New NSW trains hold 20 per cent fewer seats than trains they replace
New NSW Regional Rail trains arriving in 2028 carry just 118 passengers versus the Xplorer's 148, forcing consideration of extra daily services.
The new three-carriage train heading to the Canberra-Sydney line next year will seat 30 fewer passengers than the current Xplorer, a 20 per cent drop that has Transport for NSW investigating extra daily services.
The new Short Regional Train seats 118 people and includes six wheelchair spaces. The Xplorer has 148 seats and two wheelchair spaces.
Larger, more comfortable seats and expanded wheelchair access account for the loss of slightly fewer seats. Three mostly full services run daily now.
The new trains cannot carry the same total daily load without extra departures. NSW Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said the government is exploring additional services.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr noted that increasing from three to five daily services would raise total daily capacity by about 35 per cent. The $100 million upgrade aims to cut journey times to under four hours.
- 148 seats
- Current train capacity
- 118 seats
- New train capacity
- 20 per cent
- Seat reduction
- 3 mostly fully booked
- Current daily services
Why it mattersCommuters on the Canberra-Sydney line need assurance they won't lose passenger capacity when the new trains arrive.
AustraliaCanberra and Sydney travellers depend on this rail link; fewer seats risk overcrowding unless extra services launch by 2028.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 3 h ago
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