When was the last time you arrived at your holiday destination completely relaxed and refreshed, ready for the holiday fun ahead? We’ve just returned from a paid-partnership trip with NSW TrainLink to Wagga Wagga NSW, and discovered that NSW TrainLink is a really great family travel option. It’s budget-friendly, stress free and easy on everyone – especially us parents! Because getting there really should be part of the holiday fun.

Family discount deals

There are some really great NSW TrainLink deals available for families, and with so many exciting destinations to explore it just makes sense. Using NSW TrainLink is a very easy way to book a family getaway, anytime!

No time to read? Watch our NSW TrainLink trip experience video here…

$1 kids fares with a paying adult

Kids (ages 4 to 15 years) are only charged $1 per trip with a paying adult. This tiny fare price alone is a great reason for families to travel with NSW TrainLink. The $1 discount fare is also perfect for single parents family holidays, as only one paying adult is required to access the $1 fare for up to four children. $1 kids fares even apply to first class!

Kids go free concession deal

Another excellent value family deal is the NSW TrainLink Kids Go Free deal. After paying for the first two children, any other kids accompanied by a concession fare-paying adult go free. This makes for an excellent all-around concession family saver deal!

Find out more about family discount fares at the NSW TrainLink website here.

Our NSW TrainLink train trip from Goulburn to Wagga Wagga

I found that using NSW TrainLink for our own family trip really couldn’t have be easier. Simply book your tickets online, and then turn up to the station to board your ticketed train!

Our departure railway station was Goulburn Station in the Southern Tablelands of NSW. At Goulburn we parked our car for free, right at the station entrance. It was easy to wheel our suitcases onto the railway platform.

My two girls were so excited for the train to arrive! They were completely enchanted by the idea of a train trip, and told me it reminded them of Harry Potter on the way to Hogwarts! I have to admit I was just as excited as they were.

Our XPT train arrived right on-time and we eagerly climbed aboard into the air conditioned comfort – we were ready for our adventure to begin! The train attendant helped us put our cases on board and stow them in the suitcase racks. We were to be travelling in a First Class daysitter compartment for our four-hour journey to Wagga Wagga, NSW. 

Comfortable and private – First Class daysitter compartments

We were shown to our private compartment where we made ourselves comfortable. Our daysitter compartment was clean and spacious, with three generously-sized seats. They were plush and comfortable, with arm-rests which could be folded back out of the way. There was plenty of leg-room inside the compartment to stretch out, and for small travel bags too. A large mirror hung on one wall, there was a pull-out rubbish disposal in the wall, plus a power point and reading lights. 

Room to relax and have fun together

As we zoomed along I marvelled at how smooth and quiet the train was. Boredom was never an issue, either. The girls could play games, read books, listen to music, colour in and draw. I settled back to relax and unwind with a magazine and a coffee – this was great!  Sometimes we just chatted together, watching the gorgeous NSW countryside pass-by. Green hills, farm houses, cows, sheep, tractors – even eagles! So many things you don’t normally see from a road-level car window were suddenly given a whole new, beautiful perspective, thanks to the large picture windows with elevated views. 

Everything you need is onboard! 

Another big advantage of travelling with NSW TrainLink is that every service you and your family need for a comfortable journey is already onboard and easily accessible. 

Purchase hot meals onboard

After we had settled-in to our compartment, we decided to explore a bit and seek-out the buffet car for some snacks. There were lots to choose from, including sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit salad and all kinds of drinks. A coffee for me and potato chips for the girls later, we headed back to our compartment. It was fun to walk through the connecting train carriage, bringing our little box tray full of goodies back with us!

A little later an announcement for hot lunch orders came across the P.A. system. We headed back to the buffet car to place our orders, and around an hour later they were ready to pick up. We chose spaghetti bolognese, penne pasta and a vegan vegetable and rice curry – they were all hot and delicious. What a treat to have this luxurious option!

It was also very handy to have a drinking water dispenser located at the end of the carriage corridor.

Toilets are onboard

Right outside our compartment was a toilet and shower compartment, which we shared with our neighbouring compartment. Inside the toilet compartment was a fold-down toilet, hand basin and mirror. The kids thought that going to the toilet on a train was a lot of fun!  As a parent, I was glad to not have to make toilet stops along the way like we would normally do on a car or coach trip. 

Why parents love NSW TrainLink

By the time our train pulled in to Wagga Wagga station, I had realised that there are certainly some very big advantages for parents, (and grandparents and guardians!) when travelling with NSW TrainLink.

I feel our holiday genuinely started from the moment we stepped aboard our train.  No driving was a huge plus for me – it was lovely to be able to sit back and let someone else take care of the driving whilst I relaxed and had fun with the kids.

