Lithgow

Lithgow is immediately to the west of the Blue Mountains, approximately an hour's drive from the westernmost suburbs of Sydney.

By car

From Sydney and the east take the Great Western Highway through the Blue Mountains. Lithgow is located at the bottom of the descent of the mountains. The Bells Line of Road from Windsor is a narrower, quieter road, that avoids many of the Blue Mountains townships.
From the west there are a few road links, including the Great Western Highway to Bathurst and links to Mudgee.

By train

Lithgow is the westernmost terminus of Sydney's electric train network. NSW Trainlink Intercity runs unbooked/unreserved trains to Lithgow departing every one or two hours during the day, and less often throughout the night. The train trip takes three hours from the centre of Sydney and two hours from Penrith in the west.
NSW Trainlink regional trains booked/reserved services to and from Dubbo also stop at Lithgow once a day in each direction, a little faster, but more costly. You can only reserve seats from Sydney a few days before, as seats are held for travellers going to stations not serviced by unbooked trains.

By bus

There are several bus services every day from Dubbo, Bathurst, Orange, Forbes and Parkes, each designed to meet the trains to Sydney. These buses are run by NSW Trainlink Regional and the local Lithgow Buslines.

The train station is right adjacent to the main street and shopping area of Lithgow. Taxis are available at the station. The pubs and hotels in the town are walkable and some of the motels are a short trip by taxi.
You can catch a train to Zig Zag - that will take you to the Zig Zag Railway that will hopefully reopen soon. Trains only stop there on request, so talk to the staff before joining the train. The local bus service comprehensively services the surrounding residential areas, albeit somewhat infrequently.
You will need a car to get any further afield, or to see any of Lithgow's natural attractions.

• Small Arms Factory

  phone: +61 2 6351 4452
  address: Methven St

• Garry Pettitt Fine Art

  phone: +61 2 6352 5414
  address: Daintree Close South Bowenfels

• Graham Gercken Fine Art Gallery

  phone: +61 2 6351 4942
  address: 49 Hepburn St

• Magnolia Fine Gifts & Gallery

  phone: +61 2 6351 3130
  address: 80 Main St

• Glow Worm Tunnel

  address: Wollemi National Park

• Jenolan Caves

  phone: 1300 76 33 11 (local rate)
  address: 4655 Jenolan Caves Road, Jenolan Caves

The Zig Zag Railway was one of the most famous attractions near Lithgow. This original section of the western railway is a zig-zag due to the steepness of the descent. The train goes forward along a section of the track, the points are changed, and then it reverses onto the next track section. The track section is long bypassed by the main line, which now winds through tunnels to make its descent. The tourist trains that used to operate on this track section have been suspended after bushfires damaged the sheds and equipment in 2013, and no definitive reopening time has been announced.
You can use the fire trails and dirt roads above Lithgow to get to places like the Lost City rock formations.

• Ironfest

  address: Lithgow Showground

• Lake Lyell Recreational Area

  phone: +61 2 6355 6347
  address: Lake Lyell

• Jannei Goat Dairy

  phone: +61 2 6355 1107
  address: 8 View St, Lidsdale

• Blue Mountains SpaRadise

  phone: +61 2 6352 3122
  address: Sir Thomas Mitchell Dr

• The Old Exchange

  phone: +61 2 63524442
  address: 83 Main St
  No booking needed, fully licensed bar.

• Domino's Pizza

  phone: 1300 366 466 (local rate)
  address: Shop 4, Pottery Plaza Valley Dr

• Lithgow Palace Chinese Restaurant

  phone: +61 2 6353 1888
  address: 1/59 Main St

• Lithgow Workies

  phone: +61 2 6350 7777
  address: 3 Tank St

• McDonalds

  address: Great Western Highway

• Secret Creek Cafe & Restaurant

  phone: +61 2 6352 1133
  address: 35 Crane Rd

• Won Dee Thai Restaurant

  phone: +61 2 6351 3346
  address: 202 Main St

There is no shortage of pubs on the main street of Lithgow. In the space of three blocks, you'll find the Commercial, Court House, Lithgow, Tattersalls, and Grand Central. Just pick which ever one appeals.
Across the railway line you'll find Lithgow Workmens club, that likes to call itself 'Workies'. Cheaper drinks, bistro food, and poker machines in typical club surrounds. It's popular, and you may have to queue for the bistro even on a weekday evening.

• Lansdowne Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6351 3045
  address: 137 Main St

• Commercial Hotel Motel

  phone: +61 2 6351-2312
  address: 198 Main St

• Court House Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6351-3234
  address: 1 Main St

• Grand Central Hotel

  phone: +61 2 63514777 or +61 2 63525954
  address: 69 Main St

• Lithgow Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6351-3379
  address: 130 Main St

• Tattersalls Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6351-3387
  address: 151 Main St

Several of the pubs in town offer accommodation, only a short walk from the station. The Commercial has motel accommodation attached. In addition, Lithgow has a wide range of accommodation including:

• Lithgow Valley Motel

  phone: +61 2 6351 2334
  address: 45-49 Cooerwull Rd
  16 ground floor units, parking at door, off noisy Hwy., fax facilities, parking for heavy vehicles.

• Zig Zag Motel

  phone: +61 2 6352 2477
  address: 70 Chifley Roa

Many of the best destinations suitable for a day trip to Lithgow are eastwards, in the Blue Mountains. Good trips into the western side of the mountains include driving up the Great Western Highway or catching a train to Katoomba, and driving up the Bells Line of Road to the Mount Tomah Botanical Gardens.
A glow worm tunnel is 40km north of Lithgow on a forestry fire trail. It is an old railway tunnel and the glowworms have taken up residence. The tunnel is a 1km easy and pretty walk from the carpark, use a car with a good ground clearance or 4 wheel drive, and well worth a visit. As the tunnel is long a turns a corner it is very dark in the centre of the tunnel. A torch would be useful in this section, but you can walk carefully and mind your footing without one.
Newnes is also well worth a visit, get info from the local tourist information center on the Bathurst road just outside of Lithgow.