@@yran_kinleni5917 I'd be cautious about using terms such as "genuine" when referring to these kinds of social media interactions between corporations and individuals. What we see here is a simple case of regular people just like you and me being really good at their job, and that demands... a wee clap. Good on them. It would be nice to see more of this about the place. :)
Back in the 90's I did Cairns to Parth, now that was a quite the journey, we went from Cairns to Brisbane then onto Perth, midway through NSW about 6 of us had to change to a connecting bus, the driver told us the bus was delayed but he could not wait, so at 2am we waited for nearly 2 hours on the side of the road in the cold and pitch black, it was the last time I caught a bus anywhere
I drove for Greyhound out of Brisbane back in the late 80's early 90's. The coaches and the roads have changed a lot. Our driver changeover points were Kempsey and Nambucca Heads. There were only two meal stops. One in Ballina and one in Karuah. Great memories.
This is random but I remember a meal stop at a place with a lake and lots of wildlife, on the east coast. Might be around the border of NSW, QLD. Any idea?
Back in 1999 I used Greyhound buses to get from Melbourne to Brisbane. I was 27. Had a fantastic trip. 24 hours, 3 bus drivers. One resting, one watching, one driving. Even with a blow out tyre in the middle of nowhere the drivers suited up and changed the tyre with only a 1/2 hour delay. The stops were great and as a fresh women from NZ I couldn't believe the long times that went by without even a turn in the road or a change in gear. I paid $89 for the trip from memory. On board were a number of Chippendale dancers who had missed their flight. Still have my autograph book with their signatures. No personal air, no Wifi but it was a wonderful trip that I will never forget. I don't recall sleeping, there was too much to see and conversations to be had with fellow passengers.
My trip took 23hrs in Xmas 2000 and we broke down for 2x hrs in Newcastle whilst a mechanic drove from Sydney to fix a leaky oil filter. Apart from the narrow and steep seats which are hard to relax in....I enjoyed my trip and the eclectic passengers too.
UK here. I did Brisbane to Sydney back in 2014, stopping overnight at Bryon Bay and Coffs Harbour, so I didn't do the whole 16 hours in one go. Great video, Josh. Brings back a lot of happy memories.
I did 34 hours on a coach once from Perth to Broome. I don't mind coach travel because you can see the county like your on an adventure and they are good for hopping on and off , plus they go places where planes don't go. That is what a holiday is about. Plane is good if you want to go the other side of the county in a hurry, but i like travelling around once I get their.
I did Brisbane to Sydney on a Greyhound in 1990. It took 18 hours & was rough as. I hitch-hiked back to Qld a year later & did the trip in just under 12 hours after getting picked up by a Navy guy in a new Commodore.
The only reason is cost. It's not so much that plane tickets cost a tad more, but that getting to and away from the airport will cost you three arms and a leg. Also Greyhound covers a lot of places that have just been abandoned by rail these days.
@James Niland. Correct, I flew Melb to Gold Coast last year for like $90...but, living in rural Victoria, the train ticket to Melb was $21, then free METRO train connection (part of VLine ticket) to the nearest station to the airport, but then, over $60 for the taxi from that station to the airport. So, yeah. Cheers!
Having wifi and USB charging is pretty good. A few times I caught a Greyhound bus from Sydney to the mid north coast around 30 years ago. The worst part of the trip was the constant detours off the main road to drop passengers off or pick them up at their little town. These detours added hours to the trip.
@@dodgeboy9052 no of course not. No one knew of USB or wifi in the early 90s. Just saying it’s good Greyhound buses today offer these features. The passenger trains in NSW do not.
I did the firefly, Sydney to Melb. and back. The trip was great, enjoyed the driving through little country towns and watching scenery change. Sadly I could never do it again as my back couldn't handle sitting up for that long.
Wonderful video. Who would have thought that a video about a bus trip would be so entertaining. So lucky you had the rain. Love seeing the windscreen wipers swishing back and forth throughout the journey.
I was thinking the same thing. I was “why am I watching this” I’ve driven that trip about 30 times in the last 7 years working on tunnel projects in Sydney and living in Brisbane. But I watched to the end and though, great video lol
Back in the 1980’s, long distance coaches were the most economical form of public transport along the east coast. There were probably ten or so different coach companies like McCaffertys, Sunliner, Firefly, Deluxe to name a few that I certainly used. Unfortunately, two crashes involving coaches in the late eighties and the rise of low cost airlines really shrunk the long distance coach services.
i caught a couple of these torture sessions as a kid, before we had iphones and ipads. had nothing but the trees to look at, nothing to listen to but the engine or the bus and the hydraulics of the brakes. absolute torture when your 9 or 10
Wondering if Greyhous has looked at the Sleeper buses in South America. The comfort on those is up there to the point i once chose the 18hr bus trip over a 2 hr flight! A service like that would be popular i reckon in Australia on those long legs.
I may be wrong, but I think the law in Australia doesn’t allow beds in busses as everyone needs to be seated with a seatbelt. I remember hearing this is why bands can’t use tour busses, they aren’t allowed to sleep while driving. It would be great if they could!
@@JoshGoesSlow Yeah could be true, but even the Semi-cama style buses with a really good recline and a seatbelt would be fine I'd have thought. My biggest issue with buses is the seats are often as bad as airplane economy....
The first bus trip was BNE to CNS on a Greyhound double decked (volgren) bus in (87). Since then I have loved bus travel & plus you get to see many different/interesting parts of QLD...
Don't know why, but it feels so surreal seeing newcastle here. I go into that exact bus stop under the shelter on my bus to school, but it's just strange to see.
