The Campbelltown to Goulburn coach is a regular Opal service, so just tap on it when you board the coach and tap off when you alight at Goulburn.
You’ll arrive at Goulburn railway station at 9:00 with an hour and thirteen minutes to grab a quick cuppa before boarding the Melbourne bound XPT which departs at 10:13. Alight at Cootamundra where the train arrives at 12:44. Refreshments are available on the train and also at Cootamundra station.
At Cootamundra, change here for the NSWTrainLink coach to Mildura which departs from out front of the station at 14:55. Don’t worry, the coach waits for the train if it’s running late.
You’ll need to book the Goulburn to Mildura (or any stop in between) 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 from Goulburn to Mildura or any stop in between. 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 important to book online or over the phone as CPE tickets cannot be purchased at railway stations or NSWTrainLink booking offices – even at Central station, they cannot be purchased.
Your coach will arrive in Griffith at 17:31, Hay at 19:18 and Mildura at 23.28. The coach also stops at the following towns (see below). For more information, see the timetable at https://transportnsw.info/regional-southern-line
Temora 15:39 Ariah Park 16:07 Beckom 16:22 Ardlethan 16:27 Barellan 16:50 Binya 17:05 Yenda 17:15 Griffith 17:31 Darlington Point 18:02 Carrathool turnoff 18:42 Hay ARV 19:18 Hay DEP 19:38 Balranald 21:28 Robinvale 22:23 Euston 22:33 Buronga 23:25 Mildura 23:28
There is a coach that leaves Moree for Brisbane every Monday and Friday. The journey is via Goondiwindi and Warwick. The cost for seniors is $88.00 and takes seven hours. Full details are at https://www.crisps.com.au/service-runs/15
For those with a sense of adventure and a little more time to spare this trip takes you to Brisbane via the Gold Coast.
Moree, Inverell or Glen Innes to Tweed Heads will cost just $2.50. Through to Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise will cost $5.50 and right through to Brisbane will cost a total of just $9.18. The whole trip can be done Moree to Brisbane in a day but you’ll arrive in Brisbane just after midnight (12:29 am).
You’ll need to book your journey a week or less from the departure date to get the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) fare of just $2.50 which will take you from Moree and intermediate stops, all the way through to Tweed Heads. Call NSWTrainLink on 13 22 32 or make your booking online at: https://transportnsw.info/regional
The coach from Moree will arrive Grafton City Railway station at 16:40.
Grafton to Tweed Heads
From the Grafton City railway station the train north to Casino departs at 17:11 and arrives at Casino at 18:40 where the train will terminate and you’ll change for a coach to Tweed Heads. The coach departs Casino at 19:20 and arrives in Tweed Heads at 21:28. Here’s a link to the timetable. https://transportnsw.info/regional-north-coast-line
There are four coaches that leave Casino for various destinations in Queensland and Northern NSW. Just make sure you catch the correct coach.
Tweed Heads to Broadbeach South
On alighting from the NSWTrainLink coach at Tweed Heads, just wait at the bus stop where you arrived on Wharf Street (the main street of Tweed heads) for Surfside bus number 700. You won’t have long to wait as buses leave Tweed Heads for Broadbeach South every fifteen minutes. While you’re waiting, reach into your wallet or purse for your Queensland Go Card and use it to tap on when you board the bus.
The trip from Tweed Heads to Broadbeach South should take a little over half an hour. Alight from the bus at Broadbeach South. Don’t forget to tap off.
From Broadbeach South you have the option to take the Robina bus number 750 through to Robina Railway Station to connect with a train to Brisbane. Here’s the timetable for the Robina bus. https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/t/750/west/ This service departs every half hour at this time of the evening and takes a little less than half an hour to get to Robina Railway Station.
The other option is to take the light rail through to Helensvale to connect with a train through to Brisbane. The good thing about the light rail is that it departs every fifteen (15) minutes to Helensvale. The trip form Broadbeach South to Helensvale takes 45 minutes. Here’s more information about the light rail and the timetable. https://www.goldcoastlightrail.com.au/rail-mail/gold-coast-light-rail-timetable/
Helensvale or Robina to Brisbane
Once you arrive at either Robina Railway Station or Helensvale Railway Station, fast suburban trains run to Brisbane every half hour at this time of night.
