NSW TrainLink is a regional train and coach operator in Australia, providing services throughout New South Wales and into the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. Its primary services are spread across five major rail lines, operating out of Sydney.
NSW TrainLink was formed on 1 July 2013 when RailCorp was restructured and CountryLink was merged with the intercity services of CityRail.
Announced in May 2025, following extensive negotiations, it has been agreed that Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink will become one entity during the life of the new three-year enterprise agreement pending membership approval.
History In May 2012, the then Minister for Transport, Gladys Berejiklian announced a restructure of RailCorp. Saulwick, Jacob (15 May 2012). "RailCorp job cuts first of many: unions" The Sydney Morning Herald"Ruthless RailCorp reforms planned as middle management axed" The Daily Telegraph 15 May 2012 On 1 July 2013, NSW TrainLink took over the operation of regional rail and coach services previously operated by CountryLink; non-metropolitan Sydney services previously operated by CityRail; and responsibility for the Main North railway line from Berowra to Newcastle, the Main Western railway line from Emu Plains to Bathurst, and the South Coast railway line from Waterfall to Bomaderry.Annual Report 30 June 2012 RailCorpCorporate Plan 2012/13 RailCorp
On 21 August 2023, it was announced that the majority of intercity passenger services, crew and stations would move from NSW TrainLink to Sydney Trains.
The process of transferring intercity services from NSW TrainLink to Sydney Trains began in 2023. From 1 July 2024, NSW TrainLink's Intercity services were transferred to Sydney Trains.
Network NSW TrainLink services operate in areas of lower population density, using a reserved seat ticketing system.
Train services
NSW TrainLink operates regional passenger services throughout New South Wales and interstate to Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne. All rail services utilise diesel rolling stock. For more details of each train line see List of NSW TrainLink train routes.
Line colour and name Between Central to BrisbaneCentral to Armidale or MoreeCentral to Canberra or Griffith or MelbourneCentral to Broken Hill or Dubbo
North Coast
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.
Principal stations served by XPT trains are: Taree Kempsey Coffs Harbour Grafton Casino Brisbane
See the full list of stations served.
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.
North Western
North Western 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.
Principal stations served by Xplorer trains are: Singleton Muswellbrook Scone Tamworth Armidale Gunnedah Narrabri Moree
Cities and towns served by NSW TrainLink coaches connecting off North Western services include: Burren Junction (via Wee Waa), Inverell, Walcha, Grafton, Glen Innes and Tenterfield.
Western
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. 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.
Southern
Southern region services operate through the Illawarra, South Coast, Monaro, South Western Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Riverina, and Sunraysia regions, plus the Australian Capital Territory and parts of Victoria.
Services operate on the: Main Southern 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
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.
Coach services
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.New NSW TrainLink Rural Coach Service Contracts Australian Bus issue 68 March 2015 page 20
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 are met.Provision of NSW Rural Coach Services NSW eTendering 11 July 2014 The services operated by Forest Coach Lines and Sunstate Coaches commenced new five-year contracts on 1 July 2016.Contract Award Notice Detail NSW eTendering 19 July 2016Contract Award Notice Detail NSW eTendering 19 July 2016
The full list of coach operators providing services as at January 2015 was:suppliers NSW TrainLink OperatorServicesAustralia Wide CoachesLithgow to Bathurst, Orange and ParkesBusBizLithgow to Dubbo and NynganDubbo to Lightning RidgeDubbo to BourkeDubbo to Broken HillCoolabah to BrewarrinaWagga Wagga to Kingston and QueanbeyanBerrima BuslinesPicton to Bowral CDC CanberraCanberra to Bombala and EdenDysonsWagga Wagga to GriffithCootamundra to TumbarumbaCootamundra to Bathurst or DubboParkes to CondobolinForest Coach LinesNarrabri to Wee Waa & Burren Junction Hunter Valley BusesFassifern to Toronto Loader's CoachesLithgow to GrenfellOberon Bus CompanyMount Victoria to OberonOgden's CoachesLithgow to Gulgong, Coonabarabran and BaradineThe Oxley ExplorerArmidale to Tenterfield, Port Macquarie to Tamworth, Tamworth to Port MacquariePort Stephens CoachesBroadmeadow to Taree, Port Macquarie to Wauchope, Wauchope to Port MacquariePremier ShoalhavenKiama to Bomaderry and Moss Vale to WollongongG&J PurtillCootamundra to CondobolinCootamundra to MilduraWagga Wagga to EchucaAlbury to EchucaRoadcoachQueanbeyan to CootamundraGoulburn to CampbelltownSunstate CoachesGrafton to Byron BayCasino to Tweed HeadsCasino to Surfers ParadiseCasino to Brisbane Symes CoachesTamworth or Armidale to InverellMoree to Grafton + not included in January 2015 re-tendering process
