Additional express train service in late 2017

Heading to Sydney from the Mudgee region and don’t want to battle the traffic? Here’s a solution.

Drive to Lithgow and jump on the new express train!

Lithgow is set to receive another express train service to and from Sydney in plans revealed by the NSW Government on Wednesday.

The return express service will run each weekday and will be introduced in late 2017.

The morning Central to Lithgow express service will connect at Lithgow with coaches heading to Bathurst and Orange.

The return Lithgow to Central service will then connect with coaches arriving from destinations like Nyngan, Dubbo, Wellington, Molong, Orange, Lucknow and Bathurst.

A new timetable will need to be locked in before commuters can find out when the train will arrive and what stations it will stop at.

 

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance announced the service uplift would cater for rapidly increasing demand with more than a million visitors a year.

“We’re seeing the popularity of the train go through the roof so we’re adding capacity to both weekend and weekday Blue Mountains services,” Mr Constance said.

“The Blue Mountains are a huge domestic and international tourist drawcard with more than a million people seeing the sights and incredible local charm each year.”

The NSW Government will also fast track some improvements in coming weeks by:

• Doubling capacity on six current weekend Blue Mountains services from 4 to 8 carriages
• Providing more than 4,000 additional seats on weekends imminently

“We know many weekend trains are packed to the brim so we’re taking action right now, ahead of the new timetable due to be implemented late this year,” Mr Constance said.

“Late this year, we’ll then introduce more 8-car express tourist trains that will get to popular destinations like Leura, Wentworth Falls and Katoomba faster.

On weekends, a journey on an express service between Sydney and Katoomba will take around two hours, saving almost 20 minutes on a return trip while a return trip from Parramatta to Katoomba will take about 90 minutes, saving more than 15 minutes.

This is the next step in the ‘More Trains, More Services’ program – a capital investment of over $1.5 billion to provide an urgent uplift in customer service on greater Sydney’s rail network.

mudgeeguardian.com.au

Tagged: Sydney 29, Lithgow 1, NSW 6, New South Wales 3