This trip is divided into three sections: Sydney to Dungog using your Gold Opal Card – cost of the journey is $2.50; then Dungog to Tweed Heads using your Seniors Card – journey cost is $2.50; then Tweed Heads to Brisbane using your Translink Seniors Go Card – cost $6.85. The whole trip, from Sydney through to Brisbane can be done in one day at the total cost of $11.85.
For this trip, you’ll need all of these three cards. Do yourself a favour and apply and receive your cards a few weeks before your departure.
Due to extra train services between between Varsity Lakes and Brisbane on Friday and Saturday evenings, you’re advised to do this trip on either a Friday or Saturday.
The trip begins at Central aboard the 05:15 M-F Opal service from Central to Newcastle Interchange, arriving at Newcastle Interchange at 07:50. The timetable for Sydney to Newcastle Opal service can be found at: https://transportnsw.info/routes/details/intercity-trains/ccn/02CCN
The next part of the trip is aboard the XPT. Bookings are required for travel aboard this train. To get the $2.50 (CPE) fare, you’ll need to book and pay for your journey a week or less before your departure date. Call NSWTrainlink on 13 22 32 and reserve yourself a seat aboard the XPT that departs Dungog at 10:43, destination Tweed Heads. You can also book online at: https://transportnsw.info/regional
It’s important that you book and pay for your seat seven (7) days or less before departure. This is so that you’ll get the discounted Country Pensioner Excursion fare (CPE) which will cost you $2.50 from Dungog right through to Tweed Heads. If you try to book more than seven days ahead the fare will be $53.61. So make sure you get your dates correct!
You’ll be required to change from the XPT to a coach at Casino for the final leg of the journey through to Tweed Heads. You’ll arrive Tweed Heads at 21:28. Here’s a link to the North Coast NSW timetable: https://transportnsw.info/regional-north-coast-line
Tweed Heads to Broadbeach South
On alighting from the NSWTrainLink coach at Tweed Heads, just wait at the bus stop where you arrived for Surfside bus number 700. You won’t have long to wait as buses leave Tweed Heads for Broadbeach South every fifteen minutes. While you’re waiting, reach into your wallet or purse for your Queensland Go Card and use it to tap on when you board the bus.
The trip from Tweed Heads to Broadbeach South should take a little over half an hour. Alight from the bus at Broadbeach South. Don’t forget to tap off.
From Broadbeach South you have the option to take the Robina bus number 750 through to Robina Railway Station to connect with a train to Brisbane. Here’s the timetable for the Robina bus. https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/timetables/bus/t/750/west/ This service departs every half hour at this time of the evening and takes a little less than half an hour to get to Robina Railway Station.
The other option is to take the light rail through to Helensvale to connect with a train through to Brisbane. The good thing about the light rail is that it departs every fifteen (15) minutes to Helensvale. The trip form Broadbeach South to Helensvale takes 45 minutes. Here’s more information about the light rail and the timetable. https://www.goldcoastlightrail.com.au/rail-mail/gold-coast-light-rail-timetable/
Broadbeach South light rail terminal
Helensvale or Robina to Brisbane
Once you arrive at either Robina Railway Station or Helensvale Railway Station, fast suburban trains run to Brisbane every half hour at this time of night.
A common saying that I’ve heard numerous times is: “You’ve never travelled until you’ve been to India” and I agree, wholeheartedly. I’ve been to India and can understand what they’re talking about.
I want to rearrange that saying, to suit Australia, to: “You’ve never seen Australia until you’ve visited Lightning Ridge.”
Lightning Ridge is different, and so are the people who live there. It’s claimed that over 63 nationalities live in Lightning Ridge. The closest comparison to Lightning Ridge is somewhere like Coober Pedy. But for folks in NSW, Lightning Ridge is just up the road and it doesn’t take too much effort to get there. Coober Pedy takes a lot more organisation, money and travel time. So we’ll leave that for another trip.
We visited Lightning Ridge on a trip that only lasted a couple of days. But as we departed, we agreed that it was well worth the trip.
Sydney to Lightning Ridge Direct
It’s a long trip from Sydney to Lightning Ridge by train/coach. Departure time on the daily NSW Trainlink service from Sydney to Lightning Ridge is 07:19. Arrival at Lightning Ridge is 18:50. That’s over thirteen and a half hours of travel on the same day. The full fare cost from Central to Lightning Ridge is up to $83 each way. The fare for Seniors Card holders is $57.64 each way. You can view the fares on the NSW TrainLink bookings page.
