free rail travel for pensioners south australia

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Get around Adelaide by bus, train and tram

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Adelaide Metro wants all passengers to have a safe journey. Sometimes services need to stop or slow down suddenly. Please remain seated until your bus, train or tram has arrived and you can get off safely.

Free travel times

South Australian Seniors Card members can travel for free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams – all day, every day.

South Australian Seniors Card members can travel free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams at all times. Any unused credit on SA Seniors Cards can be refunded or transferred to a different metroCARD. Find more information here.

Your Seniors Card metroCARD account

To access your metroCARD account to manage your Seniors Card metroCARD online, you must have opted in to having your personal details stored by Adelaide Metro. Use Seniors Card member online services to check your subscription preferences and ensure you have opted in to metroCARD.

Through your online metroCARD account, you can:

• set up, manage or deactivate automatic recharges
• check and manage card balances
• check transaction histories
• check and manage card balances if you require credit to access the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride, including setting up, managing or deactivating automatic recharges
• authorise us to give other people limited access to your account, such as your child, partner or carer. Please note they won't be able to modify your account details, cancel or remove metroCARDs from your account.

To discuss or change your privacy settings, contact the Seniors Card Unit on 1800 819 961 or [email protected] . If you are having problems with your metroCARD account or need to pay a debt, please contact Adelaide Metro .

Interstate Seniors Card members

Anyone with a valid Australian state or territory Seniors Card can use Adelaide Metro for free for 14 days in a row, during the following times:

• midnight to 7am
• 9:01am to 3pm
• 7:01pm to midnight
• all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

A concession fare is required from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

This excludes National Seniors Card, Seniors Business Discount Card and New Zealand SuperGold Card.

Visit one of the following locations and present your interstate seniors card to get your 14-Day Seniors Pass on a free concession metroCARD:

• Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace, Adelaide
• Adelaide Visitor Information Centre within the City of Adelaide Customer Centre at 25 Pirie Street, Adelaide
• Glenelg Visitor Information Outlet at 1 Moseley Square, Glenelg (open 10am–2pm)
• Glenelg Public Library at 2 Colley Terrace, Glenelg
• Gawler Visitor Information Centre at 2 Lyndoch Road, Gawler.

If you need to use Adelaide Metro services outside of the free travel times, you will need to recharge your concession metroCARD to pay for your concession fares. Use our service finder to locate a metroCARD agent near you .

Alternatively, you can order your 14-Day Seniors Pass online before you come to South Australia, and we will post it to you (please allow at least 10 business days for delivery).

Other card holders

If you do not have a Seniors Card but you have an Australian Pensioner Concession Card, you are eligible for a concession fare .

International seniors are not eligible for any concessions. Find out more about discounted travel with a Visitor pass .

Related information

• Update your Seniors Card details or get a replacement card
• Seniors Card discounts & deals
• WeekendPlus - Seniors Card digital magazine

Last updated 28/03/24

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Travel free with your Seniors Card – all day, every day!

From today, South Australian Seniors Card members can travel for free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams – all day, every day.

You don’t need to do anything to access the free travel; simply continue to validate your Seniors Card each time you board a service or pass through barrier gates.

Any unused credit on Seniors Cards can be refunded or transferred to a different metroCARD.

To request a refund, please visit the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station.

If you are unable to travel into the city, please call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 for assistance (7am-8pm, daily).

There is no time limit on when you can receive your Seniors Card refund. Please travel to the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre for your refund, at a time that is convenient for you.

If you would like your credit transferred to a different metroCARD, please visit the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre with your Seniors Card and the metroCARD or call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108 (7am-8pm daily).

Please note:

• refunds at the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre will be in cash only
• refunds and credit transfers require the Seniors Card member to be present or available via phone
• if you have less than $5 credit, the refund or credit transfer will need to be completed at the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre
• credit, and a recent validation, will still be required on Seniors Cards to access the discounted parking at the Tea Tree Plaza Park ‘n’ Ride .

