THE Tarana Valley Community Group has welcomed the news that both Bathurst Bullets will be stopping at the village from mid-September.
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It has been known for months that the second Bathurst Bullet daily return service to Sydney will be stopping at Tarana and Rydal when it begins operating on September 16.
Bathurst MP Paul Toole made the surprise announcement this week, however, that the original Bathurst Bullet will be adding stops at the two villages to its schedule from the same date.
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Tarana Valley Community Group members were at the unveiling of the Opal Card Reader at the Tarana station this week when Mr Toole made the announcement.
The group's president Richard Rollo said it "fulfilled a long-held ambition of the group and local residents".
Mr Rollo said there was strong support for stopping the Bullet at Tarana as it gives "residents of the Tarana Valley, as well as approximately 5500 residents of Oberon Council, closer access to a station".
Long-time Tarana residents Monika Perry and Libby Ross were also pleased with the announcement.
"I regularly visit my sick mother in a Sydney hospital, and now that both Bathurst Bullet train services will stop at Tarana it will make it possible for me to get there and back by public transport in a day," Ms Perry said.
Ms Ross said she and a group of friends would be hopping on the Bathurst Bullet on its inaugural service "and we're having a long overdue day in Sydney".
The first Bathurst Bullet will be stopping at Tarana at 6.18am and Rydal at 6.34am on the way to Sydney and at Rydal at 8.44pm and Tarana at 9pm on the way back from Sydney during weekdays.
The second Bathurst Bullet will be stopping at Tarana at 8.07am and Rydal at 8.23am on the way to Sydney and at Rydal at 5.54pm and Tarana at 6.14pm on the way back during weekdays (the service will operate at slightly different times on Wednesdays).
Tarana Valley Community Group, in conjunction with Lithgow Council, will hold a free community breakfast and coffee at Tarana station at 7.30am on September 16.
"The Bathurst Bullet train is expected to stop at the station around 8.10am and it will be welcomed by the residents of Tarana and the Mitchell Conservatorium New Orleans Brass Band," Mr Rollo said.