Kudos to CityRail!

["Bradley Torr" <btorr@bigpond.nospam.com>]

Yup, that's right - no sarcasm here.... on a lengthy trip on Saturday which
often takes up to six hours from Warrawong, NSW to Ambarvale, NSW,
everything worked like clockwork and it took barely three hours!

Left home at 08:16, arrived at bus stop 08:20, waited for the 08:20 ex-Port
Kembla Station bus (John J. Hill Pty. Ltd. bus, Port Kembla-Wollongong,
route 65) which arrived pretty much on time. Due at Wollongong Station at
08:54, hopeing to connect to Sydney-bound train due at 08:55. But the bus
was a little late, arrived at 08:57. Made a mad dash up stairs, across
pedestrian bridge across the South Coast line, then back down to the ticket
office, bought my ticket, and train arrived a minute later at 08:59... four
minutes late, so I wasn't complaining!

Timetable showed that train was due to terminate at Sydney Central intercity
platforms, but for some strange reason, after Hurstville, it was announced
that the train would go along the ESR and terminate at Martin Place. Train
arrived at underground platforms at Sydney Central at 10:18, two minutes
late. Went up the elevator and then a short walk to Platform 23 for the East
Hills services.

Timetable showed that next train to Macarthur via East Hills was due at
10:29... but a Macarthur via East Hills service was right there waiting for
me as soon as I climbed the stairs to Platform 23! It left at 10:20, arrived
at Macarthur at 11:13, and from there it was a pleasant 25-minute walk to my
destination in Ambarvale. Arrived at 11:38, after a journey of 3 hours and
22 minutes - completely seamless!

Who said that late trains were a bad thing? :-)

Regards,
Bradley.