The Meeting Place > Travellers Corner > Free train pass supplied to pensioners.

Free train pass supplied to pensioners.

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Gumnut
7 yrs ago

Hello. How many have used the free train pass? apparently it is valid ONLY to the border of the State one lives in which means our only good use of the ticket would take us to Kalgoorlie (there is nothing at the other borders, not even a train to NT border). 

I have heard pensioners say they cannot use the train pass because they cannot afford the accommodation and food at the other end, even when they try to travel when hotels have specials on.

I'm going to enquire (if I can get through) if this ticket will get us a discount of same worth (to the border) off the advertised trip on the Ghan for 2017.  I doubt this will work as the fare from WA border to Adelaide may be more than we expext.

Any advice/comments welcome.

4 comments
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Abby
7 yrs ago

Gumnut

If you are from WA you may find more info on this link

http://www.concessions.wa.gov.au/concessions/Pages/Public-Transport-Free.aspx

My brother did the trip on Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin  and back a few  years back before the cut to pensioners on it ... and in general he said they would not take the trip again as it was mostly all of the same.

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Sandi (SA)
7 yrs ago

Abby, the Ghan has changed a lot these days.  They do an Explorer's Run now,  whereby they stop over and do tours at different places.  Some are included in the price of the fare and you have a choice of others you can do but pay extra.

Pensioners still get a cheaper fare !!!

If you pay the top price you get all the deals included.  Have just had visitors from interstate and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  They flew to Darwin and came back down to Adelaide by the Ghan, hired a car here and went to Melbourne.  Not sure what they were going to do for the rest of the trip back to Newcastle.

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Abby
7 yrs ago

Yes Sandi

What I think my brother did wrong is doing the trip by Ghan there and back ... they should have done it just one way and do the return trip by some other means.

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Gumnut
7 yrs ago

Hi Abby and Sandy, many thanks for your input.

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Sandi (SA)
7 yrs ago

 

Abby, I would never do the trip both ways.  I would get to either the end or the start, do the trip and come back another way.  Can't see the sense in doing a return trip.

Same if I went to Perth.  It would be a one way trip by train and return back either by plane or car.

Not sure how they run the Explorer One.  Whether it's only on the up/down trip or on both.  So you would have to check on that.  I know they do that on the trip from Darwin to Adelaide as our rellies did it on the way here.

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