Then there’s the fact that everyone can move around freely on a train. No one is strapped into a seat. No sore bottoms or boredom complaints! The toilet is right outside your compartment, and hot meals, snacks and coffee are all available from the buffet car.

All of these factors make for a very relaxing parent experience, and overall stress-free trip – and after all, isn’t that what family holidays are meant to be about? 

It’s time to plan your own NSW TrainLink family adventure – it’s as easy as booking at the official website here.

*All information and prices are correct as at May 2019 – please check the official website link above for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices.

The Let’s Go Mum family travelled as a paid partner with NSW TrainLink, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Have you ever been on a NSW TrainLink trip? Tell us where your family explored to in the comments below…

The post NSW TrainLink $1 kids fares for families appeared first on Let's go Mum.

When was the last time you arrived at your holiday destination completely relaxed and refreshed, ready for the holiday fun ahead? We’ve just returned from a paid-partnership trip with NSW TrainLink to Wagga Wagga NSW, and discovered that NSW TrainLink is a really great family travel option. It’s budget-friendly, stress free and easy on everyone – especially us parents! Because getting there really should be part of the holiday fun.

Family discount deals

There are some really great NSW TrainLink deals available for families, and with so many exciting destinations to explore it just makes sense. Using NSW TrainLink is a very easy way to book a family getaway, anytime!

No time to read? Watch our NSW TrainLink trip experience video here…

$1 kids fares with a paying adult

Kids (ages 4 to 15 years) are only charged $1 per trip with a paying adult. This tiny fare price alone is a great reason for families to travel with NSW TrainLink. The $1 discount fare is also perfect for single parents family holidays, as only one paying adult is required to access the $1 fare for up to four children. $1 kids fares even apply to first class!

Kids go free concession deal

Another excellent value family deal is the NSW TrainLink Kids Go Free deal. After paying for the first two children, any other kids accompanied by a concession fare-paying adult go free. This makes for an excellent all-around concession family saver deal!

Find out more about family discount fares at the NSW TrainLink website here.

Our NSW TrainLink train trip from Goulburn to Wagga Wagga

I found that using NSW TrainLink for our own family trip really couldn’t have be easier. Simply book your tickets online, and then turn up to the station to board your ticketed train!

Our departure railway station was Goulburn Station in the Southern Tablelands of NSW. At Goulburn we parked our car for free, right at the station entrance. It was easy to wheel our suitcases onto the railway platform.

My two girls were so excited for the train to arrive! They were completely enchanted by the idea of a train trip, and told me it reminded them of Harry Potter on the way to Hogwarts! I have to admit I was just as excited as they were.

Our XPT train arrived right on-time and we eagerly climbed aboard into the air conditioned comfort – we were ready for our adventure to begin! The train attendant helped us put our cases on board and stow them in the suitcase racks. We were to be travelling in a First Class daysitter compartment for our four-hour journey to Wagga Wagga, NSW. 

Comfortable and private – First Class daysitter compartments

We were shown to our private compartment where we made ourselves comfortable. Our daysitter compartment was clean and spacious, with three generously-sized seats. They were plush and comfortable, with arm-rests which could be folded back out of the way. There was plenty of leg-room inside the compartment to stretch out, and for small travel bags too. A large mirror hung on one wall, there was a pull-out rubbish disposal in the wall, plus a power point and reading lights. 

Room to relax and have fun together

As we zoomed along I marvelled at how smooth and quiet the train was. Boredom was never an issue, either. The girls could play games, read books, listen to music, colour in and draw. I settled back to relax and unwind with a magazine and a coffee – this was great!  Sometimes we just chatted together, watching the gorgeous NSW countryside pass-by. Green hills, farm houses, cows, sheep, tractors – even eagles! So many things you don’t normally see from a road-level car window were suddenly given a whole new, beautiful perspective, thanks to the large picture windows with elevated views. 

Everything you need is onboard! 

Another big advantage of travelling with NSW TrainLink is that every service you and your family need for a comfortable journey is already onboard and easily accessible. 

Purchase hot meals onboard

After we had settled-in to our compartment, we decided to explore a bit and seek-out the buffet car for some snacks. There were lots to choose from, including sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit salad and all kinds of drinks. A coffee for me and potato chips for the girls later, we headed back to our compartment. It was fun to walk through the connecting train carriage, bringing our little box tray full of goodies back with us!

A little later an announcement for hot lunch orders came across the P.A. system. We headed back to the buffet car to place our orders, and around an hour later they were ready to pick up. We chose spaghetti bolognese, penne pasta and a vegan vegetable and rice curry – they were all hot and delicious. What a treat to have this luxurious option!

It was also very handy to have a drinking water dispenser located at the end of the carriage corridor.

