Train Tickets

Months ago I decided I would buy a train ticket from the Brisbane airport to Central Station which is reasonably close to my hotel.

When I arrived, I found a staffed train booth in the airport.  My train papers confused her deeply.  Mostly the fact that the sheets I printed out were in US dollars and she didn’t know how she could even print out a ticket like that.  She sent me on to an actual train depot; where I would have to go to catch it anyway, so not like out of my way.

New set of people also seemed baffled.  Looked at my papers, turned them over a few times (there’s nothing on the back), looked through my other papers which are hotel details and flight details.

All them also were surprised by, “Round trip?”  Doesn’t seem like that concept even exists with their train system, and yet I paid $25 total for a two way trip.

Eventually the new people said what normally happens is they mail you actual tickets.  Well, that didn’t happen.

I think at this point they figured they had better things to do and just gave me these:

A ticket that shows nothing was paid on it and a “Fill in the Blank for Whenever You Want to Come Back” ticket.  Says Return on it, so they must have the concept in there somewhere.

Here I come train!

While waiting, my seat-neighbor from the last flight showed up, but for the train going the other direction.  I thought she was looking my way so I started waving vigorously thinking, “Hi seat-neighbor!”  She, probably wisely, chose to ignore me.