First experience of long-distance trains in Australia, a stay-at-home mother’s account of skipping work!

1. The origin of this trip

Of all means of transportation, trains are my favorite. What it means to me is more like a magical container that holds memories. Those past events were included in the article "Memories Hidden in the Green Train".

Perhaps it was fate. This time, the train once again entered my life with extraordinary weight and gave me new strength!

In more than ten years of being a stay-at-home mother, this is the first time I have openly skipped work, and I have mobilized people and publicized it widely, lest the world would not know my joy.

It did not live up to my expectations. I completed my first experience of long-distance trains in Australia. Combined with the excitement of skipping work for the first time, this solo trip became a well-deserved spiritual recharging trip!

After returning home, my appetite was restored, my insomnia was gone, I no longer lazily or procrastinate, and I regained my slowly degrading concentration.

The incident originated from my birthday two years ago. Like every birthday, my husband was very worried and didn’t know what gift to give me. I said I don't celebrate my birthday, it's enough in my heart. But he can't bear it, and I understand.

Those who have no desires or demands are the most difficult to "buy". Of course I have my desires and desires, but my taste is not that popular, and it would be a waste not to spend money on ideas. Treat me to a big meal, but I have little appetite; give me jewelry, but I’m not interested; buy famous brands, but I don’t recognize them at all. What should people do?

In order to help my husband relieve his worries, I also thought hard: What needs do I have at the moment that are beyond his ability?

By the way, I want to skip work! I want to sneak out of my inherent life pattern. These days, I am no longer anyone’s so-and-so. I am myself, without any attributes! Husband, give me a chance to travel alone!

Traveling in groups and with families naturally has its liveliness and joy, but it inevitably has to worry about food and clothing, as well as other people’s schedules, and it reduces a lot of freedom to do as one pleases.

As a stay-at-home mother, I don’t have the opportunity to travel for official business, so I have to tie up my children wherever I go. I am afraid that only people who pay attention to spiritual life and have been raising children alone for more than ten years can understand this kind of fatigue. What I envy most among office workers is the opportunity to travel. Traveling around the world in a grand manner, with a salary that can also be reimbursed, it is truly the most beautiful thing in the world!

My husband readily agreed to the weird gift I proposed! With such a wife who keeps showing off new tricks, he has already learned how to tolerate her without being surprised. No need to explain too much, my husband seems to understand very well. Being understood and tolerated by the people around me is a little bit of happiness.

Raising a baby in a foreign country is not as good as at home, and there are no relatives to help. As a stay-at-home mom, I have to take care of myself when I am on vacation.

In fact, the successful fulfillment of this gift was inseparable from the generous help of friends. My husband, a super conscientious employee, did not miss a day at work.

In my heart, this trip is perfect! Because it carries a lot of love and warmth from family, friends, and even enthusiastic people who have met each other!

So, where to play and what to play? Such a rare opportunity cannot be wasted casually. Two years have passed since I pondered this. Never be too late for good things.

When I returned to China last year, I was full of joy and tried to ride the high-speed train. Unfortunately, the speed was too fast and I couldn’t find the feeling I remembered. I heard that trains in Australia still retain the ancient speed, so I thought I should give it a try as soon as possible before the speed increases in a few days.

As for which train line to choose?

Australia is a vast and sparsely populated country, and interstate trains often take dozens of hours. For the first time, start with the short one. Researched trains with suitable distances from Sydney, going north to Brisbane and south to Melbourne. It happened that Brisbane had just passed through, and although I had been to Melbourne a few years ago, because I was driving from Sydney, the focus was on the surrounding areas. I only stayed in Melbourne for one day, and I planned to come back in the future.

I also took into consideration that my daughter finds taking trains boring and doesn’t like to go shopping in busy cities. My combination of train and city did not appeal to her, which somewhat alleviated my guilt. Leaving the children to have fun alone felt like missing work for no reason.

