What is possible with a well run and maintained rail system. 

If we had good fast service for Albury you could do the same but we have a terrible service.

Trains replace planes on Wien – Salzburg route

I did Salzburg-Vienna 25 years ago. Dunno what speed we were doing, just an ordinary looking electric loco and coaches, but the speed was much faster than any train I've been on in Australia, and they kept it up until we reached Vienna's suburbs. Train was packed, I was sitting on my luggage in the aisle. Travelling in Europe always shows how slow our trains are.

I did Salzburg-Vienna 25 years ago. Dunno what speed we were doing, just an ordinary looking electric loco and coaches, but the speed was much faster than any train I've been on in Australia, and they kept it up until we reached Vienna's suburbs. Train was packed, I was sitting on my luggage in the aisle. Travelling in Europe always shows how slow our trains are.

I have travelled on the OBB a few times. Clean and efficient with spectacular views.
Wow a coordinated interchange with two modes air and rail. Nice change. I am sure also that European some airlines do code share with rail systems too eg with DB in Germany for their High speed systems.

Won't ever see this here. Our attitude is that government is competing with the private sector and the government should get out eg. ABC vs Murdoch.

That is the root cause of never seeing a coordinated approach with all service providers, as it is seen as competition, instead of enhancing and growing the market. Nup the attitude is to slice the existing market and gain the biggest slice.

Ironically the best coordinated systems here between modes is vertical when it is wholly within a company in freight. Eg SCT.

I did Salzburg-Vienna 25 years ago. Dunno what speed we were doing, just an ordinary looking electric loco and coaches, but the speed was much faster than any train I've been on in Australia, and they kept it up until we reached Vienna's suburbs. Train was packed, I was sitting on my luggage in the aisle. Travelling in Europe always shows how slow our trains are.

I have travelled on the OBB a few times. Clean and efficient with spectacular views.
Wow a coordinated interchange with two modes air and rail. Nice change. I am sure also that European some airlines do code share with rail systems too eg with DB in Germany for their High speed systems.

Won't ever see this here. Our attitude is that government is competing with the private sector and the government should get out eg. ABC vs Murdoch.

That is the root cause of never seeing a coordinated approach with all service providers, as it is seen as competition, instead of enhancing and growing the market. Nup the attitude is to slice the existing market and gain the biggest slice.

Ironically the best coordinated systems here between modes is vertical when it is wholly within a company in freight. Eg SCT.

Around 2.5 - 3.0 hours Salzberg - Vienna, city centre to city centre, in absolute comfort compared to air travel. Having done the journey many times why anyone would fly eludes me.

Around 2.5 - 3.0 hours Salzberg - Vienna, city centre to city centre, in absolute comfort compared to air travel. Having done the journey many times why anyone would fly eludes me.

You would fly if you are hubbing to (or from) a long haul flight.

One trip to the airport, instead of a trip to the train and then a trip from the train to the airport.

Around 2.5 - 3.0 hours Salzberg - Vienna, city centre to city centre, in absolute comfort compared to air travel. Having done the journey many times why anyone would fly eludes me.

You would fly if you are hubbing to (or from) a long haul flight.

One trip to the airport, instead of a trip to the train and then a trip from the train to the airport.

Unsurprisingly Vienna International Airport has a rail station connected to their system.

Probably no different transiting from international to domestic airlines in terms of time.

When you factor in the time to transit between different air terminals and then the inevitable hour plus loss waiting to connect. No one books a 30min connection between international and domestic at a hub, as you cannot be sure your international flight will arrive on time.

The connection between air and rail works there, as they have a decent rail system, with high frequencies.

Around 2.5 - 3.0 hours Salzberg - Vienna, city centre to city centre, in absolute comfort compared to air travel. Having done the journey many times why anyone would fly eludes me.

You would fly if you are hubbing to (or from) a long haul flight.

One trip to the airport, instead of a trip to the train and then a trip from the train to the airport.

Would you or would you get the train if the airport had a rail link making it easy to connect with other rail services.  it shows just how bad rail has got in Australia and again how far we ave to go.  There are flights between Melbourne and Albury with QANTAS several times per day and business people probably don't consider the train given the bad publicity it receives and arguably the poor service and time to take.

Using Albury as the example above comment if you were to visit Albury for a business meeting taxi to airport, 60 minutes at airport, flight is what 40 mins then taxi from airport to the location.  If the train could do it it in 2.5 hours it would be a solid alternative.

What is the line speed these days on the ARTC track between Melbourne and Albury?

Around 2.5 - 3.0 hours Salzberg - Vienna, city centre to city centre, in absolute comfort compared to air travel. Having done the journey many times why anyone would fly eludes me.

You would fly if you are hubbing to (or from) a long haul flight.

One trip to the airport, instead of a trip to the train and then a trip from the train to the airport.

Would you or would you get the train if the airport had a rail link making it easy to connect with other rail services.  it shows just how bad rail has got in Australia and again how far we ave to go.  There are flights between Melbourne and Albury with QANTAS several times per day and business people probably don't consider the train given the bad publicity it receives and arguably the poor service and time to take.

Using Albury as the example above comment if you were to visit Albury for a business meeting taxi to airport, 60 minutes at airport, flight is what 40 mins then taxi from airport to the location.  If the train could do it it in 2.5 hours it would be a solid alternative.

What is the line speed these days on the ARTC track between Melbourne and Albury?

Well said. Imagine we had a usable line with hourly services, gee that is pushing the limit. Instead the pollies will roll annual a VFT proposal, so they don't have to invest with an aim to achieve Medium Fast Speeds say up to 200kmh with regular frequencies. Nup roll out the Multi $B project that has a terrible cost benefit outcomes.

Why are they not fixing alignment, with eventual separate tracks for freight and pax? That is achievable and would deliver real PT outcomes.

There is nowhere near enough passenger demand to make separate freight and passenger lines viable outside of the big cities. Hence why the vhst doesn't stack up. Fixing the alignment and the track quality is the important thing and to allow a train every hour to Albury is going to require more capacity upgrade in Melbourne then it is in regional areas.