Previously, SA Seniors Card members were required to pay a concession fare during peak weekday times. This change will make Adelaide Metro services simpler and easier to use for South Australian Seniors Card members, regardless of when they need to travel.

Interstate Seniors Card members will continue to be able to use Adelaide Metro for free for 14 days in a row, during the following times:

• Monday to Friday
• midnight to 7am
• 9:01am to 3pm
• 7:01pm to midnight
• All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

A concession fare is required from 7am to 9am and 3pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday.

Find more information about this change here.

Travel free with your SA Seniors Card

From Friday, 1 July 2022, South Australian Seniors Card members can travel for free on Adelaide Metro buses, trains and trams – all day, every day.

To access the free travel, simply validate your Seniors Card when you board a service or pass through barrier gates.

Previously, SA Seniors Card members were required to pay a concession fare during peak weekday times. This change will make Adelaide Metro services easier to use for South Australian Seniors Card members, regardless of when they need to travel.

Find more information about travelling with your South Australian Seniors Card here .

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Access unused credit when free public transport for seniors begins

South australian seniors card members can get their unused metrocard credit refunded, and back in their pocket, as they switch to free public transport on july 1 – when another malinauskas labor government election commitment is delivered..

Seniors who will not be traveling outside of existing free travel periods before 1 July can have any remaining credit on their Seniors Card refunded from now. Those intending to catch the bus, train or tram during peak periods before then should wait until after 1 July 2022 to have any unused credit refunded. Any unused Adelaide Metro credit on Seniors Cards can be refunded or transferred to a metroCARD (for example, a relative’s card) by visiting the Adelaide Metro InfoCentre at the Adelaide Railway Station. Or they can call the Adelaide Metro InfoLine on 1300 311 108, where a customer service representative will assist with processing your refund. While you will not be charged to travel after 1 July 2022, validations will still be required to provide accurate patronage data and assist with future service planning – so keep your Seniors Card handy.

Attributable to Tom Koutsantonis

We’re pleased to be delivering our election commitment for free public transport for seniors at any time, helping older South Australians to get where they need to go, including during peak times. Those who may have some left-over credit that they’ll no longer need will now be able to get that money refunded or transfer it to a relative. While in many cases this may be only a few dollars, we know it all adds up, particularly with the rising cost of everyday basics.

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Getting around as an older Australian

Ways to get around \r\n.

There are many ways to get where you need to go. These include:

• driving a car
• catching public transport
• asking family and friends for a lift
• taking a taxi
• using a ride service
• using car share services
• accessing community transport.

Keep your driver licence up to date

There are extra things you may need to do to renew your driver licence as you get older. You can find more information on your state or territory website. These links will take you away from myGov.

Ways to get around

Community transport.

There are community transport providers in most states and territories. They provide transport services for socially isolated people. Find out more about community transport  in your state or territory.

Transport concessions and help

Most states and territories offer discounted public transport for seniors and pensioners. Some also offer discounts on other forms of transport. You can find more information on your state or territory website. These links will take you away from myGov.

There are community transport providers in most states and territories. They provide transport services for socially isolated people. Find out more about community transport  in your state or territory.

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Seniors Concession Travel Card

Federal Government funding arrangements for Australian State or Territory Seniors Card holders, who are not eligible to receive Pension or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card entitlements, allow Great Southern Rail to extend concession savings for seniors to as much as 25 per cent* off the standard adult fare when travelling on The Ghan , Indian Pacific or The Overland .

Please note that the 25 per cent* saving cannot be directly applied by using existing State or Territory Seniors Card. The new concession arrangements with Great Southern Rail require Seniors Card holders to pre-register to obtain a unique Great Southern Rail Seniors Concession Travel Card before the concession can be granted.   To register for a Great Southern Rail Seniors Concession Travel Card please visit www.journeybeyondrail.com.au or call 13 21 47.

* terms and conditions apply

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Pensioner Concession Fares

Online bookings are available for Queensland pensioners:   Book Now

Note:  This concession must be registered to your passenger profile before booking online for the first time. Please contact the Queensland Rail Travel Customer Contact Team on 1800 872 467 to register your concession prior to booking online.

