, but it's the reality of travel in a huge country.

[@cavador20011]

I replayed the first 10 seconds several times before I realised you live in Riverwood -I also live there. You walked down Thurlow St past Club Rivers.

[@rammergramps]

thank you gave me an idea on what to expect when i finally catch the train from Sydney to Broken Hill and return. Sadly the turn around is the problem

[@ianbolton3873]

I live near Condobolin, and have used this service to get down to the coast and back quite a number of times. I've found it a very pleasant journey with some wonderful scenery, particularly between Lithgow and Bathurst. The food service is quite satisfactory - similar to what you would expect on a plane. My wife and I are considering doing the full trip, Sydney to BH, and return, but the outward trip is on Monday and the return on Tuesday, so you can't get to see anything. An alternative for the return trip is to take the road coach later in the week (I think it runs daily) to Dubbo and then take the XPT back to Sydney. An added advantage there is that you see a whole lot of different scenery on the return run (BH - Cobar - Nyngan - Narromine - Dubbo on the coach and then Dubbo to Orange on the XPT).

[@dylanslavin4592]

What the hell I was watching this random video then I see my teacher in the background lol

[@haco5783]

lol this happened to me too (not on this video)

[@tonyhenwood9280]

thankyou for making this video well worth watching I did notice you showed some of the food being served I wish the caterers would look at presentation of food and ask would they take that home for mum to eat if they wouldn't take it home for mum to eat they really need to look at presentation taste and the way food is served I also noticed the train looks very old it looks like it could do with a makeover new paint job pimp it up a bit and modernise it and look at making the trip faster

[@92brofish]

Condobolin is my dads hometown 🙌🏽 ive had the privilege of catching the xplorer train from Condo to Sydney back in 2013 - its also so weird but amazing that i have a direct rail service from Perth to Condo via the Indian Pacific train that runs right thru my hometown, my dad’s hometown and eventually Sydney 🙌🏽👍🏼❤️

[@Jacqui_Jenny_Gunnarsdóttir]

Good video. I was gonna drive there but then saw this video and decided i’m definitely going to drive there

[@bernardfitzgerald6117]

I love Alans videos .Having done this trip ,I found the outback scenery mesmerizing and the meals were a non issue for us. The Explorer cars are great for views if you dont sit near the front.One gets a great view both sides.

[@Jacqui_Jenny_Gunnarsdóttir]

@@bernardfitzgerald6117 i did the road trip in the end last december, drove to mildura via wagga then up to broken hill, silverton then white cliffs and back to sydney via cobar and dubbo. I have drive from adelaide to wilpena pound and port augusta many years ago so all that is left is to drive from adelaide to perth one day. Flew to perth once and explored the city but flying is no good, need to use land transportation for the full experience!

[@bigbrotherrocks06]

at 3:57 how do you avoid the toilet on a 12 hour trip? Great vid though.

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

I guess the only way is to starve yourself the entire trip! :) Well, I would say maybe try not to use it as often as you usually need to, bring some hand sanitiser, and maybe try going right after you finish your meal so the chances are that less people have used it. I guess it isn't that bad. It's mainly the darkness which makes it less appealing, so maybe a torch? Thanks a lot :)

[@sexlord6949]

Just go to the toilet at the stations then cry your self too sleep that you were too slow to get back on and now have to wait a week

[@jerichosharman470]

I maybe taking this trip from Penrith next week. Great informative video . It really answered a few questions for me

[@alanjessup8417]

Alan, this is actually so cool!!!! You should make more videos like this!!!

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

:) Thanks so much Alan!

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

There are going to be two more on the Broken Hill trip in this same format coming up!

[@alanjessup8417]

Yay!!!!

[@mfeuan]

I’ll be taking the train and heading to broken hill in October has there been any improvements over the 4 years?

[@RegexGreen817]

Nice video with the Relax soundtrack

[@ademari6240]

Just a question, did you stop a Blacktown by any chance.

[@transportvlogs2841]

Great train report. How much is the fare?

