With the new regional fare cap in Victoria, along with the NSW TrainLink Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) and the NSW Seniors Opal card, the cost of a train trip from Geelong to Tweed Heads for seniors is now down to as low as $11.60.
To get this reduced fare you’ll need to change trains seven times. A regular Seniors fare from Geelong to Tweed Heads would cost over $100, but you’d only need to change trains three times.
The $11.60 trip takes two nights and a day. You can break the journey anywhere along the line, costing you around $2.50 extra. The regular $100 fare takes one night and one day.
The $11.60 trip is for a Monday to Thursday departure.
For ease in getting your bookings on the XPT section of the trip, try to avoid the peak holiday periods.
Geelong to Albury
The first thing to do is purchase a seniors ticket from Geelong to Albury. If you’re starting your journey from Melbourne or any other location in regional Victoria, your destination is Albury. No matter where you’re travelling from in Victoria your ticket should cost you just $4.60.
When purchasing your ticket, make sure you ask for Geelong to Albury and not Geelong to Melbourne and Melbourne to Albury. If you ask for two separate tickets you’ll be charged $9.20 instead of $4.60
The train/s you’ll need to buy a ticket for and book a seat on are the 16:10 from Geelong to Melbourne (Southern Cross) and the 18:02 from Melbourne (Southern Cross) to Albury.
You can purchase your tickets online at:
https://www.vline.com.au/Plan-trip-buy-tickets
Albury to Goulburn aboard the XPT
You’ll arrive in Albury at 21:58 and change trains to the Sydney bound XPT which departs Albury at 23:05. You’ll then arrive in Goulburn at 04:13. If you’re arriving in Goulburn in the middle of winter, never fear, the waiting room at the station at Goulburn is heated.
You can find the timetable for the Albury to Goulburn journey at:
https://transportnsw.info/regional-southern-line
You’ll need to book the Albury to Goulburn leg of the journey either online at https://transportnsw.info/regional-bookings/ or call on 13 22 32. The ticket you need is a Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) ticket. The cost will be $2.50. This ticket will take you all the way from Albury to Goulburn. When you call, have your Seniors card or Pensioner card and a credit or debit card ready to pay. You must make your booking seven or fewer days before departure as Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) tickets are only available seven days or less before departure. It is essential to book your CPE tickets online or over the phone as CPE tickets cannot be purchased at railway stations or NSWTrainLink booking offices in and around the Sydney area, not even at Central Station, can they be purchased.
Goulburn to Sydney
Once you step off the train at Goulburn you’ll be in Opal card country. No reservations are required, just remember to tap on before boarding and tap off when you alight. Once you tap on at Goulburn, your Seniors Opal card will take you all the way to Dungog for just $2.50.
Your next train departs Goulburn for Sydney (Central) at 05:30 and you’ll arrive at Central at 08:47.
Sydney, Central to Dungog
You’ll have an hour and a half here at Central for breakfast, then board the 11:15 to Newcastle train. The timetable is at: https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/ccn/02CCN
You’ll arrive at Newcastle at 13:51. Change here for the 15:25 service to Dungog. You’ll arrive in Dungog at 16:45. The timetable for the service can be found at: https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/hun/76HUN
Once you arrive at Dungog, don’t forget to tap off using your Opal card.
Dungog to Tweed Heads
The next leg of the journey is aboard the XPT through to Casino. At Casino, you’ll change to a coach to Tweed Heads. The full timetable for this leg of the trip is at: https://transportnsw.info/regional-north-coast-line
The XPT leaves Dungog at 18:11 and along with a change to a coach at Casion, you’ll arrive at Tweed Heads at 05:48.
Tweed Heads to Geelong
Click Here to travel from Tweed Heads to Geelong for $11.40.
Happy travels.