Online bookings are available for interstate Australian ​​pensioners:  Book Now

Note:  Bookings can be made online without prior registration of your concession card on your passenger profile.

Q ueensland Pension Fare

Queensland pensioners enjoy four entitlements per calendar year aboard Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services. The four Queensland Pension rail travel entitlements can be utilised in various ways depending on the rail accommodation booked:

Interstate Australian Pension Fare​

On presentation of a current Pension Concession Card (PCC), interstate pensioners receive a discount of 25% off the full adult rail fare on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost.

Queensland Pension Fare

​​​* Conditions apply: Prices are per person one-way, subject to availability. Queensland Rail Travel reserves the right to make changes without notice.​​​​​

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Get more from your money with up to 5.00% p.a. interest

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Guide: Public transport trips when interstate

Smart cards have changed how we catch a bus tram, ferry or train, but the rules differ from state to state

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• 2 March 2023
• Read Time: 8 mins

Getting around by public transport has been made easier since the introduction of plastic travel cards that can be used to tap on/tap off. It is getting even easier with some states now accepting debit and credit cards, including those connected to smart devices, meaning you don’t even need to purchase yet another plastic card for your purse or wallet. 

While using these cards are an easier option than worrying about paper tickets to travel around, every state uses different card systems which makes it difficult to know how to pay for transport when travelling interstate.

The rules are different from state to state, and there are traps if you are unfamiliar with the system. These include:

• While all capital cities issue tap-and-go travel cards, they are not interchangeable. You won’t be able to use your state’s travel card interstate.
• Use of the travel cards can be limited in regional areas.
• Seniors Card holders outside their own state or territory may be treated differently to cardholders from the home state.
• The time of day can make a difference to the fare you pay

Here’s a state-by-state rundown of public transport cards.

The myki card is used on trains, trams and buses in Melbourne, certain V/Line rail services and buses within Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour, and the La Trobe Valley.

Seniors' myki cards are available for Victorian Seniors Card holders, while with Seniors Card holders from other states or territories qualify eligible for a concession card.

Seniors and concession cards cost $3, half the full price of $6, and can be bought and topped up at railway stations and many retailers including 7-Eleven stores. This can also be done online . Travellers with Android phones can download a myki app.

Seniors and concession-card holders receive a 50 per cent discount on fares. There is also a free tram zone in the CBD.

The myki network does not currently accept allow users to tap on and off with credit- cards. payments.

Find out more:

New South Wales

The Opal Card can be used on trains, trams, buses and ferries in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra region.

All seniors are entitled to half-price fares, while a Gold Seniors Opal Card, which is available online , allows Seniors Card holders unlimited travel for no more than $2.50 a day in these regions. 

Standard Opal Cards are available to buy at convenience stores and retailers. 

Passengers can also tap-and-go using debit cards and American Express, Mastercard and Visa credit cards – but senior and other concession fares are not available if you use this method.

Companions and carers can qualify for free travel if accompanying concession card holders.

The Translink go card is valid for use on trains, trams, buses and ferries in the greater Brisbane, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. The top-up card can be bought and recharged at railway stations and some shops, including newsagencies, and online .

A seniors go card is available to those with a valid Seniors Card issued by any state or territory. Seniors, who are exempt from the $5 fee but must load the card with at least $5 on purchase, pay half fare.

Queensland has just introduced Smart Ticketing allowing passengers to can now pay with Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards, bank debit cards, smartphone or smart device. Tap and go credit card payments can only be used on the new smart ticketing terminals, which are coloured bright pink., These machines also accept go cards.

The ability to use tap and go credit card payments is available on most the greater Brisbane train transport network, including the Air Train to the ort. It will eventually be rolled out to bus services in Brisbane and beyond, including major centres such as Cairns, Bowen, Rockhampton, and Bundaberg.

The bad news is that there is no seniors discount on these transactions, so a go card is a far better option.