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

Hi, I've checked the official website, and it seems like it varies from $140 to $180. Thanks for watching :)

[@AussieAF]

You can easily pickup sale fare, if you book a little in advance. Single Adult is $80-95 Concession $60-$90 Pensioner $0-$80

[@RegexGreen817]

That is an early start

[@colinwilkie2279]

Hi mate next time can you please tell us all the time, off each station you arrive at. Great information anyway. I've done this trip, a couple off times once in early 1997 when the used a 81 class locomotive with old hub cars, my last trip was in a Explorer in 2008 both times the the the trip took 15 hours I.e arriving at Broken Hill just Ather 9:30pm. When I when it was summer so they slowed the train down too 90 kph. Mate looks like you left in winter, so you would not off had to slow down because the heat. Anyway please say the time and the station when you arrive just so we all know what time it is when you arrive thanks mate pls do more.. Posts

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

Hi Colin, Thanks for the tips. Sure thing, I'll keep that in mind next time. I just don't know when I'll be able to go on another train trip like this! :) I did leave in winter! July school holidays.

[@jslasher1]

The Xplorer no longer suffers any delays due to heat after the line was completely re-sleepered with concrete sleepers a few years ago. The Xplorer usually arrives into Menindee, where I live, 3 to 5-minutes early, and as much as 14-minutes [as it did last Monday] early into Broken Hill.

[@ObsessedwithTrains]

Were you in First Class or Economy Class?

[@lukap996]

It was First Class

[@Boomer1156]

Good clip ... not sure l could do the trip though

[@SydneyCityTransportVlogs]

What about Darnick?

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

Did I miss it? Sorry! Its after Ivanhoe and before Menindee. I think we might have stopped at night at that station, so I might not have realised.

[@SydneyCityTransportVlogs]

I was just wondering if anyone has filmed at the smallest station in NSW

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

Ah. I didn't know that. Smallest station! I might go through the video if I have it, and see if I did.

[@Shaunamarymartin]

Sydney City Transport Vlogs Sutherland to Miranda.

[@Antphoneigh]

not much in broken hill, but the fact that we dont have fast trains that go from sydney to melbourne is just ludicrous

[@transportvideosaustralia7355]

You should have filmed at Darnick! The 3rd smallest used train platform in the world!

[@AlanTheMoonbear]

I should have. Well now that you mention that fact :). But it was very dark at the time, so it probably wouldn't have been the best footage. Still a shame though that I missed out. Btw nice videos. I think I came across them a while across. I like the fact that they have quick cuts, and aren't long and laborious. Subbed. :)

[@ThatPerthFan]

Wondabyne = smallest.

[@arandomtrainchannel250]

What was the music?

[@kwizydude]

in the descripton

[@RegexGreen817]

7:07 Menindee

[@syngensmyth4587]

So don't use the toilet, don't eat the food. This is somewhere I don't know where. Mate you better fly next time.

[@deanl4575]

I personally think the toilets on the trains are fine and I would avoid the hot meals (however I think the roast pork is relatively ok), usually a meat pie suffices quite well. Personally, I wouldn’t fly since it can sometimes cost $800 return on Rex, when you could fly to Hong Kong or Singapore for the same price.

[@brettharrison5136]

Gees this guy can whinge

[@fordlandau]

Poor commentary.

[@gerards7075]

You cannot understand what the commentator is saying...terrible audio which is worth looking at next time.

[@arandomtrainchannel250]

@@gerards7075 You mean narrator

[@BinkBricks]

@@gerards7075 you can not hear

[@michaelwhite6614]

Well I got the info I needed and I'm glad he did this video. Good on him for having a go. I'm sure his video commentary is better now.

[@vernaxxx8940]

You made nothing of the scenery! i can't think of any reason to take this service other than to experience the western plains unrolling. Plus i didnt like the monotonous music or the lack of expression in the narration.. Maybe try and put some expression in your voice, so it's not so deadly.

[@JohnLee-pt5jz]

I can't understand him.