Hi Josh, only found your channel today. I travelled from Sydney to Brisbane on the bus in 1988. Not by choice. All flights were booked out from Melbourne to Brisbane, could only get a flight to Sydney. This was due to Brisbane hosting Expo 88 (which was awesome) the only stops we had was when the driver stopped for a cigarette, for about 10 minutes. I remember stopping in Newcastle at about 3am. The bus trip was alot quicker than 16 hours. I can't sleep on buses or planes. Was with my mum and son. Mum gave me a sleeping tablet which worked fine. Your trip looks great because you're able to see the sites. Returned to Melbourne by plane, so bus 1 way
I agree, I would never do this in one hit, but it's cheap for backpackers. I took it last summer but I stopped at Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Coolangatta along the way, relaxed in some amazing towns on that trip. I had some early morning trips and even those were hard to take a nap in when it got super bumpy, so I can't imagine trying to sleep for 8 hours!
Along the Pacific Hwy, it is easier to have mobile signals than the train tracks. Easier to see small towns by Coaches because shops front are on both sides.
The pass is a great deal. But if you need to travel between capital cities then fly. If you're buying food on the trip then it costs similar to flying. I normally spend $130 from Sydney to Brisbane and Melbourne with transfers. Key is planning.
I’ve done this trip by bus a few times and there’s something about it I just love. Driving through the night, often seeing the sunrise. You get a real Spence of the environment changing as you get to a more tropical climate. Recently I looked into going to Perth by bus but they don’t seem to run anymore which was disappointing. The train is just to expensive for me.
The only SYD-BNE airfares you're going to get under $100 are going to be at like 6:00am. Anything else is going to be a MINIMUM of $200 up to $500 at the moment. It's complete extorsion. I took a McCafferty's coach from Sydney - Brisbane back in the 1980's when domestic airlines were still highly regulated & very expensive. The reason was exactly the same - it was way cheaper, even back then. It was certainly an experience.
i've caught the bus from the gold coast to newcastle, i'd sailed up the coast so i had a bit too much gear to fly back. i'd recommend that people should do it at least once especially tourists you get to see the changing scenery along the way which is certainly different to flying which leaves the area between airports an unknown if you haven't been there before.
Try going all the way from Newcastle to Townsville during summer when we had the pilots strike in the early '90's. Swapped busses in Brisbane and the aircon lasted about the 1st 20km. 1 star, not recommended.
Wouldn't that be considered a coach instead of a bus? Coaches are seated significantly higher than normal buses, the driver is lower than the passenger seats etc etc. "Coaches also have more features than buses. Because they are typically used for travelling longer distances, coaches place more of an emphasis on comfort and entertainment. Coaches are often equipped with larger, more comfortable seats, whereas buses possess standard two and three-seater, bench-style seats."
We used to have a Cobb & Co bus service back in the good old days (70s about) which myself, my mum and sisters used to travel from Sydney to Southport in Queensland. Greyhound was never an option. Cobb & Co was the best.
I remember a coach trip from Sydney to Brisbane I took when I was a child with my mother in early 90's In the dead of night the bus suspension broke just outside of Ballina (luckily near our break stop), in the early morning It was towed to a bush bus mechanic, and was all fixed up again in 90 mins flat.
I've driven between Sydney and Brisbane multiple times with my own vehicle -- takes me about 10 hours, with a few quick stops for refuelling and toilets. The drive itself is quite pleasant - especially if you do it at night with almost no other cars around you. :)
I’ve driven Newcastle to Brisbane and back again nearly 20 times over the years, I recognised most of those stops on the way. I love driving, but I reckon I could do the bus or the train just for the experience.
I did longer than you for around 24 hours. From Childers to Sydney back in early 2000. Was the cheapest way back then and you do see some interesting sites and some characters. I went with McCafferty’s which were bought out by Greyhound. Childers is a town in central Queensland. Good video mate
I took an overnight bus from Sydney to Melbourne once; it was about 12 hours. Arrived in Melbourne absolutely exhausted and had to get early check-in at the hotel for a few hours sleep during the day. Never again, probably.
SYD-BNE one-way by plane can be a lot more than $200, particularly booked at short notice, and since covid if you can find one for $79 you're a miracle worker. As a travel agent I'd more realistically say anything from $130 to $500 for a one-way economy air ticket.
For Monday 1 May 2023, the Sydney to Jetstar flight is only $79. For the most part, people who travel by coach or train between the capital cities have a poor sense of value. And, quite frankly, are rather eccentric.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b Unfortunately such prices mostly are a kind of clickbait - there are often additional hidden costs or seats for this price are sold out.
@@michaelmueller7962 I am easily able to secure this Jetstar $79 fare for Monday 1 May 2023, with a 6:30am departure, as I write this reply to you. The 8:15am flight is $86. The 9:45am flight is $95. 7kg of carry on luggage is included. 20kg of checked luggage is $24, which brings the total to $103. Payment with POLi is free. Otherwise, the debit MasterCard fee is 0.32%, which brings the total to $106.30. So, securing these cheap fares under $100 throughout Monday 1 May 2023 is very easy indeed.
Last year I went from Brisbane to Sydney on the bus - it arrived around 8am. Then I caught a bus at 5.30pm the same day that went from Sydney to Melbourne. It was interesting to do the trip once but I have no plans to do it again.
How many people are on the bus for the full journey? At least the bus gets into Brisbane at a more palatable time than the XPT, and the extra time is largely taken up by the stops where you can get off. The bus seems a viable option when flying is too expensive. A hard slog though.
Back in the 90s you could buy an ozzie pass for 150 bucks which would last a year,you could get on and off a bus when ever you wanted,i did a full circle by bus,met some amazing people.
Excellent video Josh, i just did the 3 hours SYD - CBR and back again this weekend (15-16 April 2023) and i was shattered so great job doing this humdinger 😄
I've taken this bus 5 years ago when moving from Sydney to Brisbane. It's great being able to add extra luggage quite cheaply, but the bus driver wasn't too happy when we showed up with 14 big bags/boxes and a pushbike. It went quite smoothly though and a lot cheaper than sending all our stuff on transport. I found that most other people taking this bus were going home to regional towns along the way, I guess it doesn't make much sense to take this bus over a plane from Sydney to Brisbane..
