WESTERN Australia’s Australind train service between Perth and Bunbury has resumed after an absence of nearly three years following the completion of a $A 160m ($US 110m) line upgrade and the acquisition of four new trains.
The Australind train service was withdrawn in November 2023 following frequent breakdowns and delays with the ageing train fleet.
Western Australia’s transport minister, Rita Saffioti, confirmed that the new service will take 2h 30min, but she says talks are underway with the operator Transwa to increase the efficiency of the route.
She adds that the new three-car trains will be introduced gradually, with the first starting on June 29 and the other three rolled out over the coming months. The line was originally due to reopen in 2025, but this was delayed due to issues with testing along with another provisional opening in the first quarter of 2026.
Initially, four return services will operate per week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, increasing to two return services a day in early August. It is hoped to operate four return services daily from January 2027.
Some bus services will continue to run until all four of the new trains are in service.
Alstom is building the diesel trains at its Bellevue Railcar Manufacturing Facility in Perth and are similar to the Transperth C-series fleet.
The new trains have wider doors and better accessibility than the trains they are replacing. They also feature LED lighting, a buffet car, in-seat USB-C charging, storage for 14 bikes, and an eye-catching orange colour scheme.
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