Australians turn to interstate train travel amid soaring domestic air fares heading into holiday peak

Australians facing record high domestic air fares are opting for cheaper overnight trains and coaches to travel interstate, with patronage between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane more than doubling in recent months as services are booked to capacity.

The cheapest available domestic air fares remain above a peak not seen since March 2004, as airlines struggle with the slow rebuilding of the aviation workforce, staff illnesses and high fuel prices.

But the New South Wales government-run XPT train services from Sydney to and from Melbourne, Brisbane and Dubbo, as well as shorter Xplorer services to destinations including Canberra, remain at much lower fixed prices that are only occasionally subject to slight holiday peak increases.

Discounts are available for concessions as well as booking more than five days in advance and for purchasing online. Unlike most cheaper domestic flights, regional train passengers are not charged for travelling with more luggage, and do not have to pay airport transfers on top of the standard fare.

A further spike was expected over the December-January holiday period, the spokesperson said. Given the fixed price system, the XPT has long been an option favoured by last-minute travellers. Guardian Australia understands about 30% of bookings traditionally occur less than 48 hours before travel.

Nevertheless, multiple services throughout December are already booked out.

Increased demand for coach services between capital cities has also prompted operators to consider adding more services. Greyhound runs one bus service between Sydney and Melbourne via Canberra each day, taking 12 hours. Early bird tickets are mostly sold out over December, with available tickets costing between $140 and $240 one way.