Australians turn to interstate train travel amid soaring domestic air fares heading into holiday peak

Australians facing record high domestic air fares are opting for cheaper overnight trains and coaches to travel interstate, with patronage between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane more than doubling in recent months as services are booked to capacity. Despite decades-old infrastructure on Australia’s east coast that makes train journeys several hours longer than equivalent car trips, fresh ridership statistics have exposed the dramatic effect of the reduction in flights and soaring air fares on summer travel plans. The cheapest available domestic air fares remain above a peak not seen since March 2004, as airlines struggle with the slow rebuilding of the aviation workforce, staff illnesses and high fuel prices. Return economy fares between Sydney and Melbourne – the world’s second busiest air route before Covid – in December average $500 on budget carriers and exceed $1,000 on Qantas, as the number of seats on offer remain at 76% of pre-Covid levels. But the New South Wales government-run XPT train services from Sydney to and from Melbourne, Brisbane and Dubbo, as well as shorter Xplorer services to destinations including Canberra, remain at much lower fixed prices that are only occasionally subject to slight holiday peak increases. An XPT service from Sydney Central to Melbourne Southern Cross takes about 10 hours and 50 minutes, in stark contrast to the 90-minute flight and roughly nine-hour car trip. A one-way adult economy ticket costs $78 and a first-class saver ticket – which boasts more leg room – is on sale for $93. Prices are the same for the roughly 14-hour XPT service from Sydney to Brisbane’s Roma Street station. Two XPT services run in each direction daily between Sydney and Melbourne and Sydney and Brisbane, with a sleeper on the overnight service costing $234 for a full fare adult.<br/>