I'm not surprised that a recent test has found that Perth trains are actually cleaner than the average kitchen. The general spotlessness inside the carriages is something I really noticed after spending several years in Sydney.

The trains are grotty as in that city. And it's not just because they are more crowded and scrubbed less thoroughly (and presumably less often) than the ones here. I think it also has much to do with the general attitude of the people there.

Basically, Sydneysiders come across as being a bit more selfish and less civic-minded than Aussies from other cities. That's not to say they're bad people. Not at all. It's just that everything is more concentrated and faster paced over there.

It's a pretty dog-eat-dog environment -- definitely more so than Perth's. Being so pushed for time the residents are generally less likely to clean up their messes -- both big and small.

You would often see fast food wrappings (and sometimes half eaten meals!) left on the seats in Sydney trains. And there would be newspapers galore strewn throughout the carriages. Granted, there was a free daily paper that people picked up in the stations. But there would also be numerous Daily Telegraphs and Sydney Morning Heralds lying about. You really didn't have to fork out for a daily paper if you didn't want to! (Maybe this has all changed in recent years but I seriously doubt it.)

Perth is certainly more full-on than in years gone by. But it's still a helluva lot less abrasive and selfish than Sydders. People here are still more likely to do the right thing and dispose of their own rubbish. That factor has contributed to the result of this carriage hygiene test, I believe.