I took an overnight coach from Melb-Syd a couple of months ago. I originally did a two day cruise from Syd-Melb and then spent the full day in Melb before taking the overnight coach home. While the trip wasn’t exactly comfortable, it meant that l was able to spend the day in Melb and not have to pay for a nights accommodation that evening and then pay more to get home via a plane. I had to be home for work the following day arriving back to Sydney.
Had to do a brisbane to Townsville years ago couldn't fly due to pilots strike, 24 hours in a bus was enough to cure me from ever stepping foot on another one .
Did Adelaide to Darwin and back in December/January 2022 & 2023. Very long trip on Greyhound. The bus that left Coober Pedy to Alice Springs had no air Cond. it was horrid, 35deg outside. Toilet backed up. Not fun. Some of the stops were interesting to say the least, but some were just downright filthy and unhygienic. Tennent Creek stop was putrid. Toilets looked like they had never been cleaned. Poop and urine everywhere. The food choices in the Bain Marie’s looked unsafe, grease dripping off the sides, sandwiches that were peeling apart and cold ‘hot chips’… ferals running around everywhere, nothing like it was back in 2012. Katherine was even worse…Dunmarra roadhouse toilets were also putrid. We ordered a steak sandwich, which was $19.00, and they just left it on the counter, and it was stolen by one of the locals… the rest stops, need to pick up their game when the bus comes thru constantly providing business. Coober Pedy Roadhouse stop was fantastic…I think it was called the Outback Restaurant…fresh, clean, and fabulous meals,, don’t get me wrong, there were some really good stops, but many were well below par… hygiene wise. The buses were average, most times usb didn’t work… interior was dirty and dated. But we did still have a good time, the drivers were lovely and had great sense of humours….except one… wouldn’t speak, was rude to passengers, and told everyone, if we weren’t back onboard at said time, he was going without us… and he meant it! Would I do that long trip again.? Probably not. Even Tennant Creek to Townsville was more enjoyable tbh. But yes, I would travel by Greyhound again.
Fantastic video mate!! I love your storytelling, makes it seem like I'm right there on the trip with you and you made it seem like quite a comfy experience haha. Was quite surprised at how well patronised the bus was!
i got kicked out of home when i was 14 with like $90 to my name in 2008 had a good friend living in noosa that said i could stay with him for a week got a grey hound bus sydney to brisbane and jumped trains to nambour and told my sob story to a bus driver and he let me on for free. one of the most interesting and liberating years of my life.
XPT and day over a bus!! On a bus you have to wear a seatbelt and the fold down tables are crap for a laptop, on the XPT you can walk and stretch your legs and the fold down tables will accommodate a laptop. It's easier to take a leak on the XPT too. One of your stops is where I'm living and another is within 15 minutes of my home town.
During my regular coach trips to Lismore in 1993 & 1994 to visit my boyfriend who was going to university in Lismore. My parents used to put me on the coach at approximately 7.30pm at night in Gosford and after a change of buses near Byron bay to travel west to Lismore I'd arrive in Lismore at approximately 6.30 am in the morning. During one of my trips to Lismore in 1993 was the night Sydney was announced that we would be having the Sydney 2000 Olympics. At our morning stop over we were all desperate to know if we got the Olympics. It wasn't with greyhound though I can't remember the coach company I went by. The reason my parents preferred the coach over a train is they thought it was safer as passengers couldn't just jump on and off as easily as trains.
Did the same trip Sydney to Brisbane Greyhound last weekend. Although I'd say am not a big fan nor would like to do it again but it was ok. The USB chargers dint work. Bus was jam packed and all seats taken all the way to Brisbane. AC probably was or wasn't working but since its cooler nights at the moment so dint mind it much. Seats were comfortable though, dint feel any discomfort but strangely dint have arm rests between seats. The old lady kept elbowing me lol :)
Very well presented. I often catch the Pioneer coach down the NSW south coast, I think it's the only coach service, Greyhound doesn't do it. I have family there halfway to Melbourne. For me, it is utter torture, and boring... Only because there are no surprises and I know driving is so much faster, not stopping at every town. It's surprisingly busy being the only service down the coast. Never catch a bus to Melbourne down the coast unless you plan on seeing some of the beachside down, and staying along the way. There are some beautiful towns there too. Not as appealing in the winter, it can get chilly down there.
I grew up in Adelaide and travelled a lot with the old @GreyhoundOz and Stateliner. I remember doing the 48 hour Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs. Then the road wasn’t sealed from Woomera to the NT Border, so they used the Stateliner coaches there rather than the Greyhound brand and then a Greyhound to Darwin. Coming back the same way. I use to travel with them (Statellner) to Renmark and Broken Hill at lot as a kid.😊
I used to quite often catch coaches from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane. Price was probably one reason but the fact is I like the coaches with their big powerful diesel engines. I did catch a train one time. Can't recall the price. This was back in the 90s but I was upgraded to first class from economy I seem to recall. It was an awesome sight seeing trip. Brisbane to Sydney. However I still like the coaches. However comfort in a coach seat for sleeping can be an issue for people myself included. I do like watching the movie and seeing the trucks on the road in the night however. Prefer night to day travel. Cooler. Nicer. My personal preference.
If I had a choice between plane, bus, train or riding my motorcycle honestly I would chose my motorcycle mainly because I enjoy riding but also because I can stop whenever I want to take a break and also take in the scenery
thats pretty good prices, even though its 16 hours on a bus, you get to see more of Australia. thanks for showing us. Its a lot cheaper than driving up there (like i used to do from Melbourne to Brisbane when petrol was cheaper) haha have fun, enjoy your travels
Did that route back in 1980. Rarer go by car can do what you want. Secondly to travel in bus with spinal injuries would be the most uncomfortable ride. Planes are fine if you just want to hop /skip to get as soon as possible.😮😅
Did a 18 hour trip in the early eighties from Brissy to Townsville , when we arrived halfway at Rockhampton for a 45 min stop the bus driver said to us he doesn’t care if we smoke pot or whatever but if he sees someone whose been drinking he’ll chuck them off the bus , very funny at the time .