Taking all things into consideration, my first trip as a stay-at-home mom skipped the train and traveled from Sydney to Melbourne. It is suitable to feel the taste, architecture and scenery of a city by yourself.

2. The first experience of long-distance trains in Australia

Before leaving, I said goodbye to my daughter. My daughter said with a worried look: "Don't die." It's so straightforward that adults will never forget it. I dare not say it, but it is the most real and profound concern!

I can’t help but remember that when I was a child, if my parents didn’t come home for a long time, I would be worried at home. Once an ambulance whizzed past the window, I would always be tortured by all kinds of terrible fantasies.

I have been thinking about not enjoying "freedom" for more than ten years, but when I am about to leave, I suddenly feel reluctant to let go. Women, once you become a mother, you can never go back, both physically and mentally!

This is a trip for myself. There is no need to check in the scenic spots or try to be high-end. All I want is the feeling of walking on the road. Even just observing the people passing by on the way is interesting. In my eyes, everyone is a thick storybook, unique.

This observation started as soon as I stepped on the train.

I went out at around six o'clock in the morning and took the local train to Sydney Central Station. On platform 2, people were already getting on the train. There are staff on the platform to help you find the carriage.

My carriage is D, but not Section 4. For some reason, the carriages are not arranged in alphabetical order.

I didn’t check the ticket when I got on the bus, I checked it after driving. The flight attendants will just check the name on the list and ask for your name. Some will also ask for your ticket (either a printed one or an email displayed on your phone), without showing any ID.

Flight attendants have different working styles. On the return night train, there was a male conductor. He was very polite and serious, and he had to check everyone's tickets.

The female flight attendant in the picture below is from the outbound flight. She is super friendly and humorous. She checked the tickets, more like saying hello. He will call your name on the list with a smile on his face, confirm your destination, greet you and wish you a happy journey, and even chat with those who make eye contact. She didn't check anyone's tickets.

After every stop, she has to confirm the new passengers. I also collected garbage a few times in the middle, which was quite busy.

Childishness really does not matter age. She can turn garbage into happiness. This emotion also infected me. I saw her exaggeratingly holding the garbage bag horizontally and saying: "Trash, garbage, please give me garbage generously!" Her naughty tone was full of humor.

Later, she took her luggage and got off the bus in a town more than an hour's drive from Melbourne. She was probably going home from get off work. No wonder, people living in remote towns exude a sense of ease and casualness that is rare among city dwellers.

She was the first bowl of chicken soup for the soul that I drank during this trip.

Yes! Things that were originally tiring can become interesting because of a good attitude; situations that were originally bumpy can be discovered because of a good attitude, which is a blessing!

Like local trains, the direction of the seats is adjustable, and the crew can also prop up the tray table as needed. The space is quite spacious.

The second bowl of chicken soup for the soul that I drank during this trip will appear below.

This is a Chinese family of five from Newcastle, a seaside town north of Sydney and a few dozen minutes’ drive from the countryside. Occasionally, a couple of Cantonese sentences came up.

When the family first got on the bus, I was inevitably a little worried. With three children in my ears, would the journey be quiet?

As I expected, the two boys barely had a moment to relax. To my surprise, not only did I not feel bored, but I actually liked and admired this family.

During the long 11 hours, they did not spend a minute in front of the electronic screen. Several sets of tabletop games, chess, and storybooks take turns. The couple worked together in a tacit understanding, with no one instructing the other, and not a single word of impatience, order, blame or complaint was heard from beginning to end.

Especially the dad! He stayed with the child very attentively all the way, playing with him and sharing his past experiences. Especially the way he reads a storybook, he is so engrossed, his voice is full of emotion and lifelike, and he has no concern about whether others will make fun of him.

Even the flight attendant passing by couldn't help but praise: "What a fascinating story!"

Do you want to say that I find it noisy? Thought it would, but didn't. On the contrary, because of their existence, I finally found the feeling of trains when I was a child!

