The XPT calling at Katoomba (once per day each way to/from Dubbo) is still pick-up only out of Sydney and set down only back into Sydney and you can't book that journey. Timetable is on
NSW Train Link website
Visiting Katoomba / Blue Mountains ('The Blue Mountains' proper is a huge area) for a day trip from Sydney is definitely worthwhile, and in my opinion, is best done by train.
I've done it both by train and by hire car and the train won hands down. My one and only car trip involved a few nights stay in the Blue Mountains with Mrs S.B. and her luggage in tow, so better option with a car on that occasion. If you do drive, there's heavy traffic congestion in Sydney, especially around the airport, annoying e-Tag toll motorways along the way and the busy, steep and winding Great Western Highway to negotiate once you climb into the Blue Mountains.
Although you can't get to Katoomba by XPT, there are hourly double-deck electric trains to/from Sydney. These also call at other stations in the Blue Mountains, such as Leura and Wentworth Falls, if you want to avoid "tourist central" at Katoomba - although if you only go for one day, Katoomba is the most spectacular, easily-accessible place so probably the one to aim for. One-way journey time is 2 hours, in round figures, plus the short bus journey from Katoomba station to the Three Sisters etc.
You can use either Opal or a contactless credit / debit card for the trip (tap on and off similar to TfL). One-way adult rail fares Sydney/Katoomba seem to be AU$9.31 (about £5) peak, AU$6.51 (about £3.50) off-peak. So, a bargain compared to a two-hour train journey in Britain, and much cheaper than hiring a car and paying motorway tolls plus petrol.
Regarding a trip to sample an XPT, there are some significant differences (not necessarily in your favour) to understand compared to "having a ride on an HST" in Britain. There's no equivalent to buying a Day Return from Paddington to Reading, turning up for the next HST departure and having a quick spin out and back (as in the good old days).
- The XPTs are only used for the longest-distance services in NSW, like Sydney to Dubbo, Melbourne or Brisbane.
- There might only be one (two if you're lucky) trains per day on a particular route, not necessarily at convenient times for a shortish or leisurely day out.
- Tickets and seats on these regional trains always have to be booked and reserved in advance (I'm not sure whether you can book on the day). It's not usually turn-up-at-the-station-and-travel.
- While the XPTs do stop in the Sydney suburban and outer-metropolitan area at places like Strathfield and Penrith, this is only to pick-up or set-down depending on direction of travel. The compulsory reservation system means this restriction can be effectively policed (you can't hop on and hope the conductor didn't notice).
- Once you get into the sphere of "regional trains" in Australia, distances are long and the trains don't go all that fast, so you might be looking at a good few hours out, a significant wait, then some hours more to travel back.
- The regional trains are more expensive. e.g. the Sydney/Broadmeadow return trip mentioned by
@GC class B1 costs AU$33.58 with compulsory booking both ways on an
HST XPT, versus about AU$13 round-trip if you used one of the regular electric interurban trains between the same stations, where Opal / contactless fares are available.
- Having said that, I think the Sydney/Broadmeadow trip is possibly the most 'do-able' shortish hop (a 2¼ to 2½ hour ride to just outside Newcastle). You can go XPT one way and a Sydney Trains service the other using Opal / contactless. Just need to watch out that the Train Link service you book is actually an XPT, not an Xplorer DMU (the distinction is clear enough in the on-line booking site). [EDIT] If you are planning to try this one, make sure you book Broadmeadow (without an 's'), not Broadmeadows (with an 's'). The latter is on the outskirts of Melbourne, more than 10 hours away.
