A former Wagga woman is calling for faster upgrades of the regional train services, after experiencing "constant delays".
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Jessica Lee Canty moved to Melbourne in 2016 for university and work but used the XPT to come and visit her family and friends.
Not having a driver's licence and the expense of flights means her only option is the train.
"The main issue is delays, and that is nearly every time," Ms Canty said.
"It is probably one out of 10 trips that it runs on time and as a complete train service, as in you don't have to get off and catch a bus for part of the way."
Last week, Ms Canty arrived in Melbourne on a return trip from Wagga, four hours late. After initial delays at Sydney, further ones along the line and a switch to buses that were late to arrive - she finally reached her destination.
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"I was still one hour late for work."
Ms Canty said she knows the trains' upgrade is on the table, but it is still a couple of years away.
"It should have been done 10 years ago," she said.
"There is no Wi-Fi. There is limited service along the trip. There is nowhere to charge any devices. It's a really inconvenient option.
"They want people to move to regional areas, and there will be times when they have to go into the city to commute, so there needs to be investment from all levels of government."
A NSW TrainLink spokesperson said many factors contribute to the timely running of services.
They added that the Sydney to Melbourne line, which stops at Wagga, is one of Australia's busiest freight corridors.
"As such, passenger services are frequently impacted by congestion issues, which programs including Fixing Country Rail are working to alleviate by providing passing loops, which allow freight trains to be moved off the mainline and passenger trains to pass," the spokesperson said.
"Adverse weather conditions also impact our services, such as the recent wet weather event which saw large areas of the network incur damage.
"Safety of our customers and staff is our priority, and coaches are used in place of trains while repairs are undertaken by our infrastructure maintenance partners."
The spokesperson said the NSW Government is replacing the ageing regional rail fleet of XPT, XPLORER and Endeavour trains.
The new regional fleet is currently in the design phase and is expected to be in service in 2023.
"NSW TrainLink appreciates customer feedback and works with our industry partners to identify ways to improve the customer experience," the spokesperson said.
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