In the hard-seat carriage of the green leather train in my childhood, people played cards, ate melon seeds, and chatted about everything. The carriage shook regularly, and the noise around me seemed to turn into a lullaby, making me feel at ease.

At this time, the appearance of a family of five made the train feel more grounded. Isn’t this familiar sense of solidity exactly what I couldn’t find on a plane?

In the afternoon, I dozed off to their unique lullaby. When I woke up, I found my father holding a sleeping little girl in his arms. He was carefully measuring his little daughter's round face, his eyes full of tenderness. Oh my god, why do I suddenly think this person has become more handsome?

Their clothes are very casual, even a little slovenly. The little girl's blue sweatshirt is very old and must have been worn by her older brother. The boy's pants also had a small hole. My mother's face was bare, her hair was tied back casually, almost half untied.

However, they behaved naturally, without any timidity or pretentiousness. From their unglamorous appearance, I saw the confidence and magnanimity in their hearts! These are three blessed dolls.

About dining.

There is a passenger guide on the back of the seat, which contains the menu. There are no seats in the dining car, only a sales counter. Hot and cold food and drinks are always on sale. Before the meal, the flight attendant will come out and ask who wants to order a meal. If you need it, please register directly with the flight attendant and pick it up when the time comes.

I have no experience and don’t know how to order food. It wasn't noon yet, so I felt hungry, so I ran to the dining car to buy something to eat. Because it was not dinner time, the only hot food was pie and roll. I didn’t really want to eat it, so I reluctantly ordered a beef roll. It was hard to swallow halfway through the meal. It was too salty and greasy for me, and my appetite was immediately overcome.

At noon, the flight attendant started to ask everyone to order meals, and then they discovered that there was a lunch box with rice and vegetables. I knew I should eat this. Unfortunately, my appetite was already clogged, so I endured it until I got off the bus.

The picture below is of a dining car. I dare not take pictures openly and openly. I feel guilty and my hands are shaking, so I just try to look at it.

On the way out, I was quite lucky. The entire carriage was full, but the seats next to and in front of me were empty.

When the flight attendant was setting up the table, he put the list next to me and took the opportunity to look at it. The person next to me should get on the train at the stop halfway through the journey.

So I took the time to enjoy the treatment of no one around me, lying down, half-lying, and doing various tricks, lest I waste God's kindness. When I arrived at the small stop where my neighbor was supposed to get on the bus, I quickly sat up straight and waited for the answer to the mystery to be revealed. The name seems to be that of a man, and I'm curious about his age, height, height, and weight.

The station was extremely small, and the bus started quickly, but no one got on the bus. The flight attendant came over to check the tickets as usual. When he saw that the seat next to me was empty, he asked me with his eyes. I answered with a smile and shook my head. She then gave me a naughty look. I privately interpreted it as: "You are lucky, continue to enjoy your fancy half-lying."

The winter sunshine passed through the car window, soft and warm, I casually enjoyed the scenery, and listened to the sound of The father sitting next to me tells stories in whispers... This kind of enjoyment can only be enjoyed by trains!

Are you tired from sitting for a long time?

For me, a coding enthusiast, sitting in front of the computer for more than ten hours is a common thing. On the train, your eyes are not tired, your brain is not tired, and your body is much less taxed.

Australia is indeed vast and sparsely populated. The 11-hour train only passes through 16 small towns. The largest town is like a small village in China.

The picture below shows a relatively large town on the way. There is a road in the middle of the photo. I'm afraid there are no traffic lights in a place like this, which makes driving much easier. Big land and big houses are cheap, but how many people can endure the loneliness?

Wondering whether you can accept living in a place like this? Loneliness does not happen. As long as there is Internet, there is not enough time every day.

But how do I deal with my stubborn Chinese stomach?

There is basically no mobile phone signal or network while driving. The signal is only available in places where people gather before and after stopping. That’s fine, it forces you to get away from your mobile phone and live in reality wholeheartedly.

Entering Victoria from New South Wales is a process from sunshine to clouds. The farther south, the thicker the clouds become.