For one-off trips, passengers can purchase paper tickets, but they are more expensive than those bought on cards or smart devices.

Brisbane City Council offers free off-peak travel for seniors on its bus network.

South Australia

The rechargeable MetroCARD can be used on trains, trams and buses in city and suburban Adelaide.

The South Australian Seniors Card includes MetroCARD technology, allowing users to travel all day, every day for free.

Seniors Card holders from other states and territories can access a MetroTicket for 14 consecutive days of free off-peak travel during a visit to Adelaide. Details are hereon the SA Government website .

If you don’t qualify for free travel, MetroCARDs are available from selected retailers and vending machines across Adelaide, with concessional fares half the regular price.

Passengers on tram and O-Bahn bus services can tap on and off and pay with their Mastercard or Visa.

Western Australia

The SmartRider rechargeable card is available for travel on the TransPerth network of trains, trams and buses, and can be purchased at agents, including many newsagencies.

Western Australian seniors qualify for free off-peak travel and concessional fares during peak hours using their state-issued Seniors Card. It is rechargeable with amounts of $10 or more if you want to use it outside of the free period.

Holders of interstate Seniors Cards are eligible for a Concession SmartRider card. Concession fares vary depending on the number of zones travelled, but they are less than 50 per cent of full fare.

TransPerth will introduce credit and debit card tap on and off payments in late 2023.

The Metro Greencard, which can be purchased at branded Metro Shops, bus depots and Metro shops and agents including newsagencies and convenience stores, is available for bus travel in Hobart. It can be recharged at the same outlets or online .

Holders of a Seniors Card issued in any state or territory, and all people over 70, are entitled to a concessional flat fare of $1.92 per journey using a Metro Greencard or $2.40 if paying cash.

Australian Capital Territory

The MyWay card is available for use on bus and light rail services across the territory. The technology is already included in Australian Seniors Cards issued in the ACT.

Seniors Card holders from elsewhere in Australia can purchase an Interstate Seniors MyWay Card at the 30-plus MyWay agents, including many newsagencies, or on the Transport Canberra website . 

Journeys are free for seniors and other concession-card holders during off peak times, and half price in peak hours, with an upper cap of $4.80 on week days and $2.17 on weekends and public holidays.

Northern Territory

People holding a Seniors Card from any state or territory are entitled to free bus trips at all times any time of the day just by showing that card to the driver.

Passengers who are not Seniors Card holders, but are entitled to other concessions, pay one-third of full fare via Tap & Ride Cards. These, which can be bought and recharged on buses and at the Casuarina, Darwin, and Palmerton bus interchanges.

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Pensioner Concession Card

Cost of Living Concession

Helps people on low or fixed incomes with household costs such as council rates, electricity or medical bills.

Full details

Emergency Services Levy

Home owners may be eligible to receive a remission on the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) for their principal place of residence.

Help with the cost of energy bills for people on low or fixed incomes.

Funeral AssistanceSA

Provides a basic funeral for people who were on a low or fixed income.

Low cost glasses or, for those with serious eye conditions, no cost contact lenses for eligible people.

Licence and registration

Reduced fees for vehicle registration and driver's licences or exemption from paying stamp duty on compulsory third-party insurance.

Medical heating and cooling

Assists those on a fixed or low income who have a clinically verified medical condition that requires the frequent use of heating or cooling in the home.

Personal alert systems rebate

Provides assistance for the purchase and monitoring of approved personal alert systems - a device that enables people to call for help in an emergency if they are unable to access or use a telephone.

Public transport

Free or concession travel on public transport.

Residential parks scheme

A single combined concession to help with energy, water and sewerage bills for people who live in a residential or caravan park.

Water and sewerage rates

Help with water and sewerage rates for people on low or fixed incomes.

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Seniors travel with NSW TrainLink

NSW TrainLink will take you there

Planning a trip to visit friends or family? Heading into town for an appointment or event? Sit back, relax and let NSW TrainLink do the driving.

