If you’re a local senior thinking of a trip anywhere around NSW, then you should be aware of an 85% discount to travel First Class, or, free travel in Economy Class.
NSW and ACT Pensioner Concession Card and NSW War Widow/er transport concession card holders are entitled to four one-way vouchers every year that offer a huge range of benefits for travel not only on the vast rail and coach network within regional NSW but beyond State borders as well.
The vouchers – to be used whenever you choose to travel within a calendar year – enable cardholders to travel free in Economy in regional NSW and to upgrade to First Class, you’ll only need to pay 15% of the full adult peak season fare (minimum $10 trip fee applies).
If your journey requires you to cross the NSW border, having a voucher means you’ll pay just 50% of the relevant Economy or First Class fare for that interstate portion of your trip.
It’s also worth noting that if your voucher-trip involves destinations or departures from Greater Sydney stations (see the boundary distinctions below), there will be no charge on Sydney Trains nor NSW TrainLink Intercity services – you just have to make sure those stops are part of your overall one-way connected journey and are part of the one booking.
For example, a one-way trip utilising a voucher concession might look like this:
From Hornsby to Broken Hill in First Class
- Your first sector from Hornsby to Strathfield suburban station to catch the weekly Xplorer service would be $0 because it’s on a suburban train as part of your connecting journey to Broken Hill.
- The First Class adult peak season fare to Broken Hill on the Xplorer is $183.29. With a one-way Pensioner Travel Voucher, you pay just 15% of that as a ‘First Class booking fee’.
- So, your total fare to get from Hornsby to Broken Hill would be just $27.49.
If you travelled in Economy (the normal Economy adult fare to Broken Hill is $130.26), you would travel free using one of your four annual one-way Pensioner Travel Vouchers.
If you are thinking about using your voucher to claim concessions on a sleeping berth, please note:
- Sleeping cars are only available in First Class
- They carry an extra charge of $88 for a berth.
- You would still pay just 15% of the full fare, plus the berth charge, but remember, if you cross State borders, you would pay 50% of the fare for that interstate portion of the trip.
Bookings
Firstly, make sure your Pensioner Concession Card is registered with NSW TrainLink. You can do this simply by calling 13 22 32.
There is no need to go into a station or agent to have your Pension Card sighted for registration.
To redeem vouchers, enter your Pension Card number when you book online or quote it if you book by phone, and please remember to keep that card with you when you travel as onboard crew may use it to verify your voucher.
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Finally, you don’t need to worry about keeping track of when you have used your vouchers to travel. NSW TrainLink will do that for you and you can call to verify as needed.
Naturally, any unused vouchers are forfeited but if you do travel on more than four one-way journeys in a calendar year, your Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card or government-issued Seniors Card still entitles you to a 50% concession on the full adult peak season fare until the annual rollover date restarts your entitlement to four more vouchers.
And if that’s not exciting enough – you can still use the $2.50 Country Pensioner Excursion fare anywhere in the ‘CPE Zone’ on the Regional Train and Coach network.
Click the map to enlarge, click again to return.
For a full list of all entitlements and concessions on NSW Regional trains, click here.
If you have any further questions regarding travel throughout the Regional network, call NSW TrainLink on 13 22 32 or visit nswtrainlink.info