Seniors Card Holders: Sydney to Lightning Ridge direct – for $7.50
This direct trip to Lightning Ridge for $7.50 can only be done on a Saturday.
Once you alight from the train in Lithgow, walk up the stairs and turn to your left, out onto Lithgow’s main street. From the bus stop, out the front of the Post Office, catch the Lithgow Buslines service number 636 to Bathurst that leaves at 08:57. The bus arrives at Bathurst Railway station at 10.08. Here’s a link to the Lithgow Buslines timetable.
The XPT train to Lighting Ridge departs Bathurst at 10:52.
Seven days or less before your departure call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 and make and pay for your booking, Bathurst to Lightning Ridge. Ask for the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) and it will cost you $2.50. You can also book online on the NSW TrainLink bookings page. Have your Seniors and credit card ready.
Sydney to Lightning Ridge – Overnight in Bathurst
You can break the journey and stay overnight in Bathurst. The suggested accommodation is across the street from Bathurst Railway Station at the newly renovated Victoria Hotel. We’ve stayed there numerous times. The hotel is clean, comfortable and serves meals. The total fare for doing the trip this way is just $2.50 (Opal) from Sydney to Bathurst and another $2.50 (NSW TrainLink) CPE ticket from Bathurst to Lightning Ridge. The total cost is $5.00, from Sydney to Lightning Ridge.
Sydney to Bathurst
There are two Opal services a day that departs Sydney (Central) that run directly to Bathurst. The train is known as the Bathurst Bullet.
The Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Weekends and Public Holidays departures are at 15:05, arriving at Bathurst at 18:47. The Wednesday departure is ten minutes later at 15:57.
There’s also a later departure at 17:47 M to F, bringing you into Bathurst at 21:33.
Since these services are Intercity services just tap in with your Opal card. The fare for Seniors card holders is just $2.50. Bookings are not required for these services.
Bathurst to Lightning Ridge
The train to Lightning Ridge departs Bathurst at the civilised time of 10:52 daily. Arrival at Dubbo is at 13:45. Here you’ll change for a coach to Lightning Ridge which departs daily at 14:20 and arrives in Lightning Ridge at 18:50.
There is a 10-minute refreshment stop at Coonamble at 16:15 between Dubbo and Lightning Ridge.
There is a buffet car on the train where you can purchase tea, coffee, drinks (including beer and wine), cakes, magazines and even a full lunch. Cash, Mastercard and Visa are accepted at the buffet.
Before leaving home you’ll need to book and pay for your ticket with NSW Trainlink. The Seniors Card holder’s fare from Bathurst to Lightning Ridge is a Country Pensioner Excursion fare (CPE) of $2.50. You can book online on the NSW TrainLink bookings page. To enjoy the benefits of the CPE fare, you’ll need to book and pay seven days or less before your departure. You can also call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 for info and bookings. Have your Seniors card and your credit card ready.
Lightning Ridge Accommodation
There are numerous motels in Lightning Ridge near town and the coach stop. We stayed at the Wallangulla Motel which was on the main street of Lightning Ridge and just down the street from the coach stop. They give a 10% discount if you are a member of any bowling club. The day before leaving home I ducked down to my local bowling club and joined up. The motel is very clean and comfortable and obviously owned by the local bowling club which is across the road from the motel and serves meals and cold beers.
Lightning Ridge Tours
You can hire a car and tour Lightning Ridge or walk but the best way to get a feel for the town is a tour, led by one of the locals.
They start at just $60.00 per person for a three-hour tour. We joined the Outback Opal Tours which was worth every cent.
More info on other tours in Lightning Ridge.
Heading back to Sydney
Basically, heading back to Sydney is the forward journey in reverse. Book the coach/train through to Bathurst, stay the night at the Victoria Hotel across the road from the Bathurst station/coach stop, and then the next morning catch the Bathurst Bullet train to Sydney. The Bullet departs Bathurst for Sydney at 05:46 and 07:35 on weekdays. Weekends and public holidays at 06:07 and 07:40. Click here for the Bathurst to Sydney timetable.
Unfortunately, you can’t do the return journey in one day for just $7.50. The connections don’t work.