In 1985, as a 30 year old, I hitchhiked from Bourke to Longreach by semi trailer, having walked the first 10 kilometres North from North Bourke in 40 degree heat. Then five hours after being dropped off in Longreach (which included being harassed and detained by the local police for a presumed crime presumably committed by someone with presumably my appearance) I caught a 22 hour coach ride to Brisbane. After an hour of transiting in Brisbane (which thankfully included a shower and a breakfast at the Roma Street Terminal), I caught a 23 hour coach ride to Cairns. After one day of rest at a Cairns pub, I took a two-day freighter trip onboard the M.S. Noel Buxton to Thursday Island, just beyond the most Northerly tip of mainland Australia. A few days after that, I took a helicopter trip to Yorke Island in the Torres Strait! Trucks, buses, boats and choppers beats planes, trains and automobiles.
As a local Sydney sider, I couldn’t think why I would do a bus, or train. If I wanted to see the country side I would drive. If I was from overseas, it’s something I would consider. I’m pleased to see it’s nothing like the grey hound bus service in the USA.
Did Brisbane to Smiggins by bus 1388 k's+. Brisbane to Cairns by rail and obviously by flight. Bus is quite a bit easier to sleep in my opinion then even sleeper carriages on train. But again in my hybrid BNE to SYD was on one tank with a few people....But as a company they have to make money, pay the driver, bus, maintenance. If you can sleep anywhere like me bus is a viable option. Plus much harder for them to lose your bags compared to plane :P.
I tried this once. About 20 years ago. Someone went to the bathroom on the bus, at about the half way point. Let's just say the smell eminating from that bathroom was far from pleasant. The driver had to stop, ask everyone to get off, and he left the doors open to air it out.
I've done this and also done Brisbane to Adelaide. Of course, this was back before flying became something less affluent people could afford. Would I do it again nowadays? Hell no...
I did Melbourne to Brisbane in 1988. It was 23 hours. Airlines were too expensive back then. Got to see parts of the countryside I'd never see otherwise. There is some real shitholes along the way.
Just a quick tip to backpackers if someone in your seat who is sleeping just find a spare or free seat no need to start a scene, If stopped or at rest stops please don't move people's things if they are on their seats can be offensive towards the person 👍🏻
Hello! Thank you for the video! I'm heading out to Australia in a week. I'm planning to travel from Sydney to Brisbane, stopping at Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay and Gold Coast along the way. It looks like the Greyhound bus is the best way to do it. Might take the train from Sydney to Newcastle and the bus from there on, whichever is cheaper. What do you think? Cheers!
In February 2024 many people will have to travel from Brisbane to Sydney to see Taylor Swift. She is not performing live in person in Perth, Adelaide or Brisbane. She did release a "concert film" for all those people who were not lucky enough to see her live in Sydney and Melbourne.
I did 12 hours on a coach from London to Dublin on Contiki, that was enough for me 😂😂😂 I couldn't do 16 hrs on a bus. I wouldn't get a wink in, because I wake myself up with my snoring 😂🤣
Great video, Josh! We're glad you enjoyed your trip with us and hope to see you onboard again soon 😊
I did, thank you!
Small clap for Greyhound Australia's social media team right here.
@@yran_kinleni5917 I'd be cautious about using terms such as "genuine" when referring to these kinds of social media interactions between corporations and individuals. What we see here is a simple case of regular people just like you and me being really good at their job, and that demands... a wee clap. Good on them. It would be nice to see more of this about the place. :)
its not often you see the social media team of companies/product that feature on TH-cam. Well done on your contribution
I like how he insulted greyhound but greyhound takes it as a compliment😂
Back in the 90's I did Cairns to Parth, now that was a quite the journey, we went from Cairns to Brisbane then onto Perth, midway through NSW about 6 of us had to change to a connecting bus, the driver told us the bus was delayed but he could not wait, so at 2am we waited for nearly 2 hours on the side of the road in the cold and pitch black, it was the last time I caught a bus anywhere
Where is parth?
@@NoOne11279 West of Broken Hill...
@@NoOne11279 Weatern Australia, a journey of over 6000kms
@@thrusta100 lol gold bro gold
@@NoOne11279 Perth
I drove for Greyhound out of Brisbane back in the late 80's early 90's. The coaches and the roads have changed a lot. Our driver changeover points were Kempsey and Nambucca Heads. There were only two meal stops. One in Ballina and one in Karuah. Great memories.
This is random but I remember a meal stop at a place with a lake and lots of wildlife, on the east coast. Might be around the border of NSW, QLD. Any idea?
I want minimum 1 billion people to live in australia such big area low population denisity aus not good whole aus population in each city in india
@@vikramshetty8334 stinky stinky
ahh i remember the old karuah roadhouse. took premier coach to goldie that used to stop there back before the bypass was completed.
@@EpicCrust kybong ( I think) just south of gympie had a lake out the back , could of course be others
Back in 1999 I used Greyhound buses to get from Melbourne to Brisbane. I was 27. Had a fantastic trip. 24 hours, 3 bus drivers. One resting, one watching, one driving. Even with a blow out tyre in the middle of nowhere the drivers suited up and changed the tyre with only a 1/2 hour delay. The stops were great and as a fresh women from NZ I couldn't believe the long times that went by without even a turn in the road or a change in gear. I paid $89 for the trip from memory. On board were a number of Chippendale dancers who had missed their flight. Still have my autograph book with their signatures. No personal air, no Wifi but it was a wonderful trip that I will never forget. I don't recall sleeping, there was too much to see and conversations to be had with fellow passengers.
I was born in 1999 😭
My trip took 23hrs in Xmas 2000 and we broke down for 2x hrs in Newcastle whilst a mechanic drove from Sydney to fix a leaky oil filter. Apart from the narrow and steep seats which are hard to relax in....I enjoyed my trip and the eclectic passengers too.
UK here. I did Brisbane to Sydney back in 2014, stopping overnight at Bryon Bay and Coffs Harbour, so I didn't do the whole 16 hours in one go. Great video, Josh. Brings back a lot of happy memories.
