{"id":381790,"date":"2026-03-07T08:58:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T22:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=381790"},"modified":"2026-03-07T09:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T23:00:19","slug":"what-passengers-can-expect-from-nsws-long-distance-trains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=381790","title":{"rendered":"What passengers can expect from NSW\u2019s long-distance trains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Recognisable for their slick orange exteriors, NSW\u2019s new long-distance passenger trains are turning heads as they undergo testing across the state\u2019s rail network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of a project that is more than three years late and more than\u00a0$800 million over budget, the sight of the first of a fleet of 29 new regional passenger trains racing past stations instils a sense that their entry into service is finally in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The target date for the first passenger service remains a matter transport officials are unwilling to hint at, citing the need to gain accreditation from the national rail safety regulator once thousands of hours of testing are completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For passengers long accustomed to the state\u2019s decades-old XPT, Xplorer and Endeavour models, the new Spanish-built trains will feature charging points and other mod cons, improved accessibility, slightly wider aisles and a buffet car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A mix of six- and three-carriage trains will carry between 118 and about 240 passengers as far as Melbourne, Brisbane, Broken Hill, Griffith and Moree, while 10 three-carriage trains will operate on intercity routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, nine of the trains have arrived in NSW from Spain, and another is due to be shipped to Port Kembla this month.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A render of the interior of a new regional train\u2019s economy cabin.TRANSPORT FOR NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Once offloaded from ships, they are transported to a new maintenance facility<\/a> in Dubbo, where they undergo a final fitout including installation of seating and tables before entering several phases of strenuous testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transport for NSW deputy secretary Raquel Rubalcaba acknowledged the public\u2019s frustration at the length of time testing was taking, but said the introduction of a new train type, which was powered by both diesel and electricity, required significant trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first one is always going to be the longest testing because safety-wise, we\u2019ve got to verify everything,\u201d she said, adding that the testing was complicated by the fact that the trains would operate in three states and the ACT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are the first bimodal passenger trains to operate in Australia, which presents a challenge because they require testing on Sydney\u2019s electrified rail network and under diesel power on other parts of the state\u2019s system.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The first of two regional trains is undergoing dynamic testing on the state\u2019s railway.JANIE BARRETT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The first train is about 60 per cent of the way through an expected 18 months of dynamic testing. After that, it will undergo operational testing, which includes passenger simulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the XPTs, the new trains that will travel as far as Melbourne and Brisbane do not include overnight sleeper cabins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transport for NSW rail fleet programs head Mark Stevenson said the agency was working on a business case to look at the viability of refurbishing selected XPT trains to provide future sleeper services, which would be subject to government funding decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state government is already spending about\u00a0$40 million refurbishing<\/a>\u00a0XPT trains, some of which have re-entered service and will resume on the Sydney-Grafton route on April 28.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A render of a buffet car for one of NSW\u2019s new regional trains.TRANSPORT FOR NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

NSW Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison blamed the long delay to the new trains entering service on the former Coalition government\u2019s \u201coffshore private model\u201d stalling delivery and leaving taxpayers with a massive bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe auditor-general exposed the cost of their approach: a combined $2.5 billion blowout in the cost of purchasing intercity and regional trains and years of delays,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have done the hard work to fix the project \u2013 dismantling the failed [public-private partnership], consulting with workforce and experts and restoring accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NSW auditor-general was\u00a0withering in an assessment\u00a0last October of Transport for NSW\u2019s purchase of both the long-distance regional train and\u00a0intercity fleets, which have been years late and cost taxpayers billions of dollars more than originally forecast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part of a project that is more than three years late and more than\u00a0$800 million over budget.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":381794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[5026,2139],"class_list":["post-381790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rail-news","tag-nsw","tag-sydney"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t