Getting around is easy with NSW TrainLink:

• Choose from 365+ destinations (pdf 1.9MB) across NSW, ACT, Victoria and Queensland
• Stress less about driver fatigue or finding parking when you get there
• Make the most of your travel time by catching up on reading, podcasts or however you like

$2.50 trips between towns

With a valid NSW Seniors or Pensioner Concession card, enjoy great value travel between regional towns and centres on a Country Pensioner Excursion ticket. When you book online simply select ‘Country Pensioner Excursion Fare’ from the concession type drop down list to pay just $2.50. Excludes travel within the Sydney Trains or Intercity networks, and interstate to Victoria and Queensland. Travel can be booked up to 7 days prior to departure. Conditions apply.

Half-price fares every day

With a valid NSW Seniors or Pensioner Concession card, you can travel on NSW TrainLink Regional services for half price. When you book online, simply select 'Pensioner / Senior Concession Card (Half fare)' from the concession type drop down list. Final fare is half the adult peak season fare for the same trip. Discount is not applied to other seasonal or sale fares. Conditions apply.

Book your next Regional trip online

It’s quick, easy and secure.

• Our online ticket office is open 24/7
• There’s no waiting in line
• Simply book from the comfort of your own home
• When you’re done, we’ll email your ticket so you can print it out at home or just show it on your mobile when you travel.

Let us show you how easy it is to book online

Book your trip today

Find out more

Learn more about the Country Pensioner Excursion ticket and concession fares for Pensioners across the network.

Find out more about ways to book your next trip .

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Free Travel for Seniors

Seniors in Western Australia can enjoy free travel on public transport and with some airlines. The scheme, which started on 1 October 2018, is part of the government’s plan to improve access to services for older Australians. Under the scheme, eligible seniors receive a travel pass that allows them to use public transport and, in some cases, take advantage of free airfares. You also may be eligible for free travel on public transport interstate too!

Find out more with our ultimate guide to free travel for Seniors in WA.

Free Travel on Transperth Trains, Buses and Ferries with a Transperth Perth Seniors Card

If you have a WA Seniors Card there’s no need to pay for off-peak travel on Transperth trains, buses and ferries. Your Western Australian Seniors Card conveniently doubles up as a Seniors Smart Rider.

Transperth Seniors Free Travel Times

With your Seniors SmartRider you will be able to travel for free at the following times:

• From the first service until 6am
• From 9am until 3.30pm
• From 7pm until last service
• All day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.
• Concession fares at other times

How to Apply

To be eligible for the  WA Seniors Card program , you need to be:

• aged 64 years or older
• an Australian Citizen or hold an Australian Permanent Resident Visa
• reside in Western Australia
• work less than 25 hours per week.

Free Rail and Coach Journeys

Western Australia offers free travel on Transwa for seniors who hold an eligible WA Pension Concession card or a WA issued DVA Pensioner Concession Card.

Eligible seniors can receive two single journeys or one return journey per year on Transwa rail or road coach services.

WA DVA Gold Health cardholders can receive four single journeys or two return journeys.

Seniors who do not have a WA Pension Concession card are still eligible for 50% discount on the fare.

You could take a day trip to Kalgoorlie from Perth on The Prospector. It’s a great way to see the countryside, and it’s also a lot of fun. The train has a restaurant car and personal entertainment systems with new release movies. The train travels along the Midland and Great Southern Railways, stopping in Northam, Merredin, and Southern Cross before arriving in Kalgoorlie.

To access the free travel entitlement on Transwa services eligible pensioners must register with Transwa. Registration forms are available at Transwa Booking Centres, accredited Agents or on the  Transwa website . For more information telephone Transwa on 1300 662 205 or visit  transwa.wa.gov.au

Image Credit:  DBZ2313 at English Wikipedia

Free Air Travel

Pensioners residing north of Shark Bay continuously for the past two years are entitled to one return journey by air or coach per year to Perth or elsewhere in the South West Land Division.

