What is the daily commute from Katoomba to Sydney CBD like and will there be an express train soon?

We are thinking of moving to Katoomba. My husband may be able to get work up there (he is a gardener) but I would have to commute to Central Station then walk 20 mins to my work in Ultimo. Does anyone else do a similar daily commute and how does it effect you?
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We do it (after moving from Newtown) and have never looked back. We train it in and park at Katoomba station. We travel to St Leanords, so further than Ultima by quite a bit. Wouldn't trade the lifestyle we have now for the world - there's just no comparison.

I actually think it's a pretty decent secret to live up here and commute to the city. A lot of people think it's a massive burden, whereas the opposite is true. You can spend the time on the train learning a new language, reading, catching shut-eye or just gazing out at the beautiful surroundings. The stress you release living somewhere like Katoomba is worth every second of that trip - a trip that you get used to in no time at all. There's a reason the highways are packed coming up here every Friday and going back every Sunday - everyone loves it up here.

We're first home owners in our late 20's and early 30s. A hot tip : a lot of people in Katoomba are very territorial about their beautiful little village. A lot of disinformation in the buying process. Trust me - buy in the north, the south fills up with tourists and is hell on the weekends. It's a lot quieter in the north, and the "filled with housing comission and rough types" line you hear is mostly from people that live in the north and don't want you there. The housing commissions were all moved out to Dubbo in the late 80s and early 90s, the stigma now is just greedy folks not wanting others to share in their way of life.

Good luck!

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The drive from Katoomba to George Street in Sydney is around 1.5 hrs. Traffic dependent. The Great Western Highway through the Mountains is currently going through a major upgrade so there are some road works. When the road works are completed it should be a fairly clear run. There is no talk at the moment of an express train from Katoomba to Central with no stops. However there is one train in the morning that has minimal stops and is quicker than the standard service.

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I wouldn’t do it every day. My husband works full time in Sydney but only commutes two days and works at home the rest. The train journey is nice and easy but long. You would have back problems doing it every day. There will be no new express trains to the mountains but we are getting new trains this year 2021 to replace the 1960s ones we currently have.

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Don't underestimate how long this commute is. Yes, it's beautiful to live in Katoomba and the train may be peaceful but it really isn't quick. If you end up missing an 'express' you're looking at a 2 hour journey maybe longer. If you like getting up really early and can genuinely handle more time away from home during the day, fine. But if you don't really like travel as is, Katoomba isn't the place to live for a city commute. When I lived in Springwood, my neighbour left for the city at 5:45 each day (she has been doing this for over 20 years). Some people do it and don't mind. It still took her an hour and a half to get to Town Hall station and Springwood is mid-mountains. Pro re: catching train from Katoomba is that you'll always get a seat on your commute to the city! I know that people just love to say positive things about the suburb they live in but seriously, you're the one who'll be getting out of bed before sunrise in winter so be really honest with yourself.

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The train is really good. I always sit in a quiet carriage (first and last carriages) AND wear earplugs and work on my laptop or read a book. It's the most peaceful part of the day, and a lot better than battling inner city traffic. To save time at either end, why not get a bike? You can lock it up on the train.

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