Metropolitan area
Southern Line

This line originates at Bondi Junction, the closest railway station to the famous Bondi Beach, and travels underneath Kings Cross through Central - Sydney's main railway station - mostly underground before emerging after Redfern. It then travels south through Sydenham, Wooli Creek, Rockdale, Kogarah, Hurstville, Penshurst and Mortdale before dividing at Sutherland. One line travels on to Cronulla and the other travels to Waterfall where suburban services terminate.

This line is a nice one and probably one of the better organised ones during it's current problems. But there is a bottleneck between Hurstville and Sutherland. There is a very nice water view between Oatley and Como when crossing the George's River.

Airport & East Hills Line

This line uses the city loop with the timetable originating at Town Hall even though trains proceed further on another line through Central. Travelling through the loop emerging after Museum and through Central, the line travels underground through Mascot and underneath Sydney International Airport with stations at both the domestic and international terminals. It emerges at Wolli Creek (where passengers for the Southern line can change trains) before travelling through Kingsgrove, Panania, Revesby and East Hills. The line then crosses the top of Holsworthy Military Reserve before joining the main south west line at Glenfield. It then proceeds through Ingleburn and Campbelltown before suburban services terminate at Macarthur.

This is the line I know better than any other because the main south west line is where the XPT from Melbourne enters Sydney. If it wasn't for the fact that Countrylink services stopped at Strathfield I would suggest they should be going down this line - as the interurban trains do. There is another water view between Holsworthy and East Hills but it's not as good as the one on the Southern Line. I prefer to stay on this line because it's the quickest into the city.

Bankstown Line

This line uses the city loop with the timetable originating at Town Hall even though trains proceed further on another line through Central. Travelling through the loop emerging after Museum and through Central, the line travels through Sydenham, Canterbury, Punchbowl and Bankstown. Beyond that the line splits after Birrong with one line continuing to Liverpool and the other looping around to Lidcombe, Strathfield and back to Central.

With City Rail's timetable issues, this line is the defining problem. Particularly beyond Bankstown. A decision needs to be made as to which side of the triangle junction between Birrong, Sefton and Regent's Park should be cut back. Personally I think it should be the side between Birrong and Regent's Park. It would also help if the Countrylink services were taken off this line and sent via Granville if they must stop at Strathfield. Send all the trains through to Liverpool instead of some of them around the loop.

Inner West

This line uses the city loop with the timetable originating at Museum even though trains proceed further on another line through Central. Travelling through the loop emerging after Town Hall and through Central, the line travels through Newtown, Ashfield, Burwood, Strathfield, Lidcombe and Chester Hill before terminating at Liverpool.

This line forms part of the Bankstown Line problem, and I can't really add to that.

South Line

This line uses the city loop with the timetable originating at Museum even though trains proceed further on another line through Central. Travelling through the loop emerging after Town Hall and through Central, the line travels through Ashfield, Strathfield, and Lidcombe before proceeding up to Granville and then down through Merrylands, Fairfield and Cabramatta before getting to Liverpool. Finally it travels down the line to Campbelltown where it terminates.

Before the linking of East Hills and Glenfield, this used to be the only way you could get to Campbelltown - the long way. The other issue with this line is the bottleneck between Cabramatta and Liverpool which it shares with the Inner West and Bankstown lines. It is this line that I would like to see Countrylink use if they must stop at Strathfield.

Cumberland Line

This line is a local suburban line which travels from Campbelltown to Blacktown, and only runs during the weekday peak to provide direct transport for those who live in the western suburbs and work down south in Campbelltown.

Western Line

This line originates at North Sydney and crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge before entering the underground system at Wynyard and through Town Hall to Central, and then to Strathfield and Granville before travelling through Parramatta, Westmead, Seven Hills and Blacktown before dividing with one line going to Richmond. The other line travels through St.Marys and the suburban service terminates at Penrith.

This line is arguably the busiest in the suburban system. If I can't get into a place on the East Hills line this line is the next option, because of the frequency and the number of express services.

Carlingford Line

This line originates at Clyde connecting with Western Line services. It travels through Rosehill to Carlingford where it terminates.

This short line is maintained individually and has no direct services from the city. There are plans in the works to incorporate this line in a new cross town service from Parramatta through to Epping and Chatswood, which will miss the Rosehill station and maybe turn it into solely a station to service the racecourse.

Northern Line

In October 2009, this line changed to incorporate the new link between Epping and Chatswood. The service now originates at Epping and travels back through Eastwood, Strathfield and Central into the underground system through Town Hall and Wynyard before crossing the Harbour Bridge to North Sydney. It travels up the North Shore line to Chatswood before taking the new route through North Ryde and Macquarie University and then carrying on from Epping through Cheltenham to Hornsby.

This line is still very crowded by interurban and Countrylink services, but unlike the south west there aren't any other options. I'd like to see more lines to relieve the pressure on this line - especially between Strathfield and Hornsby. There is a nice water view on this line, between Rhodes and Meadowbank where the lines crosses the upper reaches of the Harbour. The new link is entirely underground and frankly boring as heck!

North Shore Line

This line officially originates at Central but most services come from the Western Line. It travels to North Sydney via the Sydney Harbour Bridge and then travels through St.Leonards, Chatswood, Gordon and Wahroonga before reaching Hornsby. Then it travels up to Berowra where the suburban services terminate.

This line is rather basic, which is understandable as it travels into an area where most people prefer to use their cars.

Interurban area
Illawarra Line

This line uses the Southern line to get to Waterfall and then proceeds through Helensburgh and down the coast through Thirroul and Bulli before getting to Wollongong. The line then divides with one line terminating at Port Kembla. The other line travels down through Dapto and down to Kiama where the electrification ends. However the line does proceed down to Bomaderry just to the north of Nowra where the line terminates.

I've only been down as far as Albion Park (the next station after Dapto) but I thoroughly recommend the views around Stanwell Park and Coal Cliff. Magnificent. I have a feeling that there may be some great views around Kiama as well - and there is a good chance I could be heading down to Nowra in the not too distant future.

Southern Highlands Line

This line uses the Airport & East Hills line to get to Campbelltown and then proceeds through Picton, Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale before continuing through Bundanoon to Goulburn where the interurban services terminate. Many services originate at Campbelltown.

This is the only interurban line that isn't electrified at all and in more recent times some of services to Goulburn were changed to buses (much to my annoyance). But the Southern Highlands has some nice views.

Blue Mountains Line

This line uses the Western line to get to Penrith and then proceeds through Emu Plains, Wentworth Falls, Katoomba, Blackheath and Mount Victoria before the interurban services terminate at Lithgow.

I've never travelled on the interurban service on this line, but I have been through here on the Indian Pacific. There are a series of tunnels between Mount Victoria and Lithgow in order to get through a difficult part of the Blue Mountains. A wonderful area to travel through and I'll have to do the trip on the interurban service one day.

Hunter Line

This line uses the Northern line to get to Berowra and then proceeds through Woy Woy, Gosford, Wyong, Morriset and Fassifern before travelling through the suburbs of Newcastle to the centre of the city where the line terminates. There are branch services out to Maitland and beyond to Telarah, Dungog and also Scone.

There is another series of tunnels on this route between Cowan and Hawkesbury River, although not as many as there is on the Blue Mountains line - but the best view is the water one beyond Hawkesbury River. Crossing the river itself the line travels through a tunnel and then instantly onto a long bridge to another tunnel on the other side. From there past the small quarry station of Wondabyne you can see the local oyster farms. These can also be seen on the waterways before Gosford.

Sydney is Australia's worst city for pollution. Take public transport, and you'll help heaps.

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