Anyone who does the daily commute to Brisbane will know that the rail services to and from the Sunshine Coast are woefully lacking. In response to our call for more to be done to address the current situation, we have received the following advice from Queensland Rail below:
“Queensland Rail is aware of requests for a Gympie North to Nambour shuttle train service. It has undertaken initial investigations into this approach, however further feasibility work would be required to understand the viability of this suggestion.
Queensland Rail’s priority has been introducing extra services across South East Queensland, as well as the introduction of the New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) train fleet to its network.
In addition to 463 extra weekly services added to the network in 2019, from 2 March 2020 Queensland Rail will add a further 32 weekly services to its South East Queensland timetable each week. This includes an additional inbound service from Nambour each weekday morning at 5.38am. The train will arrive at Central station at 7:26am, providing an additional option for Sunshine Coast line commuters during the busy morning peak period.
From 2 March 2020, Queensland’s newest trains – the New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) fleet – will also be deployed to the Sunshine Coast line for the first time, to stations between Elimbah and Nambour. The fleet will operate more than 45 existing Sunshine Coast line services per week – replacing older train models – including the extended service departing Nambour station at 5:38am. The fleet will run on weekdays, not weekends.
To support the smooth rollout of the trains, Queensland Rail will increase its customer service presence at Glass House Mountains, Beerwah, Landsborough and Palmwoods stations.
Queensland Rail has reviewed its operations across SEQ and has identified an opportunity to deliver these service improvements, within its existing available resources. These changes will reduce empty train running across the region by 1,460 kilometres per week – delivering extra services for customers instead.
Queensland Rail will continue to investigate future timetable improvements for South East Queensland into the future, within its available infrastructure and resources.”
Superb, what a web site it is! This blog provides helpful data to us, keep it up.
It’s good to be able to provide feedback somewhere. Contact Queensland Rail or Translink and your communication goes into a black hole, no response.
Reading this, I notice Queensland Rail has made absolutely no commitment to improved services north of Nambour. I’ve just moved from south of Nambour which has good public transport services to north of Nambour, which has me driving everywhere. I wouldn’t be brave enough to catch the train from anywhere north of Nambour. There are so few services that miss the last train and you’re stuck.