I did 34 hours on a coach once from Perth to Broome. I don't mind coach travel because you can see the county like your on an adventure and they are good for hopping on and off , plus they go places where planes don't go. That is what a holiday is about. Plane is good if you want to go the other side of the county in a hurry, but i like travelling around once I get their.
I did that same trip when I was 21, amazing adventure would highly recommend it. Broome is a wild town
I did Brisbane to Sydney on a Greyhound in 1990. It took 18 hours & was rough as. I hitch-hiked back to Qld a year later & did the trip in just under 12 hours after getting picked up by a Navy guy in a new Commodore.
The only reason is cost. It's not so much that plane tickets cost a tad more, but that getting to and away from the airport will cost you three arms and a leg. Also Greyhound covers a lot of places that have just been abandoned by rail these days.
@James Niland. Correct, I flew Melb to Gold Coast last year for like $90...but, living in rural Victoria, the train ticket to Melb was $21, then free METRO train connection (part of VLine ticket) to the nearest station to the airport, but then, over $60 for the taxi from that station to the airport. So, yeah. Cheers!
@@phillipevans9414 Next time catch the 901 bus from Broadmeadows to the airport for free as a part of your ticket.
Having wifi and USB charging is pretty good. A few times I caught a Greyhound bus from Sydney to the mid north coast around 30 years ago. The worst part of the trip was the constant detours off the main road to drop passengers off or pick them up at their little town. These detours added hours to the trip.
Wi-Fi USB .... 30yrs ago ... ?
@@dodgeboy9052 no of course not. No one knew of USB or wifi in the early 90s. Just saying it’s good Greyhound buses today offer these features. The passenger trains in NSW do not.
I did the firefly, Sydney to Melb. and back. The trip was great, enjoyed the driving through little country towns and watching scenery change. Sadly I could never do it again as my back couldn't handle sitting up for that long.
I used to do this trip a few times a year in the early 90s but in reverse. Watching the journey brought back a lot of memories. Thanks.
Wonderful video. Who would have thought that a video about a bus trip would be so entertaining. So lucky you had the rain. Love seeing the windscreen wipers swishing back and forth throughout the journey.
I was thinking the same thing. I was “why am I watching this” I’ve driven that trip about 30 times in the last 7 years working on tunnel projects in Sydney and living in Brisbane. But I watched to the end and though, great video lol
Back in the 1980’s, long distance coaches were the most economical form of public transport along the east coast. There were probably ten or so different coach companies like McCaffertys, Sunliner, Firefly, Deluxe to name a few that I certainly used. Unfortunately, two crashes involving coaches in the late eighties and the rise of low cost airlines really shrunk the long distance coach services.
i caught a couple of these torture sessions as a kid, before we had iphones and ipads. had nothing but the trees to look at, nothing to listen to but the engine or the bus and the hydraulics of the brakes. absolute torture when your 9 or 10
This is a night bus for sleeping.
you could have read a book, comica and play crosswords, puzzles
Wondering if Greyhous has looked at the Sleeper buses in South America. The comfort on those is up there to the point i once chose the 18hr bus trip over a 2 hr flight! A service like that would be popular i reckon in Australia on those long legs.
I may be wrong, but I think the law in Australia doesn’t allow beds in busses as everyone needs to be seated with a seatbelt. I remember hearing this is why bands can’t use tour busses, they aren’t allowed to sleep while driving. It would be great if they could!
@@JoshGoesSlow Yeah could be true, but even the Semi-cama style buses with a really good recline and a seatbelt would be fine I'd have thought. My biggest issue with buses is the seats are often as bad as airplane economy....
That travel pass sounds awesome!!! Cool video - I love bus trips - great scenery without having to worry about driving 👌
The first bus trip was BNE to CNS on a Greyhound double decked (volgren) bus in (87). Since then I have loved bus travel & plus you get to see many different/interesting parts of QLD...
Don't know why, but it feels so surreal seeing newcastle here. I go into that exact bus stop under the shelter on my bus to school, but it's just strange to see.
Hi Josh, only found your channel today. I travelled from Sydney to Brisbane on the bus in 1988. Not by choice. All flights were booked out from Melbourne to Brisbane, could only get a flight to Sydney. This was due to Brisbane hosting Expo 88 (which was awesome) the only stops we had was when the driver stopped for a cigarette, for about 10 minutes. I remember stopping in Newcastle at about 3am. The bus trip was alot quicker than 16 hours. I can't sleep on buses or planes. Was with my mum and son. Mum gave me a sleeping tablet which worked fine. Your trip looks great because you're able to see the sites. Returned to Melbourne by plane, so bus 1 way
I agree, I would never do this in one hit, but it's cheap for backpackers. I took it last summer but I stopped at Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Coolangatta along the way, relaxed in some amazing towns on that trip. I had some early morning trips and even those were hard to take a nap in when it got super bumpy, so I can't imagine trying to sleep for 8 hours!
Along the Pacific Hwy, it is easier to have mobile signals than the train tracks. Easier to see small towns by Coaches because shops front are on both sides.
Always enjoy riding this route especially new castle, Coffs Harbour, Ballina , Byron bay and Gold Coast, Brisbane
The pass is a great deal. But if you need to travel between capital cities then fly. If you're buying food on the trip then it costs similar to flying. I normally spend $130 from Sydney to Brisbane and Melbourne with transfers. Key is planning.
I’ve done this trip by bus a few times and there’s something about it I just love. Driving through the night, often seeing the sunrise. You get a real Spence of the environment changing as you get to a more tropical climate. Recently I looked into going to Perth by bus but they don’t seem to run anymore which was disappointing. The train is just to expensive for me.
Going on a 24 hour greyhound trip in a week by myself (I’m 16) and I’m so excited
The only SYD-BNE airfares you're going to get under $100 are going to be at like 6:00am. Anything else is going to be a MINIMUM of $200 up to $500 at the moment. It's complete extorsion. I took a McCafferty's coach from Sydney - Brisbane back in the 1980's when domestic airlines were still highly regulated & very expensive. The reason was exactly the same - it was way cheaper, even back then. It was certainly an experience.
