Commuter Tale #1

Since I don't drive, I'm a slave of the public transport. I take the train or bus to work and sometimes take the ferry to go sightseeing. But unlike other people who whinge on how inefficient the transport system is, I, on the other hand, love my daily travel with Cityrail (that's the company who operates the public transport here in Sydney). I have my highs and lows, but I don't complain because I enjoyed my journey... and that's what makes it different.

I realized that there are so many stories worth telling about my journey so I decided to come up with my Commuter Tales. I will try to write about my train/bus travel experiences that i find exciting, and hopefully will be able to have enough material for my very own book, nyahahaha. Anyway, here goes the first one:


Commuter Tale 1: Being First Doesn't Mean You Always Get the Best Prize

26Feb 09, 4:45 pm train from Macquarie Park to Epping, then change from Epping for a service to Meadowbank.

(photos courtesy of CityRail)

At exactly 4:30, I packed my bag, said my goodbyes to my ofcmates and was rushing at the door. I need to be at Macquarie Station before 4:45 to catch my train. Its around 6 minutes walk from the office but I want to be there earlier, so I can claim my spot at the first carriage, right by the left side door. So the train came, and i sneakily went to my spot even though a lot of people were there before me (well, the transit officers were there but they got off the next station so I just moved a bit closer to the door).

I need to change train at Epping, which is about 7 minutes away. My connecting train leaves Epping at 4:54, giving me barely 2 minutes to run from the underground station up to the first level. There were three of us waiting for the door to open and as soon as it did, we sprinted (yes, literally sprinted from door to escalator - and to the next platform. I was about to give up the chase (since I heard the line "door closing") but the man behind me kept running, so I continued. As soon as I stepped on the train, i know I got on the wrong one. The two people inside the carriage commented that the three of us who made inside the train were like Olympians who got the gold, silver and bronze. And of course I got the gold medal! I just smiled, trying to catch my breath, and silently praying for the train to stop at the next station. But of course it didn't! It was an intercity train, stopping at the next major station 10 minutes later.

The train I was supposed to catch is due to arrive as soon as the other train left.

Oh well. I had to change train again, went the same way back and arrived at Meadowbank at 5:12pm. Had I stopped and looked at the timetable, I would have been home by 5:02,hahaha.

Lesson Learned: Magbasa ng train schedule! :D