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In praise of tortoise trains that foster a welcome change of pace

On last week, ACT senator David Pocock urged the federal government to fund upgrades to cut the Canberra–Sydney trip to 90 minutes, as the current journey takes about 4 hours.
Renewed public complaints prompted demands for trains and tracks upgrades after last week's contemplative journeys by the author highlighted the slow Canberra–Sydney service.
The route includes stops at quaint Tarago and Bungendore stations, with passengers describing bursts of pace followed by about five-minute slow stretches and wombats jogging alongside the train.
The debate pits supporters of slow travel who cite mental‑health benefits against David Pocock's push for federal funding to prioritize faster 90-minute Canberra–Sydney rail links.
Invoking Blaise Pascal, the author enjoyed last week's quiet journey, raising a cultural question about modernizing versus preserving slow travel on the Canberra–Sydney corridor.

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