Then why don't people look at Syd/ Coolangatta? Got a flight for as little as $90 last Saturday 7pm , $110 for 3 30pm, just 3 days prior..🙄🤔
164 return. 9am
what if you dont live in sydney? small town airport will put you back 400 or so. better to link up with the bus part way through journey.
i've caught the bus from the gold coast to newcastle, i'd sailed up the coast so i had a bit too much gear to fly back. i'd recommend that people should do it at least once especially tourists you get to see the changing scenery along the way which is certainly different to flying which leaves the area between airports an unknown if you haven't been there before.
Try going all the way from Newcastle to Townsville during summer when we had the pilots strike in the early '90's. Swapped busses in Brisbane and the aircon lasted about the 1st 20km.
1 star, not recommended.
Wouldn't that be considered a coach instead of a bus? Coaches are seated significantly higher than normal buses, the driver is lower than the passenger seats etc etc.
"Coaches also have more features than buses. Because they are typically used for travelling longer distances, coaches place more of an emphasis on comfort and entertainment. Coaches are often equipped with larger, more comfortable seats, whereas buses possess standard two and three-seater, bench-style seats."
Not according to my arse, whether seats or dunny's.
We used to have a Cobb & Co bus service back in the good old days (70s about) which myself, my mum and sisters used to travel from Sydney to Southport in Queensland. Greyhound was never an option. Cobb & Co was the best.
I remember a coach trip from Sydney to Brisbane I took when I was a child with my mother in early 90's In the dead of night the bus suspension broke just outside of Ballina (luckily near our break stop), in the early morning It was towed to a bush bus mechanic, and was all fixed up again in 90 mins flat.
I've driven between Sydney and Brisbane multiple times with my own vehicle -- takes me about 10 hours, with a few quick stops for refuelling and toilets.
The drive itself is quite pleasant - especially if you do it at night with almost no other cars around you. :)
I’ve driven Newcastle to Brisbane and back again nearly 20 times over the years, I recognised most of those stops on the way. I love driving, but I reckon I could do the bus or the train just for the experience.
I did longer than you for around 24 hours. From Childers to Sydney back in early 2000. Was the cheapest way back then and you do see some interesting sites and some characters. I went with McCafferty’s which were bought out by Greyhound. Childers is a town in central Queensland. Good video mate
I took an overnight bus from Sydney to Melbourne once; it was about 12 hours. Arrived in Melbourne absolutely exhausted and had to get early check-in at the hotel for a few hours sleep during the day.
Never again, probably.
Ah yes, this brings back a memory of when I was 19 yo and caught the Greyhound bus from Newie to Brissie.
Those multiple stops are because the NHVR require them for the drivers to take I believe 2 30 minute stops as well as passenger comfort.
SYD-BNE one-way by plane can be a lot more than $200, particularly booked at short notice, and since covid if you can find one for $79 you're a miracle worker. As a travel agent I'd more realistically say anything from $130 to $500 for a one-way economy air ticket.
For Monday 1 May 2023, the Sydney to Jetstar flight is only $79. For the most part, people who travel by coach or train between the capital cities have a poor sense of value. And, quite frankly, are rather eccentric.
@@user-kc1tf7zm3b Unfortunately such prices mostly are a kind of clickbait - there are often additional hidden costs or seats for this price are sold out.
@@michaelmueller7962 I am easily able to secure this Jetstar $79 fare for Monday 1 May 2023, with a 6:30am departure, as I write this reply to you. The 8:15am flight is $86. The 9:45am flight is $95.
7kg of carry on luggage is included. 20kg of checked luggage is $24, which brings the total to $103.
Payment with POLi is free. Otherwise, the debit MasterCard fee is 0.32%, which brings the total to $106.30.
So, securing these cheap fares under $100 throughout Monday 1 May 2023 is very easy indeed.
Last year I went from Brisbane to Sydney on the bus - it arrived around 8am. Then I caught a bus at 5.30pm the same day that went from Sydney to Melbourne. It was interesting to do the trip once but I have no plans to do it again.
How many people are on the bus for the full journey?
At least the bus gets into Brisbane at a more palatable time than the XPT, and the extra time is largely taken up by the stops where you can get off. The bus seems a viable option when flying is too expensive. A hard slog though.
Back in the 90s you could buy an ozzie pass for 150 bucks which would last a year,you could get on and off a bus when ever you wanted,i did a full circle by bus,met some amazing people.
Excellent video Josh, i just did the 3 hours SYD - CBR and back again this weekend (15-16 April 2023) and i was shattered so great job doing this humdinger 😄
I've taken this bus 5 years ago when moving from Sydney to Brisbane. It's great being able to add extra luggage quite cheaply, but the bus driver wasn't too happy when we showed up with 14 big bags/boxes and a pushbike. It went quite smoothly though and a lot cheaper than sending all our stuff on transport. I found that most other people taking this bus were going home to regional towns along the way, I guess it doesn't make much sense to take this bus over a plane from Sydney to Brisbane..
In 1977 I did the trip Brisbane-Sydney, it might have been 24 hours back them.
I took an overnight coach from Melb-Syd a couple of months ago. I originally did a two day cruise from Syd-Melb and then spent the full day in Melb before taking the overnight coach home.
While the trip wasn’t exactly comfortable, it meant that l was able to spend the day in Melb and not have to pay for a nights accommodation that evening and then pay more to get home via a plane.
I had to be home for work the following day arriving back to Sydney.
Great video...im a coach driver in chile and called my atention that the irizar i6 doesnt have the cab divided😱 in chile they all have a cab division
I wish I had this on my Canadian Prevost. That be great to have some privacy.
Had to do a brisbane to Townsville years ago couldn't fly due to pilots strike, 24 hours in a bus was enough to cure me from ever stepping foot on another one .