Toilets are onboard

Right outside our compartment was a toilet and shower compartment, which we shared with our neighbouring compartment. Inside the toilet compartment was a fold-down toilet, hand basin and mirror. The kids thought that going to the toilet on a train was a lot of fun!  As a parent, I was glad to not have to make toilet stops along the way like we would normally do on a car or coach trip. 

Why parents love NSW TrainLink

By the time our train pulled in to Wagga Wagga station, I had realised that there are certainly some very big advantages for parents, (and grandparents and guardians!) when travelling with NSW TrainLink.

I feel our holiday genuinely started from the moment we stepped aboard our train.  No driving was a huge plus for me – it was lovely to be able to sit back and let someone else take care of the driving whilst I relaxed and had fun with the kids.

Then there’s the fact that everyone can move around freely on a train. No one is strapped into a seat. No sore bottoms or boredom complaints! The toilet is right outside your compartment, and hot meals, snacks and coffee are all available from the buffet car.

All of these factors make for a very relaxing parent experience, and overall stress-free trip – and after all, isn’t that what family holidays are meant to be about? 

It’s time to plan your own NSW TrainLink family adventure – it’s as easy as booking at the official website here.

*All information and prices are correct as at May 2019 – please check the official website link above for relevant, up to date information and accommodation prices.

The Let’s Go Mum family travelled as a paid partner with NSW TrainLink, however all opinions remain firmly our own.

Have you ever been on a NSW TrainLink trip? Tell us where your family explored to in the comments below…

The post NSW TrainLink $1 kids fares for families appeared first on Let's go Mum.

We had the pleasure of staying at the 4-star Best Western Plus Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments this week. Ideally located close to the central Wagga Wagga shopping precinct, it offers modern, elegant, scrupulously clean serviced accommodation, perfectly suited for business, or in our case – families!

We did our usual flying in by the seat-of-our-pants, but the Best Western reception staff couldn’t have been more welcoming or helpful. This was to become a recurrent theme throughout our stay – the service was consistently excellent. Within moments we were on our way to our apartment, complete with a regional map and lots of good advice for our free afternoon!

We stayed in a family apartment – the perfect choice for a travelling family in desperate need of recharge and rest!

Although the location was incredibly convenient to absolutely everything, it was also as quiet and safe. There was no traffic noise, as the complex is set back away from the road with its own private courtyard. Parking is right at the door of your apartment, so it’s quick and easy to unpack. Electronic security lock card-access to get in made us feel safe and sound.

The apartment itself was immaculate, clean as a whistle and fitted out with everything we needed – and then some. The free guest wifi was very convenient, thanks to my own wifi suddenly deciding to be temperamental. There was no annoying password to go and seek out either – just connect.

Modular and stylish, there was nothing broken or dated. It’s obvious that Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments run to a very high standard. Climate control, electric blankets, lights and curtains – everything worked as it should. Windows locked and sliding doors slid!

The beds were clean, large and comfortable with elegant linen. I had a king-sized bed (ah, the luxury – sleeping starfish time!) and there was a separate bedroom for the kids – this apartment could have easily accommodated a family of six.

There’s plenty of room to move and lots of storage and hanging space too in the family apartments. Inside the wardrobe in the children’s room we found and iron and ironing board and valuables safe – plus a bag for laundry service if you’re at the point in your journey where you are short on clean clothes and time! Or you can just use the guest laundry, free of charge.

In the roomy, well fitted-out kitchen there is a large fridge and every kitchen utensil needed to cook up your own family meal – or perhaps just make breakfast. If you aren’t in the mood for cooking, don’t despair – there’s a convenient restaurant on site that also does room service – perfect! That includes breakfast room-service too – and the food is delicious!

There were masses of tea and coffee accessories and shortbread biscuits in the kitchen (just the thing to make a mummy or daddy happy!) and if you and/or your partner are so inclined, the mini bar items are ample and of excellent quality – nothing like a little chocolate and some local Charles Sturt (yep, same as the hotel’s name sake from the nearby university) Cab Sav to help wash down dinner! Alternatively, there’s plenty of bottled water available for purchase too.

The modern bathroom has a nice complimentary toiletries selection (luckily, as I always forget something!) and lots of big, white fluffy towels. There’s a hairdryer in the cupboard too (yep, I forgot that too) and joy of joys, the huge shower was hot and strong!

It’s great that we made such a lucky Wagga Wagga family hotel find in the Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments, as now it makes booking our Wagga accommodation a breeze the next time that we visit! We’d definitely stay at the Best Western Plus Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments again!

Wagga Wagga Best Western Plus Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments useful info

Address: 82 Tarcutta St, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650

Phone: (02) 6923 4100

You can find out more or book at the official Charles Sturt Suites & Apartments here

Have you ever visited Wagga Wagga, NSW? What did you enjoy doing there? Tell us in the comments below…

The post Wagga Wagga Best Western Plus family review appeared first on Let's go Mum.