There is always sunlight coming in from my window, and there are all kinds of reflections when the camera takes a picture. So there aren’t many beautiful views to share.

The scenery on this route is relatively simple and is typical of eastern Australia. If you want to appreciate the vastly different landforms, you can choose a route that runs through Australia's north and south or east and west. There will be an introduction at the end of the article.

What excites me most are the cute animals.

In the early morning and evening, there are groups of wild kangaroos jumping around under the shade of trees.

Being greedy, I began to hope for wild koalas. There were too few eucalyptus trees along the railway line, so my hope was slim. Being able to spot wild koalas on the treetops with the naked eye while driving in a car is a precious memory on the Great Ocean Road.

Not to mention the herds of cattle and sheep scattered on the huge pastures, the number of cattle and sheep in Australia far exceeds that of humans.

What makes my heart melt the most is the little lambs. They are either following their mother closely or playing in groups. The brand new wool is as white as snow, and is particularly conspicuous on the dark green carpet shrouded in twilight.

In this way, I went from early morning in Sydney to dusk in Melbourne. I haven’t even reached my destination yet, but I’ve already gained a lot.

The picture below is platform 1 of Melbourne’s Southern Cross Railway Station for the return journey:

Goodbye, beautiful Melbourne! This time, I fell in love with you! I wonder if we have a chance to meet again?

As soon as I got in the car on the way back, I was reading through the dictionary on my phone about the concert I just finished watching. When I glanced at it, I saw that the Korean girl next to me was taking notes in the book. The concentration with which she held her pen and wrote deeply infected me.

This is what youth should be like, no, this is what life should be like! Always have hobbies, goals and dreams hidden in your heart, and even in difficult circumstances, you can enjoy them whenever and wherever you can.

The look of simply immersing yourself in your own spiritual kingdom is attractive enough in itself!

However, if she takes notes on her mobile phone, she may lose that appeal. I haven’t looked at Moments for nearly half a month, and I don’t know what my friends are up to, but I’m happy to enjoy this undisturbed peace and quiet!

My family and friends are all afraid that I will get in trouble if I take the night train. However, when I think back to my trip home during college vacation and riding the hard-seat train for two days and two nights, my memory is full of joy.

Physical hardship is easy to forget, but physical hardship can make happiness more vivid and unforgettable!

It turns out that sitting all night is a piece of cake for me. It felt like it took a few naps to get there. After a tiring journey for days, sleepiness swept over me and I couldn't feel any pain.

Until the carriage lights suddenly turned on, I reluctantly opened my eyes, ah, there were densely packed houses outside the window, Sydney was coming.

Seeing the familiar Central Railway Station, I stood up to pick up my luggage. My legs and feet were as nimble as ever, no swelling, and I was resurrected with full blood!

At this time, my heart is filled with hope and energy again. This is what a high-quality trip should be like!

3. Train times and ticket information

Long-distance trains in Australia are not cheap. In many cases, discounted tickets are cheaper. Therefore, most people prefer airplanes.

Who is the train suitable for?

Those who want new experiences, such as me; those who are afraid of airsickness and earache, such as me; those who are willing to enjoy slow time, such as me; those who can enjoy discounted tickets, such as children, student card and senior citizen card holders ; Those who have a psychological shadow on airplanes; There is no airport where they want to go.

Disadvantages of long-distance trains: long time, fatigue from sitting for a long time (except for sleepers), tickets are not cheap.

Advantages of long-distance trains: Enjoy the scenery along the way. Not afraid of motion sickness. You can carry a lot of luggage for free. There is no security check. You don’t need to reserve a lot of time, you can get there in time before the bus leaves and closes.

The train stations are generally in the city center, so there is no need to consider transportation to and from the airport. It is more convenient to stay in a hotel in the city.

The journey from Sydney to Melbourne takes nearly 11 hours. Yes, you can fly back to China. But it's more comfortable than flying.

