Melbourne Trains Two

On Monday morning I arrived at Southern cross Station on the citylink train from South Kensington. I had about 40 mins to get my next ticket but was dragging a large suitcase and two pieces of hand luggage. I went to buy a ticket at the ticket counter. They only sold citylink tickets there and directed me downstairs to a window that sold V-Line (provincial tickets). I queued up and bought my ticket. Good value at about €18. I was directed to Platform 5 but could only find 5a and 5b. Eventually established that it was 5a. Was told that I would have to book on my luggage, so I had to go almost to the other end of the station, and it is a large station, to find the 'special' place where one books in ones luggage. Needless to say it was not beside the ticket window or anywhere near it. There was a huge Que. It was just like an airport Que. Got to the top of that and they took my luggage and tagged it. Then they weighed it. It was 23 kg. Too heavy. The workers will not handle more than 20kg. I was told that I would have to go to the carriage with it myself but they would not leave on the tag so that I could prove that I did attempt to book it on. I rushed back to platform 5a and meet the baggage master, just outside his carriage. I explained my situation and he said that it could not go in his carriage because it did not have a tag. He told me to take it on the train with me. Then he followed me and told me that it was not possible to store the bag near where I was sitting (you get numbered seat tickets). It would have to go in the baggage carriage. But he could not carry it because it did not have a tag so he asked me to carry it and place it there myself. I did and just made it back to my seat as the train pulled off! To add insult to injury the train passed through South Kensington Station but did not stop, which brings me back to Melbourne Trains One! (see previous blog)