To be eligible you must hold a Pensioner Concession Card from the Department of Human Services (DHS)/Centrelink or the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). WA DVA Gold Health cardholders can receive two free return journeys per year.

To apply you’ll need to print off and complete the Pensioner Annual Free Trip Scheme Application and submit the application along with a copy of your Pensioner Concession Card. You can find out more by visiting transport.wa.gov.au

Free  Travel Interstate

If you are planning an interstate trip you may be eligible for free travel on public transport with your Seniors or Commonwealth Pensioners Concession Card. Here’s what each state or territory offers.

Australian Capital Territory

Seniors Card holders can apply for a MyWay Card entitling them to receive concession fares and free off peak travel.

Interstate Seniors MyWay Cards need to be applied for in advance. Simply email [email protected]  or  [email protected]  with your name, date of birth and address, and include a scanned copy of your Seniors Card and Drivers Licence / Proof of Identity card. Allow up to 10 business days for delivery.

New South Wales

Seniors card and Pensioners Concession Card Holders are able to apply for a Senior/Pensioner Gold Opal Card which allows you unlimited travel on the metro, train, bus, ferry and light rail services for no more than $2.50 per day.

Senior Opal Cards need to be applied for in advance. Find out more here . You should allow 3 – 4 weeks for delivery.

Northern Territory

Seniors Card holders travelling in the Northern Territory can receive free bus travel. You just need to show your card to the driver.

Seniors Card holders can travel half price on public transport after you have made your 8th journey in a 7 day period. Or with a Seniors Go Card if you make two journeys in a day you can travel free for the rest of the day.

You can purchase a Seniors Go Card or green pensioner concession Go Card at one of 680 locations across South East Queensland, or you can purchase online or over the phone. A refundable deposit of $5 will apply. Find out more by visiting  translink.com.au/tickets-and-fares/concessions

South Australia

Seniors Card holders can purchase a metroCARD which will give them access to free travel Monday to Friday between 9am and 3pm and from 7pm until last service, plus all weekend.

You can buy a metroCARD at a number of locations across metropolitan Adelaide. A card fee of $3.50 and a minimum starting balance of $5 will be applied for a starting cost of $8.50. Credit can be purchased in $5 increments. Find out more by visiting www.adelaidemetro.com.au

Seniors Card Holders and Pensioner Concession Card holders are eligible to qualify for the Greencard which means cash fares are charged at a flat rate regardless of the number of zones you are travelling within.

Greencards can be purchased by visiting a Metro shop, depot, or agent. For more information on fares visit:  www.metrotas.com.au/fares/urban-fares/

Seniors Card holders can travel with a Concession myki and can buy concession V/Line paper tickets and concession tickets for regional bus services.

Pensioner Concession Card holders are eligible for a 50 per cent discount on travel. Find out more here www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki/concessions-and-free-travel/ 

If you are eligible for any of these concessions you should take advantage of the benefits and enjoy all that Western Australia, and indeed the rest of Australia has to offer!

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About Jennie McNichol

Jennie McNichol is the Co-Founder and Editor of Seniorocity and Buggybuddys. She lives north of Perth with her husband, 2 children, 2 Ragdoll Cats and 1 Maine Coon

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Adelaide is growing beyond its limits — so could a train revival help steam the city's expansion?

South Australia's train services weren't always this limited.

Forty years ago, passenger trains ran all over the state.

People caught regular services from Adelaide to major centres such as Whyalla, Mount Gambier, Victor Harbor and Angaston in the Barossa Valley.

The opening of the Angaston line in 1911 was a major event.

On the first service, 1,200 children caught a "special school train" to Angaston form Gawler.

But as roads and cars improved in the 1970s and 1980s, South Australia's passenger rail era came to an end with regional services largely scrapped.

In the Adelaide Hills, the last regular passenger train from the city to Mount Barker stopping running in 1984.

"I think all of us in the Hills rue the day when rail departed," Kavel MP Dan Cregan told the ABC.

"It fell out of fashion, state governments everywhere weren't investing in rail, now we look right across the country and light rail, in particular, is becoming fashionable again."