Before departing
Timetables are regularly updated by NSW TrainLink and Sydney Trains. So don’t forget to check and double-check all the departure times.
How long to spend in Lightning Ridge
We only spent one day (and two nights) in Lightning Ridge. We did the organised tour in the morning and then had a look around town in the afternoon. We felt we’d just about seen everything and we were happy with our short stay.
With recent changes made to the North Coast line southern limit of the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) boundary, it is now possible to travel from as far north as Tweed Heads right through to Dungog for just $2.50.
Once you’ve reached Dungog, you’re in the Opal area and can tap on and travel through to Sydney or anywhere in the Opal area for just another $2.50 using your Seniors Opal card (the yellow one) This brings the total cost of a journey from Tweed Heads, or anywhere in between to Sydney to just $5.
If you study the timetable below you’ll see that the best service to use is the service that departs Tweed Heads at 05:15. and arrives at Dungog at 16:38. Change at Dungog and you’ll have a 23-minute wait to connect with the 17:01 (Opal) service to Newcastle. Change again at Newcastle for the (Opal) service to Sydney.
The timetable below is for the Monday to Friday services. Please click on the timetable links for weekend and public holiday services.
A week before departure, don’t forget to book your ticket to Dungog with NSWTrainLink. You can do this online.
Or call NSWTrainlink on 13 22 32. Before calling make sure you have your Seniors card and a credit or debt card ready to pay. The amount will come to $2.50. If you’re quoted a higher amount, assure the representative that you are after the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) fare.
When the Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) fare ($2.50) was first introduced, the area covered on the North Coast of NSW extended from Tweed Heads to as far south as Gloucester, which is just north of Dungog. The Opal card area extends as far north from Sydney as Dungog. This meant that you could travel as far north as Dungog for $2.50 on your Opal card but you would have to somehow get to Gloucester to take advantage of the $2.50 CPE tickets. There was a way around this as explained in Seniors Card Travel: Sydney to Tweed Heads for $7.50.
But recently everything changed when NSWTrainLink extended the CPE ticket area south from Gloucester to Dungog. This now allows a Seniors Cardholder to travel from Sydney (or anywhere in the Opal card area) to Dungog for $2.50, then change trains at Dungog and travel as far as Tweed Heads for just another $2.50. It may be just a very small change but it now allows a Seniors Cardholder to travel anywhere on the North Coast of NSW for just $5.00. Thank you Gladys!
Below are the timetables for three services that run Monday to Friday that’ll get you as far as Tweed Heads for just $5.00. A link is included to the timetables if you plan to travel on a weekend or public holiday. Before leaving don’t forget to to book your ticket for the section north of Dungog on the XPT with NSWTrainlink on their bookings page. Or give them a call on 13 22 32. Just make sure the fare you’re charged is just $2.50. Have your credit or debt card and Seniors card ready before you call.
If you catch the early or the late train you’ll have around an hour to wander up and have a quick look around the main street of Dungog. After a 5 to 10 minute walk from the station you’ll find a coffee and cake shop for a quick cuppa. If you have luggage, you can book it onto the train at the station. More info about Dungog station.
The regular Seniors Card holders fare from Taree to Sydney Central is $33.43 aboard the XPT. You can reduce this fare down to just $5.00 by catching the Busways coach #151 from Taree to Broadmeadow ($2.50). Then from Broadmeadow catch an Opal service to the city for another $2.50.
The Busways coach departs from Taree station and heads down over the bridge across the Manning River and down to Broadmeadow via Foster/Tuncurry, Bulahdelah, Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest. If you’re travelling from any of the destinations along the route the fare is still just $2.50 all the way through to Broadmeadow
Reservations to board the coach are not necessary, just show your Seniors card or Pensioner card when you board and pay the driver the $2.50 fare. Visa, Mastercard and EFTPOS are also accepted.
There are two services a day (M-F) departing Taree for Broadmeadow. The morning service departs Taree at 09:11, Forster coach stop at 9:46 and arrives at Broadmeadow station at 13:06.
The afternoon service departs Taree at 14:31 (M-F), Forster at 15:06 and arrives at Broadmeadow station at 17:56
There’s a half-hourly Opal train service from Broadmeadow to Central, so you shouldn’t have long to wait.
There are services on the weekends and public holidays – even Christmas day! If you’re travelling on a weekend or public holiday, please check the timetables below for the coach and train services as departure times vary at these times.
