Welcome to the Australian Rail Maps blog.

Australian Rail Maps has been online since 1996 - that's 14 years. Maybe we're a bit slow off the mark, but today we launch our blog. We will keep you up to date with changes to our website and to rail, tram, ferry and bus services all over Australia.

We are proudly independent of all operators and all transport authorities. We believe that travel in Australia out to be fun and easy. We have some great transport options in this country - some fantastic train journeys, wonderful buses, trams and ferries from which you can experience all the country has to offer without ever leaving the ground. The problem is that it is just so so difficult to figure out what train runs from where to there and when, who operates it, what bus you can catch to connect with it, how to buy a ticket and make a booking etc. All too often the casual traveller will just give up and drive or fly. But why should it be that way? Well of course it needn't be.

The myriad of separate operators rarely co-operate sharing information, and there are no accepted standards for presentation of information. In recent years in some States, transport authorities have made tentative moves toward providing travel planning services, but these are still limited and none cross State boundaries. Australian Rail Maps is the only website to have national coverage.

While you might think we are only about trains - and admittedly that is where we did start - we also cover trams, ferries and long distance buses. Take a look at our national public transport map - it shows all non-metropolitan services in the country - on a single pdf map. Take a look here: http://www.railmaps.com.au/railandbusmaap.php?map=central_b

We're not just about maps either. We also have a comprehensive online database of train, bus and ferry timetables, and we use it to operate our journey planner. You can plan a trip from anywhere to anywhere else in Australia regardless of which company operates the services. Try it http://www.railmaps.com.au/stationfinder.php