Enjoyed the video !!! Great job, keep them coming 👍🏽
Did Adelaide to Darwin and back in December/January 2022 & 2023. Very long trip on Greyhound. The bus that left Coober Pedy to Alice Springs had no air Cond. it was horrid, 35deg outside. Toilet backed up. Not fun. Some of the stops were interesting to say the least, but some were just downright filthy and unhygienic. Tennent Creek stop was putrid. Toilets looked like they had never been cleaned. Poop and urine everywhere. The food choices in the Bain Marie’s looked unsafe, grease dripping off the sides, sandwiches that were peeling apart and cold ‘hot chips’… ferals running around everywhere, nothing like it was back in 2012. Katherine was even worse…Dunmarra roadhouse toilets were also putrid. We ordered a steak sandwich, which was $19.00, and they just left it on the counter, and it was stolen by one of the locals… the rest stops, need to pick up their game when the bus comes thru constantly providing business. Coober Pedy Roadhouse stop was fantastic…I think it was called the Outback Restaurant…fresh, clean, and fabulous meals,, don’t get me wrong, there were some really good stops, but many were well below par… hygiene wise. The buses were average, most times usb didn’t work… interior was dirty and dated. But we did still have a good time, the drivers were lovely and had great sense of humours….except one… wouldn’t speak, was rude to passengers, and told everyone, if we weren’t back onboard at said time, he was going without us… and he meant it!
Would I do that long trip again.? Probably not. Even Tennant Creek to Townsville was more enjoyable tbh. But yes, I would travel by Greyhound again.
Done the other direction overnight, if you can find a way to sleep and get a window seat it's bearable. If you can't sleep it's a pain.
Fantastic video mate!! I love your storytelling, makes it seem like I'm right there on the trip with you and you made it seem like quite a comfy experience haha. Was quite surprised at how well patronised the bus was!
His voice is annoying.
Short answer is we got no high speed rail
i got kicked out of home when i was 14 with like $90 to my name in 2008 had a good friend living in noosa that said i could stay with him for a week
got a grey hound bus sydney to brisbane and jumped trains to nambour and told my sob story to a bus driver and he let me on for free.
one of the most interesting and liberating years of my life.
XPT and day over a bus!!
On a bus you have to wear a seatbelt and the fold down tables are crap for a laptop, on the XPT you can walk and stretch your legs and the fold down tables will accommodate a laptop. It's easier to take a leak on the XPT too.
One of your stops is where I'm living and another is within 15 minutes of my home town.
During my regular coach trips to Lismore in 1993 & 1994 to visit my boyfriend who was going to university in Lismore. My parents used to put me on the coach at approximately 7.30pm at night in Gosford and after a change of buses near Byron bay to travel west to Lismore I'd arrive in Lismore at approximately 6.30 am in the morning.
During one of my trips to Lismore in 1993 was the night Sydney was announced that we would be having the Sydney 2000 Olympics. At our morning stop over we were all desperate to know if we got the Olympics. It wasn't with greyhound though I can't remember the coach company I went by. The reason my parents preferred the coach over a train is they thought it was safer as passengers couldn't just jump on and off as easily as trains.
I went overnight to Brisbane in the middle of winter on a bus with no heating. Never again.
Years ago I took the train overnight to Brisbane. In a seat. NEVER again😵💫 I don't even wanna THINK about taking a bus
Been there done that , I’m my younger days , I travelled with a band on a tour bus across the country lol
I spent 29 hours on a bus from Brisbane to Shepparton .. put me off bus travel for ever!
2 week ago on the greyhound Newcastle to gold coast over night 🌃 very good
Did the same trip Sydney to Brisbane Greyhound last weekend. Although I'd say am not a big fan nor would like to do it again but it was ok. The USB chargers dint work. Bus was jam packed and all seats taken all the way to Brisbane. AC probably was or wasn't working but since its cooler nights at the moment so dint mind it much. Seats were comfortable though, dint feel any discomfort but strangely dint have arm rests between seats. The old lady kept elbowing me lol :)
$350 unlimited travel on Greyhound for 3 months is the best deal to explore Australian small towns 1 by 1. The price is really really cheap.
Very well presented. I often catch the Pioneer coach down the NSW south coast, I think it's the only coach service, Greyhound doesn't do it. I have family there halfway to Melbourne. For me, it is utter torture, and boring... Only because there are no surprises and I know driving is so much faster, not stopping at every town. It's surprisingly busy being the only service down the coast. Never catch a bus to Melbourne down the coast unless you plan on seeing some of the beachside down, and staying along the way. There are some beautiful towns there too. Not as appealing in the winter, it can get chilly down there.
I grew up in Adelaide and travelled a lot with the old @GreyhoundOz and Stateliner. I remember doing the 48 hour Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs. Then the road wasn’t sealed from Woomera to the NT Border, so they used the Stateliner coaches there rather than the Greyhound brand and then a Greyhound to Darwin. Coming back the same way. I use to travel with them (Statellner) to Renmark and Broken Hill at lot as a kid.😊
I've done Adelaide to Alice. Mate you deserve a medal and a new arse for that trip.
It's all good if you have no one next to you. If you have someone sitting next to you the trips can be terrible especially if they are fat
I used to quite often catch coaches from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane. Price was probably one reason but the fact is I like the coaches with their big powerful diesel engines. I did catch a train one time. Can't recall the price. This was back in the 90s but I was upgraded to first class from economy I seem to recall. It was an awesome sight seeing trip. Brisbane to Sydney. However I still like the coaches. However comfort in a coach seat for sleeping can be an issue for people myself included. I do like watching the movie and seeing the trucks on the road in the night however. Prefer night to day travel. Cooler. Nicer. My personal preference.
I’ve done an estimated 40,000 kliks on three continents in busses
Loved it
And maybe similar by train on 5 continents
A
If I had a choice between plane, bus, train or riding my motorcycle honestly I would chose my motorcycle mainly because I enjoy riding but also because I can stop whenever I want to take a break and also take in the scenery
thats pretty good prices, even though its 16 hours on a bus, you get to see more of Australia. thanks for showing us. Its a lot cheaper than driving up there (like i used to do from Melbourne to Brisbane when petrol was cheaper) haha have fun, enjoy your travels
It is a good price, and while you don’t sleep much, you do save yourself a night in a hotel too 😂
Driver a nose picker abd grunter
I'd rather see less thanks. It's not Switzerland.