South Australia too is looking seriously at further rail revitalisation.

A $10 million study is being funded by the state and federal governments to look at what extensions could be built or historic lines reopened.

Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said with Adelaide already experiencing a housing crisis, improving rail would be vital to help the city grow.

"Public transport can solve a lot of these problems … we lost that in the '80s and we're trying to get it back," Mr Koutsantonis said.

He said the government was considering extending rail further south, north and into the Hills, with a plan to electrify and decarbonise "quickly".

One option is to return rail to the Barossa Valley.

It would not be able to go all the way back to Angaston as part of that line is now bikeway, but there is a push for a new service beyond Gawler where the line currently ends.

Locals hopeful of rail line upgrades, extensions

Barossa Council Mayor, Michael "Bim" Lange, said rail makes sense as part of the plan to create the new city of Concordia in the Barossa.

"That in the future is going to be 26,000 people, so that's a huge population growth within our council area and, of course, public transport is critical," the mayor said.

But Mayor Lange is less hopeful about trains returning to Lyndoch, Tanunda or Nuriootpa.

"I guess that will come down to the government's assessment, the cost benefit ratio, the population growth in those areas," Mayor Lange said.

At the other end of Labor's electrified rail network is Seaford.

Electrification of the Gawler and Seaford lines was part of Labor's last great rail push nearly 20 years ago.

Even then, many locals in Aldinga wanted the railway extended, and perhaps now it will be.

"We're all very excited in the south — the further it goes, the better it will be," Onkaparinga Mayor Moira Were said.

"We've got another 7,500 who will be joining the 15,000 people who are already living there [in Aldinga] in the next few years."

In Adelaide's west, the Outer Harbour line could also have a long-awaited upgrade.

Plans to electrify the line were scrapped more than 10 years ago, but Mr Kousantonis has again flagged possible electrification and an extension of the line to accommodate AUKUS workers at the Australian Submarine Corporation.

"The study will inform us about … whether we actually extend the Outer Harbour line right down to Osborne to try and get 5,000 workers to and from the shipyards," Mr Koutsantonis said.

Then there is perhaps the most costly and difficult project to deliver — the return of services to Mount Barker.

'We're the ones who've got to fix it'

One estimate, from the privately-run SA Railway Company, has put the cost at $5 billion to return rail to Mount Barker.

Former transport executive Luigi Rossi, now a director for the SA Railway Company, said a new freight and commuter line to Mount Barker and beyond would be expensive but feasible.

"It provides the opportunity for people to live at Murray Bridge and live at Tailem Bend and have a rail service that gets them into town within 50 minutes," Mr Rossi said.

Mr Koutsantonis disputes the $5 billion cost, but does acknowledge Mount Barker will need better transport.

Mount Barker's population is expected to reach around 50,000 people in just over a decade, creating more traffic congestion around the city and on the South Eastern Freeway.

"The Labor party has unfinished business in Mount Barker," Mr Koutsantonis said.

"We're the one who zoned Mount Barker, and we're the ones who've got to fix it.

"I think rail probably is the solution, but we'll wait and see what this study finds."

Re-invigorating the long dormant passenger line from Belair to Mount Barker also remains an option, despite concerns that the long commute time makes it unviable.

The idea was raised again two years ago but the plan has failed to materialise.

But Mr Cregan believes using the old line could work.

"We should be examining whether there are some small improvements to that corridor to make the journey time faster," he said

Any investment from the state government on future rail projects would also require substantial funding from the federal government.

Meanwhile, the state already has big expenditure in the pipeline, including the South Road upgrade with a price tag of about $15 billion , and the new Women's and Children's Hospital, which is expected to cost more than $3 billion.

"We are talking very, very substantial dollars," Mr Cregan said.

Mr Koutsantonis said this study was not just about new train lines, but was also looking at how to bring more people onto public transport.

"This is long-term thinking," he said.

"I'm not saying these things will be built tomorrow, but we've got to do the planning.

"I think South Australians expect that of us."

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