The regular one-way cost of a journey from Sydney to Forster for Seniors Card holders is $28.25. Taree will set a Seniors cardholder back $33.43.
But you can do the trip for just $5.00 from Sydney to anywhere north of Tea Gardens right through to Taree for just $5.00. This includes places like Tea Gardens, Hawks Nest, Bulahdelah, Forster and Tuncurry.
The trick here is to catch a regular Opal service from Central, change at Broadmeadow and board the Busways coach to your destination and pay just $2.50 to the driver (cash or credit card) for anywhere between Broadmeadow and Taree, including Forster/Tuncurry.
An example would be to catch the 06.15 (M-F) Opal service from Central to Newcastle Interchange. The train will arrive at Broadmeadow at 08:55. Change at Broadmeadow and board the Busways coach #150 to Taree. The coach will arrive at 09:43 and leave from the main entrance (east side) of Broadmeadow station (near the taxi stand). When you board the coach, show the driver your Seniors card and pay $2.50 using cash or credit or debit card. The bus has full EFTPOS facilities on board. Opal card ain’t accepted on the bus.
There is also an afternoon service, aboard the Opal service departing Central at 11:15 (M-F) arriving at Broadmeadow at 13:43 to connect with the Busways coach departing for Forster/Taree at 14:42.
If you download and study the timetables, you’ll see that there are services 7 days a week.
As usual, before leaving always check for timetable alterations, trackwork, and coach service alterations.
Your Seniors Opal card will take you from Sydney to Scone for $2.50. Past Scone the regular Seniors half fare from Sydney to Moree is $64.56, Tamworth is $53.86. Here’s how to get to any of the locations served by TransportNSW in the NSW Northwest for just $7.50.
This trip works M-F and starts with an early departure aboard the 05:15 Opal service from Central to Hamilton where you’ll arriveHamilton station at 07:46. You can download the PDF file, Central Coast & Newcastle line here
From Hamilton board the 08:16 train to Muswellbrook. You’ll arrive at Muswellbrook at 09:50. You can download the Hunter Line timetable here
On your arrival at Muswellbrook, leave the station and cross the road to the coach stop and catch the Osborn’s Transport coach service # 415 which departs the coach stop at 10:50. You got an hour to between the arrival of the train and departure of the coach. There is a cafe and bakery about 5 minutes walk from the station.
It’s a 35 minute run through to Scone where you can alight the coach at the Scone NAB Corner. With your Seniors card, the fare will cost $2.50. Neither credit or debit cards, nor Opal cards are accepted. This is a cash-only service. There are ATM machines within a 5-minute walk from Muswellbrook station.
The video below shows boarding the train at Hamilton. Highlights of the trip through to Muswellbrook. Catching Osborn’s Transport coach from Muswellbrook station and arrival in Scone.
You’ll arrive in Scone at 11:25. The next leg of your journey to your desired destination in the NSW North West is by train. You have plenty of time for lunch in one of the cafes or hotels that serve meals in Scone as the train departs from Scone station at 13:37. The timetable for all the NSW North West services can be found at https://transportnsw.info/regional-north-west-line
This is a M-F morning departure from Melbourne (Southern Cross) aboard the 7.05 am service to Albury. Reservations are required. The cost of the ticket will be $4.60. You can call V/Line on 1800 800 007 or book online at: https://www.vline.com.au/Plan-trip-buy-tickets
You’ll arrive at Albury at 11.00 am. Here you’ll have a 49-minute wait in Albury before boarding the 11:49 am Melbourne to Sydney XPT. The ticket you’ll need is a Country Pensioner Excursion (CPE) ticket from Albury to Goulburn. The cost of this ticket is $2.50. You’ll need to purchase the ticket either online at https://transportnsw.info/regional-bookings/ or call on 13 22 32. Avoid trying to buy this ticket at the booking center at Albury station. You may only be able to purchase it online.
All going well, you should arrive in Goulburn at 17:14. Here you’ll have a two hour and forty minute wait as the Opal service train to Sydney does not depart until 19:54. It’s not that bad as there are plenty of eateries uptown to enjoy a leisurely dinner. Once you arrive back at Goulburn station for the 19:54 departure to Sydney, don’t forget to tap on using your Seniors Opal card. The trip to Sydney will cost you $2.50.