Golden Age: Gold Coast to Brisbane train line a nightmare for passengers

FURIOUS Gold Coasters who are forced to make the long commute to Brisbane have reveal the true cost of travelling to Brisbane by car and train.

PAUL Davies says he takes his chances on the M1 car park to Brisbane every day because of the cost of catching the train.

“My car was out of action for three weeks where I was forced to catch the train,” he said.

“The first couple of days I was buying my tickets at the station and was spending around $30 a day. One trip was $15.

“The ticketing officer at the station said to spend the extra money and buy a GoCard, and I found I saved a lot.

GOLDEN AGE: THE REASON GOLD COASTERS WON’T CATCH THE TRAIN

Paul Davies. Photo by Richard Gosling

“But even then, the train is just not economical enough to twist your arm to use every day.”

He also said for the time conscious, catching the train was not a viable option.

“You’re almost guaranteed a one-and-a-half to two-hour commute, especially if you need a connection.

“And I just found the service wasn’t frequent enough, coming every half-hour.

“With the Commonwealth Games and the additional services, it made a heck of a difference.

“It had me start to think about switching to the train — if you get the M1 at the wrong time, you’re looking at a long commute. But with the car, it’s the convenience of doorstep to doorstep.”

GOLDEN AGE: MOMENTUM GROWS FOR FAST RAIL SOLUTION

Some of the new trains operating in the southeast.

While he said he had no major concern with the trains themselves, with the service in its current state, the negatives outweigh the positives.

“The Gold Coast line is clean, the WiFi is pretty good.

“You can always get the laptop out and do some work — which you obviously can’t when you drive.

“But when it’s overcrowded and you hit those peak times, sometimes you struggle to find a seat, so you’re standing for the entire trip.

“If they were to drop the price down even a third, it would make be consider the inconvenience of time and needing to jump on a connection.”

GOLDEN AGE: WOULD CUTTING FARES GET MORE PEOPLE ON TRAINS?

A packed train at in 2007

Mr Davies said if the cost of fuel were to rise to more than 170 cents per litre, he may be forced to make the switch.

“Only then the temptation would be to get on the train. The current state of transport, both the M1 and trains, is driving me to look at ways around it (not using either service),” he said.

“I’ve been having conversations with colleagues about working from the Gold Coast.

“Being off the road one day a week, it’ll add up in the end.”

Why we’ve changed our minds on the trains

Craig Perl and Shirley Perl. Photo by Richard Gosling

TRAFFIC congestion and increased price of petrol has forced many to re-evaluate how they travel to our state’s capital.

Miami’s Craig and Shirley Perl said they did not have to think twice about how to get to Brisbane.

“I catch the train. I don’t like to drive on the M1,” Ms Perl said of her twice-monthly trips to Brisbane and Ipswich.

“I find it easier to get on at Varsity and just go straight through. Avoid all the traffic and the idiots on the road that way as well.

“And for me, on a pensioner ticket, it’s a lot more affordable.”

Mr Perl said he used the train to avoid steep parking fees in Brisbane and unruly drivers.

“Parking in Brisbane is outrageous – let alone the fuel and the number of lunatics driving — it’s not worth it.

“So much easier to sit on a train, and with that you pretty much get right in there.”