With the current fuel crisis, driving from Sydney to the far west or vice-versa is also a big problem with petrol averaging $2.40 a litre, and diesel even higher, making an 1150km trip to Broken Hill very expensive.

Trains like the Xplorer offer huge economic and environmental benefits over road, with the train generally a three-carriage set made up of two power and one carriage running from Sydney to Broken Hill and return.

The train can cover the 1150km Sydney to Broken Hill distance safely in an average of about 13.5 hours with each Xplorer carriage having its own traction and auxiliary engines, working together via the driver's control so they all provide power at the same time all powered by Cummins 19-litre turbo-charged engines.

For travel loads alone, the average three carriage Xplorer can carry (fully loaded) 146 passengers. If we took the people off the train and put them on the roads, assuming 30 are travelling together and the rest, 86 people are solo, that equates to about 116 cars heading west from, or east to, Sydney.

On fuel usage also, each carriage holds 1600 litres of diesel, more than enough for a 1150km journey. So, the fuel economy, based on research, is around 1.1-litre per kilometre for the train.

For the average car, however, to get that distance, would need at least two full tanks of fuel at about 187.5 litres and at a rough cost of $394 per vehicle each way. If then upscaled to cover the train load, this would be averaging out at about 22,000 litres of fuel for the full passenger list. So overall the use of a train saves people wasting a lot of fuel.

These vehicles are also polluting the atmosphere more and facing significant potential crash risks. So, you’ve got 116 cars using 22,000 litres of fuel just to move the same 146 people over 1150km; versus one train of three carriages using 1600 litres of diesel.

The train trip is, in total, about two-thirds more effective, cheaper, less polluting, and safer, and is not contributing to the $5.7 billion annual NSW road crash economic loss on NSW budget and the people impacted.

Also, if people drive to Broken Hill, it's generally a two-day journey over 13 hours driving requiring a motel mid-way, with motels averaging $150 per night. While many drivers could try to do the 1150km journey in one day, that’s not cost-free with increased severe fatigue, wildlife issues, and the weather/environment to consider.

I have seen all of these aspects in doing the two days.

The train fare one way for adults, however, can start at $80, making the trip far more economical for the individual. This compares favourably to the one-way car costs of between $350-400 for fuel, a motel room for $150, and food and drinks of around $50 over two days, with the road trip costing each way around $600.

These figures can also apply equally to trucks on the road moving freight long-distance, the costs are way higher than rail freight.

Having spoken to many fellow travellers over the years, I know that many country people want more regional passenger trains, something that local MPs know all too well but which Sydney centric politicians don’t pay attention to or listen to.

Having spoken to other travellers on a train trip just recently in September 2026, it’s obvious that people in Broken Hill and elsewhere want more trains to the far west.

A local or a tourist who doesn’t want a tiring nine-hour coach trip back to Dubbo on the other six non-train days has to currently then decide to stay in Broken Hill for a week until the next train comes.

This kind of tourism limitation is not okay in 2026, especially when Sydney gets $73 billion spent on Sydney’s Metro network. NSW country rail budget is being not adequately funded and this needs to change... now!