From 2018, NSW TrainLink introduced several new road coach services on a trial basis:NSW TrainLink Regional Coach trials Transport for NSW
Brewarrina to Coolabah commenced May 2018Brewarrina to Coolabah timetable NSW TrainLink May 2018 Bourke to Dubbo commenced May 2018Bourke to Dubbo timetable NSW TrainLink May 2018 Tamworth to Port Macquarie Tamworth to Scone, had ceased by November 2018 Tamworth to Dubbo Campbelltown to Goulburn commenced September 2018Campbelltown to Goulburn timetable NSW TrainLink September 2018 Goulburn to Canberra commenced September 2018,Goulburn to Canberra timetable NSW TrainLink September 2018 made permanent in June 2023 Forster to Coffs Harbour commenced April 2019Forster to Coffs Harbour timetable NSW TrainLink April 2019 Wagga Wagga to Queanbeyan commenced April 2019Wagga Wagga to Queanbeyan timetable NSW TrainLink April 2019 Broken Hill to Adelaide commenced June 2019,Arriving now – Broken Hill to Mildura and Adelaide coach services Roads & Maritime Services 13 June 2019Broken Hill to Adelaide & Mildura timetable NSW TrainLink June 2019 made permanent in June 2023 Broken Hill to Mildura commenced June 2019, made permanent in June 2023 Anglers Reach to Cooma commenced December 2019Cooma to Anglers Reach timetable NSW TrainLink December 2019 Bigga to Goulburn commenced December 2019Goulburn to Bigga timetable NSW TrainLink December 2019 Delegate to Nimmitabel commenced December 2019Delegate to Nimmitabel timetable NSW TrainLink December 2019 Goodooga to Dubbo commenced December 2019Goodooga to Dubbo timetable NSW TrainLink December 2019 Moree to Walgett commenced December 2019Walgett to Moree timetable NSW TrainLink December 2019
Rolling stock
The entire NSW TrainLink fleet is maintained by Sydney Trains either directly or via a Sydney Trains contract with UGL Rail. Class Image Type Service Speed Carriage Numbers Routes operated Built km/h mph XPT Diesel power car16099 191981–1994 XPT carriages Passenger carriage 60 Xplorer Diesel multiple unit 145 90 23 1993
Future fleet Class Image Type Service Speed Carriage Numbers Future routes Built km/h mph R set Electro-diesel multiple unit 160 99 117 (to be built) 2026/27 (scheduled)
A fleet of bi-mode CAF Civity trains is scheduled to replace the XPT, Xplorer and Endeavour fleets as part of the NSW TrainLink Regional Train Project.NSW Region train fleet on track Transport for New South Wales 14 August 2017NSW region train fleet to be replaced Railway Gazette International 15 August 2017
Performance Patronage surged on regional trains in 2023, reversing pandemic-era losses and increasing a further three percent, with a particular increase in ridership on Sydney–Melbourne services. 107,000 monthly journeys were made on regional trains in 2023.
Regional services are considered on-time if they operate within ten minutes of their scheduled time. The target is for 92 percent of intercity services (formerly operated by NSW TrainLink) and 78 percent of regional services to operate on-time. In 2017–18, NSW Trains met both the Intercity target and the regional target. However, it failed to meet the Intercity target during peak hours. These results partially reverse a trend of failing to meet punctuality targets. Since the organisation commenced operations in 2013–14, NSW Trains has never met the intercity peak punctuality target. Regional train services have achieved their punctuality target twice, in 2015–16 and 2017–18. The 2015–16 result was the first time NSW Trains or its predecessor RailCorp had achieved the target in 13 years.
The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June. Major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage is measured are included as notes. +NSW TrainLink patronage by financial year Year 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–202023–24 Intercity (millions) 32.9 34.5 38.5 40.8 44.7 41.3 31.233.4 Regional trains (millions) 1.23 1.22 1.241.69< 1.71.9Regional coaches (millions)0.5720.5370.510 References
Depots The XPT fleet is maintained at the XPT Service Centre and the Endeavour and Xplorer fleets at Eveleigh Railway Workshops. The new bi-mode fleet will be maintained at a new facility, Mindyarra Maintenance Centre, in Dubbo.NSW seeks private finance for regional fleet International Railway Journal 15 August 2017
References
External links
NSW TrainLink website