NSW TrainLink

NSW TrainLink Intercity network (excluding the Sydney suburban portions of lines)

Intercity services operate to a distance approximately 200 kilometres from Sydney, bounded by Dungog in the north, Scone in the north-west, Bathurst to the west, Goulburn in the south-west and Bomaderry to the south.

Electric services extend from Sydney north to Newcastle, west to Lithgow and south to Port Kembla and Kiama. Most electric services originate from or terminate at Central.

Diesel trains serve the more distant or less populated parts of the Intercity network. Hunter Line services operate from Newcastle to Telarah with some extending to Dungog and Scone. Southern Highlands Line services operate between Campbelltown and Moss Vale with a limited number extending to Sydney and Goulburn. Diesel services also operate on the South Coast Line between Kiama and Bomaderry. The Bathurst Bullet provides a twice daily, limited stop service between Sydney and Bathurst.

The Opal fare system for Intercity services is fully integrated with the Sydney Trains and Sydney Metro networks - trips involving Intercity, Sydney suburban and metro services are calculated as a single fare and there is no interchange penalty. Opal is also valid on bus, ferry, and light rail services in the Greater Sydney region (except for the Southern Highlands) but separate fares apply for these modes. The following table lists Opal fares for reusable smartcards and single trip tickets as:[6]

^ = $2.50 for Senior/Pensioner cardholders

NSW TrainLink operates several bus routes along corridors where the railway line has been closed to passengers or as a supplement to rail services. These bus services are operated by private sector bus companies contracted by NSW TrainLink.

• Wollongong to Moss Vale/Bundanoon^(r)
• Moss Vale to Goulburn
• Picton to Bowral via Picton-Mittagong loop line on weekdays only

An XPT travelling from Melbourne to Sydney, pictured between Jindalee and Morrisons Hill, New South Wales.

NSW TrainLink Regional network

NSW TrainLink Regional Trains network (highlighted in blue)

NSW TrainLink operates passenger services throughout New South Wales and interstate to Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne. All rail services feature diesel rolling stock. For more details of each train line see List of NSW TrainLink train routes.

The North Coast services operate through the Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers and South East Queensland regions. Services operate on the Main North and North Coast lines, travelling between Sydney Central station and Roma Street station in Brisbane.[7]

Principal stations served by XPT trains are:

• Taree
• Kempsey
• Coffs Harbour
• Grafton
• Casino
• Brisbane

Cities and towns served by NSW TrainLink coaches connecting off North Coast services include: Tea Gardens, Forster, Port Macquarie, Yamba, Moree, Alstonville, Lismore, Ballina, Byron Bay, Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads and Surfers Paradise.

The North Western region services operate through the Hunter, New England and North West Slopes & Plains regions. Services operate on the Main North line from Sydney Central station to Werris Creek. where the service divides for Armidale and Moree.[8]

Principal stations served by Xplorer trains are:

• Singleton
• Scone
• Tamworth
• Armidale
• Gunnedah
• Narrabri
• Moree

Cities and towns served by NSW TrainLink coaches connecting off North Western services include: Wee Waa, Inverell, Grafton, Glen Innes and Tenterfield.

The Western region services operate through the Central Tablelands, Orana, and Far West regions. Services operate on the Main Western line from Sydney Central station to Dubbo and the Broken Hill line to Broken Hill.[9]

Principal stations served by XPT trains are:

• Bathurst
• Orange
• Dubbo

Principal stations served by Xplorer trains are:

• Bathurst
• Orange
• Parkes
• Broken Hill

Cities and towns served by NSW TrainLink coaches connecting off Western services include: Oberon, Mudgee, Baradine, Cowra, Grenfell, Forbes, Parkes, Condobolin, Lightning Ridge Brewarrina, Bourke, Warren and Broken Hill.

The Southern region services operate through the Illawarra, South Coast, Monaro, South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Riverina, and Sunraysia regions, plus the Australian Capital Territory and parts of Victoria. The Government of Victoria contributes financially to the provision of the interstate services. The ACT Government does not make a financial contribution.

Services operate on the:

• Main South line from Sydney Central station to Albury then continue on the North East line to Southern Cross station in Melbourne
• Bombala line from south of Goulburn to Queanbeyan where services join the Canberra line to terminate inside the Australian Capital Territory at Canberra
• Hay line from Junee to Yanco where services join the Yanco-Griffith line to Griffith[10]

Principal stations served by XPT trains are:

• Goulburn
• Cootamundra
• Wagga Wagga
• Albury
• Wangaratta
• Melbourne

Principal stations served by Xplorer trains are:

• Moss Vale
• Goulburn
• Queanbeyan
• Canberra
• Cootamundra
• Griffith

Cities and towns served by NSW TrainLink coaches connecting off Southern services include: Wollongong, Bombala, Eden, Tumbarumba, Bathurst, Dubbo, Condobolin, Griffith, Mildura and Echuca.

Icon used to identify coach services

Dysons Irizar i6 bodied Scania K310IB at Wagga Wagga station in September 2015

Dysons Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa at Wagga Wagga station in January 2015

NSW TrainLink continued with the existing contracts entered into by CityRail and CountryLink for the provision of coach services.

On 1 July 2014, the Lithgow to Gulgong, Coonabarabran, Baradine services passed from Greyhound Australia to Ogden's Coaches.[11]

In July 2014, Transport for NSW commenced the re-tendering process for most of the routes with the previous 24 contracts reorganised into 18 contracts. The new contracts commenced on 1 January 2015 for a five-year period, with an option to extend for three years if performance criteria is met.[11][12] The services operated by Forest Coach Lines and Sunstate Coaches commenced new five-year contracts on 1 July 2016.[13][14]

The full list of coach operators providing services as at January 2015 was:[11][15]

+ not included in January 2015 re-tendering process

Since 2018, NSW TrainLink have introduced several new road coach services on a trial basis[16]

• Brewarrina to Coolabah commenced May 2018[17]
• Bourke to Dubbo commenced May 2018[18]
• Tamworth to Port Macquarie
• Tamworth to Scone, had ceased by November 2018
• Tamworth to Dubbo
• Campbelltown to Goulburn commenced September 2018[19]
• Goulburn to Canberra commenced September 2018[20]
• Forster to Coffs Harbour commenced April 2019[21]
• Wagga Wagga to Queanbeyan commenced April 2019[22]
• Broken Hill to Adelaide commenced June 2019[23][24]
• Broken Hill to Mildura commenced June 2019[23][24]
• Anglers Reach to Cooma commenced December 2019[25]
• Bigga to Goulburn commenced December 2019[26]
• Delegate to Nimmitabel commenced December 2019[27]
• Goodooga to Dubbo commenced December 2019[28]
• Moree to Walgett commenced December 2019[29]

Artist's impression of a D set

A fleet of 554 D set carriages will be introduced to the NSW TrainLink intercity network. They will replace the V sets and allow the H sets to be transferred to Sydney Trains services The first was delivered in December 2019.[30][31][32]

A fleet of bi-mode trains manufactured by CAF are scheduled to replace the XPT, Xplorer and Endeavour fleets from 2023, as part of the NSW TrainLink Regional Train Project.[33][34][35][36]