The departure station for the outbound journey is Sydney Central Station (Central Station), and the end station is Melbourne's Southern Cross Station (Southern Cross Station). There are two buses a day, the morning bus departs at 7:40 and arrives at about 18:30. The evening bus departs at 20:40 and arrives at about 7:30 the next day. There are also two return trips every day, with the early morning departure from Melbourne at 8:30 and arriving in Sydney at 18:00. The evening flight departs at 19:50 and arrives in Sydney at 7:00 the next day.

There are 16 stops on the way, see the picture below:

The official website says that you can carry 5 kilograms of carry-on luggage for free (not exceeding 30cm x 50cm x 30cm), and check two 20 kilograms for free Luggage, very suitable for moving. In fact, there was no one on site at all, and there was no security check even if I saw large luggage being carried on the bus. There are special luggage racks at both ends of the carriage, as well as luggage racks above the head.

The train line from Sydney to Melbourne is NSW TrainLink's XPT. A one-way full-price economy seat costs 130 Australian dollars, a first-class seat costs 183 Australian dollars, and a sleeper berth costs nearly 300 Australian dollars, and sleeper berths are only available on night trains.

I bought an economy seat. The seat back can be adjusted backwards to a certain angle. It is said that the first-class seat back can be placed lower. Other than that, there doesn’t seem to be much difference. The sleeper berth is a bunk bed for two people, and the bed is also adjusted by the seat.

Get 10% off when purchasing tickets online. Children aged 0-3 are free of charge, and children aged 4-15 travel with an adult for only 1 Australian dollar, yes, just 1 yuan! Therefore, many children travel by train during student holidays. The more children, the more cost-effective it is.

It should be noted that as of this writing, when booking tickets on the newly launched official railway booking website, the child's fare is not shown as AUD 1. However, when operating on the old official ticket booking website, it will be correctly displayed as AUD 1. Don’t forget to check the box to select “Is a family”. The entrance to the old website can be found on the new official ticket booking website. It should be corrected in the future.

There are also discounts for holders of student cards, senior citizens’ cards, etc. Different railway companies also have package options. For example, international tourists can enjoy a three-month package of unlimited rides. Please check the official website of each railway company for details.

Train tickets are discounted in the off-season, but student holidays are the peak season. As a stay-at-home mother, I can only skip work during the student holidays, so the ticket price for my train trip was definitely more expensive than the air ticket.

The picture below is the off-peak season timetable of this train line I took:

4. Introduction to Australia’s long-distance train lines:

Australia’s long-distance trains are classified according to different The railway company roughly has the following lines:

1. The three famous interstate lines of the Great Southern Railways:

Indian Pacific (Indian Ocean-Pacific Line): It is said to be The longest and most spectacular train line in the world, 4352 kilometers, 65 hours. Crossing the Nullarbor Plain, it connects Sydney, Adelaide and Perth from east to west. May stop in Adelaide. Witness Australia's changes from the eastern coast to the western desert.

The Ghan (Ghan Line): It is a legend of Australian trains. It connects Adelaide, Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin in a 54-hour north-south direction. Enjoy Australia's red central and tropical northern scenery.

The Overland: Round trip between Adelaide and Melbourne, 10.5 hours.

2. New South Wales Railway Company (Transport NSW Trainlink):

Sydney to Melbourne (CountryLink XPT), Sydney to Canberra, the north coast of New South Wales to various parts of Queensland, Across interior New South Wales.

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4. Queensland Rail: There are six long lines of different colors covering Queensland. www.qr.com.au/

5. Western Australia Railway Company: Western Australia internal lines. www.transwa.wa.gov.au

In 22 hours on the train, I rattled out more than 5,700 words, and I was also drunk. In this era where text is increasingly replaced by video, those who can patiently read this are all "true fans".

When will my next long-distance train journey be? Where will it go? Looking forward to it, looking forward to it is also wonderful!

(Please look forward to the next article: "Falling in Love with Melbourne")