Just did a search. Booking ahead the best I could get was $110 each leg.
I'd fly.
Did that route back in 1980. Rarer go by car can do what you want. Secondly to travel in bus with spinal injuries would be the most uncomfortable ride. Planes are fine if you just want to hop /skip to get as soon as possible.😮😅
Looks like a lovely bus ride with a lot of stops .. here in chile we barely stop 😖
Did a 18 hour trip in the early eighties from Brissy to Townsville , when we arrived halfway at Rockhampton for a 45 min stop the bus driver said to us he doesn’t care if we smoke pot or whatever but if he sees someone whose been drinking he’ll chuck them off the bus , very funny at the time .
I'd rather not. But overnight bus trips do mean one less night of accommodation to fork out for...
I did the trip from gold Coast to Sydney absolute nightmare, used to be only 11 hours
I've done Melbourne to Brisbane. With like a 6 hour stop in Sydney. It was a grind but cheap...
I did this trip ONCE. Never EVER again. You'd have to have a serious plane phobia to do this.
Exactly
From Brisbane to Sydney
In 1985, as a 30 year old, I hitchhiked from Bourke to Longreach by semi trailer, having walked the first 10 kilometres North from North Bourke in 40 degree heat. Then five hours after being dropped off in Longreach (which included being harassed and detained by the local police for a presumed crime presumably committed by someone with presumably my appearance) I caught a 22 hour coach ride to Brisbane. After an hour of transiting in Brisbane (which thankfully included a shower and a breakfast at the Roma Street Terminal), I caught a 23 hour coach ride to Cairns. After one day of rest at a Cairns pub, I took a two-day freighter trip onboard the M.S. Noel Buxton to Thursday Island, just beyond the most Northerly tip of mainland Australia. A few days after that, I took a helicopter trip to Yorke Island in the Torres Strait! Trucks, buses, boats and choppers beats planes, trains and automobiles.
I rode a Greyhound between Brisbane (Roma Street) and Toowomba and it was good but I would never use one for a journey that long.
As a local Sydney sider, I couldn’t think why I would do a bus, or train. If I wanted to see the country side I would drive. If I was from overseas, it’s something I would consider. I’m pleased to see it’s nothing like the grey hound bus service in the USA.
USA has Greyhound too & also Flexibus. What are the differences?
All the East Coast need is a High Speed Rail. It eliminates all the delays at the airport and traffic congestion on roads. $100bln max. should do it.
i have return trips ipswich to canberra (newell hwy) and ipswich to albury (newell). long trips. also brisbane to sydney on the Brisbane limited train
More stops by coaches means proper toilets & more restaurants to choose from that XPT cannot offer.
If you have that travel pass youll also save on accomodation as youll be sleeping on the bus
Did Brisbane to Smiggins by bus 1388 k's+. Brisbane to Cairns by rail and obviously by flight. Bus is quite a bit easier to sleep in my opinion then even sleeper carriages on train. But again in my hybrid BNE to SYD was on one tank with a few people....But as a company they have to make money, pay the driver, bus, maintenance. If you can sleep anywhere like me bus is a viable option. Plus much harder for them to lose your bags compared to plane :P.
Thanks for sharing . Good price. Quick question - was the bus seating atleast 60% occupied when left Sydney ? Or crowd gathered towards end? Thanks
I think it was around 40-50% full, Some people were able to swap seats at the beginning. I think it stayed about that most the way until Byron bay.
@@JoshGoesSlow ✌
I tried this once. About 20 years ago. Someone went to the bathroom on the bus, at about the half way point. Let's just say the smell eminating from that bathroom was far from pleasant. The driver had to stop, ask everyone to get off, and he left the doors open to air it out.
You had it easy, back in my day I did the 23 hour hell that is Brisbane to Melbourne by bus. You can't do it any more,(people are too soft or sane).
I've done this and also done Brisbane to Adelaide. Of course, this was back before flying became something less affluent people could afford. Would I do it again nowadays? Hell no...
I used to regularly travel to Lismore to visit my boyfriend who was going to university in Lismore in 1993 and 1994
I did Melbourne to Brisbane in 1988. It was 23 hours. Airlines were too expensive back then. Got to see parts of the countryside I'd never see otherwise. There is some real shitholes along the way.
Shitholes? Got nothin on LA , N American shitholes..🙄🤮
Just a quick tip to backpackers if someone in your seat who is sleeping just find a spare or free seat no need to start a scene,
If stopped or at rest stops please don't move people's things if they are on their seats can be offensive towards the person 👍🏻
I and a mate did Goldy to Perth return in 81.....we were 16yrs old. Back then you could smoke on interstate transport, think about that lol
Hello! Thank you for the video!
I'm heading out to Australia in a week. I'm planning to travel from Sydney to Brisbane, stopping at Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Byron Bay and Gold Coast along the way.
It looks like the Greyhound bus is the best way to do it.
Might take the train from Sydney to Newcastle and the bus from there on, whichever is cheaper.
What do you think? Cheers!
In February 2024 many people will have to travel from Brisbane to Sydney to see Taylor Swift. She is not performing live in person in Perth, Adelaide or Brisbane. She did release a "concert film" for all those people who were not lucky enough to see her live in Sydney and Melbourne.
Bugger me dead! Thank fuck for the $79 Jetstar Seats! To Brisie!
a 16 hour bus ride sounds like my idea of hell, I would always pre book a plane ticket to get it at a decent price
for starters, who would wanna go to Brisbane anyways? Literally almost nothing to do.
You wanna try Adelaide to Perth. Its like 30 + hrs
I did 12 hours on a coach from London to Dublin on Contiki, that was enough for me 😂😂😂 I couldn't do 16 hrs on a bus. I wouldn't get a wink in, because I wake myself up with my snoring 😂🤣