'Train' trip took three hours from Central

It took almost three hours for Ms Olivana Smith-Lathouris to get to Woy Woy from Central by 9am on the morning of Wednesday, January 11, due to track work.

Ms Smith-Lathouris needed to visit Woy Woy for a job interview and said she had done a similar journey on multiple occasions.

"To ensure my being on time, I checked the timetable only to be greeted by an alarming yellow warning sign 'Track Work'," she said.

However, the extent of the delays was a shock to her.

The journey usually taking about an hour and a quarter took more than double this time.

"This morning however, my travel time was extended to just under three hours," Ms Smith-Lathouris said.

"This meant waking up at approximately 5am to allow enough time to step in and out of the shower, shove half an apple in my mouth and run out the door," she said.

Ms Smith-Lathouris, along with many other commuters travelling from the city to the Central Coast, boarded a train from Central to Gordon.

From Gordon Station, she waited 15 minutes for a bus which would arrive at Berowra Station 40 minutes later, just in time for her to catch yet another train to Woy Woy.

"By the end of the journey, I felt completely frantic and almost exhausted," she said.

"I do not own a car and rely on buses and trains to take me to and from university, work, internships and to visit friends and family," Ms Smith-Lathouris said.

"I am greatly appreciative to have the option of public transport and accept that with a growing demand, delays and complications are unavoidable."

"But for a journey to take double its initial time with three connections, it is understandable that there should be complaint and a demand for more efficient and reliable transport," she said

SOURCE:

Letter, 11 Jan 2018

Olivana Smith Loutharis, Maroubra