'Indian Pacific' COVID-19 restrictions

[Melburnian1]

I looked up the schedules. After departing Port Augusta Westbound, the 'IP' is allowed 27 minutes at Wirrappa to cross an eastbound intermodal (i.e. freight train carrying many containers/tanktainers/empty steel wagons and so on), 70" at Cook SA where passengers can alight to look at this former major rail location and its mostly abandoned facilities, 160 minutes at Rawlinna WA (dinner is next to but not on the train) and 140" at Parkeston (adjacent to Kalgoorlie WA) in the small hours of a Saturday morning.

Some of this time can typically be used to recover/partially recover from any late running. Freight, infrastructure and other trains are not always on time - they can run early, or hugely late - but like ATC deciding which aircraft benefits from priority to land or become airborne, train controllers endeavour to work out the most efficient way to keep two trains that meet each other as close to time as possible. Passenger trains like the 'IP' (and 'The Ghan') tend to have priority but stopping a heavily loaded freight (more freight though travels to Perth than eastbound from it) sees quite some fuel used.

Foreign-domiciled and crewed coastal shipping (i.e. taking containers from the Port of Melbourne to Fremantle after dispensation from the Federal Transport department) is not what it was due to COVID-19 and shipping lines' problems with containers not being where they ought be, so rail freight has risen across the Nullabor, so extra intermodal trains have been and are running, although not always on the days the 'Indian Pacific' is using various line sections. Robert Gottliebsen in 'The Oz' has written multiple recent columns about this.

For the record, the westbound 'IP' tonight arrived Rawlinna two minutes early (and may well depart ahead of time, just as sometimes if boarding goes well and ATC says 'yeah', flights can pushback early).

 

[Melburnian1]

It all depends what the contract says! The ACCC can take action where the contracts specifically say you are entitled to a refund. For contracts that don’t provide for a refund, but may offer a voucher or credit, it will depend on the circumstances, but there’s not necessarily an ‘automatic right’ to a refund in covid circumstances.

From Trip Advisor and others I know, there are apparently only two rail operators worldwide refusing refunds 'due to COVID-19' circumstances.

Journey Beyond is one (Australia) and the other is in a similar jurisdiction with also a Westminster system of government, Rocky Mountaineer in Canada. Both have attracted a lot of negativity on TripAdvisor. While review sites gather the disgruntled and give them a voice, both deserve the adverse feedback. A number of the RM 'anti' reviews are from Australians, perhaps unsurprising given so many of us don't just dream of a visit but travel there.

(In contrast, government owned Canadian rail operator Via Rail offers refunds for its flagship train 'The Canadian' and other services like 'The Ocean'). The latter two (especially 'The Canadian' are great journeys that I found most enjoyable). No off train dining!

 

[Must...Fly!]

The other thing you have to factor in is the time it takes to complete safeworking duties at each crossing location.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

From Trip Advisor and others I know, there are apparently only two rail operators worldwide refusing refunds 'due to COVID-19' circumstances.

Journey Beyond is one (Australia) and the other is in a similar jurisdiction with also a Westminster system of government, Rocky Mountaineer in Canada. Both have attracted a lot of negativity on TripAdvisor. While review sites gather the disgruntled and give them a voice, both deserve the adverse feedback. A number of the RM 'anti' reviews are from Australians, perhaps unsurprising given so many of us don't just dream of a visit but travel there.

(In contrast, government owned Canadian rail operator Via Rail offers refunds for its flagship train 'The Canadian' and other services like 'The Ocean'). The latter two (especially 'The Canadian' are great journeys that I found most enjoyable). No off train dining!

I've compared the Journey Beyond terms and conditions applicable in 2019 and then from April 2020.

Prior to April 2020 a full refund was offered in the event of force majeure. After April 2020, force majeure - with the example of 'new government regulation' specifically listed - will provide for a credit.

Anyone who booked prior to the outbreak of covid would have received a refund. Those booking after covid was well known should have been advised that a credit would be applicable. For cancellations over which Journey Beyond has control a full refund is available.

 

[Melburnian1]

Anyone who booked prior to the outbreak of covid would have received a refund. Those booking after covid was well known should have been advised that a credit would be applicable. For cancellations over which Journey Beyond has control a full refund is available.

The latter does not give prospective travellers confidence. Who wants to lose thousands of dollars if a state Premier decides to have a lockdown, and consequently one is banned from another state or territory?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The latter does not give prospective travellers confidence. Who wants to lose thousands of dollars if a state Premier decides to have a lockdown, and consequently one is banned from another state or territory?

No one wants to lose $$ thousands. But a couple of things to consider... the money is not 'lost', it can be used as a credit for a later journey. Passengers are buying tickets subject to the potential for a deferred credit, and commercially the company must have weighed up the cost between those who will not book at all under the policy, and those who are still willing to accept the new conditions. This is a luxury journey, not essential travel. Qantas and others are the same, offering only a credit if you cannot fly because of government restrictions.

 

[Melburnian1]

No one wants to lose $$ thousands. But a couple of things to consider... the money is not 'lost', it can be used as a credit for a later journey. Passengers are buying tickets subject to the potential for a deferred credit, and commercially the company must have weighed up the cost between those who will not book at all under the policy, and those who are still willing to accept the new conditions. This is a luxury journey, not essential travel. Qantas and others are the same, offering only a credit if you cannot fly because of government restrictions.

Some travellers may not want to change dates. If you knew the demographic these long distance trains attract, it's largely people older than you and I: 65 and above, skewed towards those in their 70s I gather. And while not what we might expect, even in 'normal' times the bulk of the patronage on the 'IP' is apparently Australians.

Those who are 70 and over may have minor health issues at the time they wanted to travel, but some will have more medical problems in the months thereafter. So offering 'travel credits' is not satisfactory.

Nor did you mention how the 'IP' is almost totally booked out until the end of 2021, partly because group tour companies are allocated block bookings so that chews up sleeping berths, leaving fewer for individuals.

What's the use of a 'travel credit' if there's no spare berths on these long distance trains 'The Ghan' and 'The Indian Pacific'?

At least with airlines there may be seats available in a short number of days if one can't initially travel due to lockdowns. Not so with the 'IP' (which doesn't have seats: these days it's only sleeping berths in two classes of travel).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I accept all of that... but we are in the middle of a pandemic, and the majority of aussies aren’t vaccinated yet. Anyone booking now does so knowing the cancellation policy and knowing borders can close.

If this was a case of people buying tickets pre-pandemic who now couldn’t get a refund, that would be a different issue!