Re: Traveling on the XPT

["WhaleOilBeefHooked" <daproc@sd5.mailbank.com>]

Russell Norton wrote in message <935730535.807752@diddley.primus.com.au>...

>My apologies, I meant Kendall, not Hazelton (although they both have
similar
>pricing).

According to the Traveland website, the fares are the same, since they are
both part of the Ansett group.

>Last year we were flying crews from Wagga Wagga to Sydney, or vice versa,
>for $95 on a special discounted advance purchase fare. Seats were limited,
>and sometimes we had to pay $115 for the normal advance purchase fare at
>that time. Whilst in offpeak times we could get the half price XPT fares as
>you stated, the overall cost still made it cheaper to fly due to the time
>savings involved.

There would undoubtedly be an arrangement between Kendall/Hazelton and the
various railway bodies, providing them with special fares. I know we did
when I worked for QANTAS and we had the ADF contract. These specials are not
as available to the general public.


>Currently, you can purchase a ticket from Wagga Wagga to Sydney with
Kendall
>air for $90 (T class). The usual 21 day advance purchase price is $99 (L
>class) - (The class of ticket means nothing except to distinguish price
>categories & any conditions imposed - The seats are all the same). The
usual
>full fare price is around $170. A donation of $6 is required per ticket
>(Sydney airport tax), to help insulate peoples homes after they discovered
>the big noise they hear every 5 minutes, is in fact a 747. ("Oh, when I
>bought my Sydenham terrace last year I didn't realise the airport was THAT
>close")
>Prices quoted are courtesy of Junee Travel agency.

Still does not justify your argument that a discounted airfare is the same
as a first class rail ticket. If you are going to use discounted airfares,
you need to compare them with discounted railfares. If you are going to use
full rail fares, you can only compare them to full Y airfares.

>The example I gave was to illustrate that unless a passenger wants to get
>the "rail travel experience", a flight is a very viable alternative for
>travel to major rural destinations, especially for business passengers.

Business passengers are usually time limited, so the train would not be an
option for them anyway.

DaveP