NSW Government Reveals Retro Design for Returning XPT Service

The return of the Sydney to Grafton XPT service later this month will coincide with the reintroduction of a retro train design reflecting the fleet’s original 1980s appearance.

According to a NSW Government ministerial release, the first reinstated service departing Sydney on 28 April 2026 will feature refurbished power cars and carriages painted in the original XPT livery. The design includes black, red, silver and warm white colouring, replicating the scheme used when the trains first entered service.

Two power cars, named “The City of Sydney” and “The City of Grafton”, have been repainted as part of the upgrade program, along with six passenger carriages. These will operate together as a complete set on the initial return journey before being distributed across the broader NSW TrainLink fleet.

The repainting forms part of the NSW Government’s $40.3 million XPT Life Extension Project, which has involved mechanical upgrades and interior refurbishments across the fleet. While the broader program includes improvements to reliability and onboard amenities, the retro livery has been introduced as a distinct visual feature of the upgraded trains.

Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said the design would be recognisable to long-time passengers and rail observers.
“Trainspotters – particularly those who have been around a few decades – will get the chance to relive the nostalgia of seeing the candy-striped livery of the first service making its way through regional NSW,” she said.

“I want to thank the community for their patience over the past year. It has meant we have been able to fast track the $40.3 million, five-year program to refurbish our ageing XPTs – the workhorses of our current regional rail fleet. We are overhauling them inside and out from mechanical systems to new carpets and windows, to ensure passengers have cleaner, more comfortable, and dependable journeys until the new regional rail fleet enters service.”

The Sydney to Grafton service has been suspended for the past 12 months, with coach replacements operating during the upgrade works. Its return marks the completion of this phase of the refurbishment program.

Following the initial service, the retro-painted cars will continue to operate across the network as part of regular XPT scheduling.