NSW rail sold me a first class ticket under false pretences.
Staff were pushy so I asked the difference between first and economy and was told
1. the seats recline 45 degrees
2. the gap between seats is much wider
3. meals are included … good enough reason on it’s own
The carriage I boarded looked exactly the same as the economy taken previously
1. all seats recline at 45 degrees
2. ten centimetres may help the long legged but I’m vertically challenged anyway!
3. meals had to be purchased from the exact same buffet carriage where I’d previously paid for meals
4. economy carriage is very closest to the ticket barrier arriving and leaving
5. first class passengers have to walk to the furthest end of the platform each way!
6. due to fire damage sections were done by bus … there is no class distinction on buses
On my return trip I questioned the buffet staff who confirmed the above and that all carriages are forty years old. I know for a fact that our new carriages are currently being built in Korea as a friends son had to travel over there to install the wifi system. Personal wifi reception is not available for most of the journey winding through remote rural areas.
Yet they closed the rail link from my current location in May 2004 after 110 years. Most of the trip north is done in cheap local buses. Trains recently [a month ago] stopped running at nights or weekends from the capital to my nearest railway station. All manner of excuses are given eg line work, not enough engines but essentially it seems that they are radically reducing rail services from rural regions gradually and quietly.
Those in coastal areas can get very cheap budget flights as holidaymakers come and go frequently but move a few kilometres in from the coast and transport suffers greatly!
How is the public transport to your nearest major centre?
aroused 
Well, unless you are in a major sized city (and I”m not) there are no buses. subways, etc. You could call a taxi..but most of us just drive. 😉
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both those options are not environmentally friendly or cheap 🙂
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I will never take rail unless a last resort! I rode from Chicago to New Mexico and thought I’d die. So uncomfortable!! We have bus service, rail, but most people either fly or drive their personal vehicles. In the city we have city buses but they don’t always go where you want to be….
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I suspect the people earning big bucks to organise our public transport seldom ever use it …
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UGHS! 😦 Sorry you had to go through all of this. 😦
I don’t know specific facts…but just observing over the years, I think most cities in the world are behind where they should be in providing safe, affordable, comfortable, etc., public transportation for people. 😦
((((HUGS))))
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limited, we have a train twice a day (early and very late) from Perth, we can drive 1.5 hours to another centre to catch the regular perth train system, there is an expensive flight option, not much really, better than some.
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Your experiences demonstrate poor rail service isn’t limited to my country.
Before griping, honesty does award good marks to Acela, our high-speed rail between Northeastern population centers, but it’s expensive. Moreover, as many members of various congressional Budget and Appropriations committees ride it to and from their districts, it’s something of a Potemkin village, hiding shoddiness elsewhere in the rail network.
Otherwise, service suffers greatly, both in terms of quality, and in quantity, with already-limited service scaled back even more. Moreover, don’t even ask about our regional commuter rail, which largely wanders downtown, and to a few select suburbs. Shockingly limited coverage for a metro area of 2.5 million.
It’s a shame the public doesn’t seem to be interested in mass transit, as it’s one of the few areas wherein increased spending (potentially) could gain my favor. Unfortunately, lavishing more is just wasteful when the public is, at best, indifferent., even when, in principle, I concur with the effort.
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here they are advocating public transport to ditch cars as our motorways are not coping … someone forgot to tell them that our public transport system is even worse off … not enough carriages or engines, lack of drivers, etc!
They allow progress without providing the infrastructure, very dangerous …
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I haven’t used the local bus transportation in the city. The train – we always go the least expensive and bring our own snacks.
Do you remember I told you I went on a nice rail ride in Jim Thorpe… they had to discontinue that service because the town wanted to add a tourist type tax… but make it retroactive by a few years. So the train company said too bad, we’ll close down then.
Some folks who make policies just don’t know what they are doing, at least that’s what I think. All politics.
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I keep getting “your comment couldn’t be posted”. I tried twice, hope it didn’t post repeatedly?😳
Sent from my iPad
>
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Same story here. All Government services being rationalised. Rural areas suffering as a result. If you don’t live in large urban areas you’re not valued.
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sadly I am in a major rural town but services go to major cities and the coast Marie, economic rationalisation …. but as we get poorer movement becomes more restricted giving them justification to cut services rather than look at the reasons why we can no longer afford to travel 😦
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This is shocking. Our transport has been hammered. Our village is down to 2 busses a day now.
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Oh, dear Kate, I am sorry you had to go through this.
Unfortunately this is the sad reality that happens in my country as well, agglomeration, not enough spaces to sit on etc.
I don’t usually travel by train, I think I did when I was in college for two times and was not impressed.
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being an environmentalist I advocate use of public transport and have been subjected to many rorts over the years but this is the most blatant and outrageous!
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Bastards 😁
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It’s a ripoff indeed.
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