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How to travel by train around Australia...

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 Country information

Train operators:

www.railaustralia.com.au for times & fares for all Australian trains

Sydney to Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra:  www.countrylink.info

Sydney/Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth, Alice Springs, Darwin: www.gsr.com.au

Brisbane-Townsville-Cairns:  www.traveltrain.com.au.  Kalgoorlie-Perth:  www.transwa.wa.gov.au  

V-Line (Victoria regional trains):  www.vline.com.au.  Ferry Melbourne-Tasmania: www.spiritoftasmania.com.au

 

 

Railpasses:

Buy an Australian railpass

5-star train-based holidays to Australia    

Time zones:

Sydney, Melbourne: GMT+10 (+11 Oct-March).  Cairns:  GMT+10 all year.  Adelaide:  GMT+9½ (+10½ Oct-March).  Alice Springs: GMT+9½ all year.  Perth:  GMT+8 (+9 Oct-March).

Currency:

£1 = 1.65 Australian dollars,  $1 = 1.08 Aus$.  Currency converter

Flights & hotels:

Flights to Australia   Hotels in Australia   Tours & activities

Visas:

UK citizens need a visa to visit Australia.  This can be issued in 'electronic' form, arranged online at www.eta.immi.gov.au or by flight booking agencies such as Trailfinders and Travelbag.

Page last updated:

12 August 2010


 Travelling by train in Australia...

Australia is a huge country.  And the best way to appreciate its vastness is to cross it at ground level in the civilised comfort of a train.  The famous Indian Pacific links Sydney, Adelaide & Perth in 3 days, crossing the great Nullarbor Plain in the process.  Don't miss out on a visit to the 'red centre' of Australia around Alice Springs, and there's no better way to reach Alice Springs or Darwin than by the equally famous Ghan from Adelaide.  In the East, comfortable XPT trains link Sydney with Melbourne & Brisbane.  Queensland Railways trains link Brisbane with Townsville & Cairns.

 Train routes in Australia...                         (click on a route for train information)

www.spiritoftasmania.com.au The Overland, Melbourne - Adelaide The Ghan, Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin Queensland Railways, Brisbane - Townsville - Cairns CountryLink trains Sydney - Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane The Indian Pacific, Sydney - Adelaide - Perth Transwa Prospector Kalgoorlie - Perth Brisbane - Townsville - Cairns Kalgoorlie - Perth V-Line trains around Melbourne & Victoria www.spiritoftasmania.com.au Sydney to Melbourne, Canberra & Brisbane Melbourne - Adelaide Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin Sydney-Adelaide-Perth

 

On this page...

...you'll find train times, fares, how to buy tickets, and advice on what the train & the journey are like, for the following routes:

Sydney - Adelaide - Perth (The Indian Pacific)

Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin (The Ghan)

Melbourne - Adelaide (The Overland)

Sydney - Melbourne (CountryLink)

Sydney - Canberra (CountryLink)

Sydney - Brisbane (CountryLink)

Brisbane - Townsville - Cairns (Queensland Rail)

Rockhampton-Longreach & Cairns-Forsayth lines

Kalgoorlie - Perth (Transwa)

Hotels & accommodation in Australia

On other pages...

Europe to Australia without flying

Train travel in New Zealand

 


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 Sydney - Adelaide - Perth

For more info visit www.gsr.com.au  

  The Indian Pacific:  By train from Sydney to Adelaide to Perth

The Indian Pacific:  One of the World's greatest train journeys, linking Sydney, Adelaide & Perth...

The Indian Pacific...

This is a fabulous journey, giving you a real sense of the vastness of Australia which a flight simply doesn't deliver.  With a cosy bed at night, a restaurant for your meals and a lounge in which to relax during the day, it's a rolling hotel.  Now run by a private company called Great Southern Rail (www.gsr.com.au), the Indian Pacific now links Sydney, Adelaide & Perth once a week all year round, twice a week in  peak periods.  The Indian Pacific has only existed since the 1970s, when a standard gauge line was finally completed across the continent from Sydney to Perth, some 4,343km or 2,698 miles.  Today, both the Indian Pacific and its sister train the Ghan use the original stainless-steel coaches built by the American Budd company for the first Indian Pacific trains when they started running in 1973.  Suitably modernised, of course!  This train is well worth building into your Australian tour.

About the journey...

The 'IP' leaves Sydney Central Station in downtown Sydney in late afternoon and threads its way through Sydney's suburban commuterland.  As night falls it climbs up through the scenic Blue Mountains passing through Katoomba, and next morning you'll wake up in arid outback country around Broken Hill.  Look out for kangaroo and emu over breakfast!  The train arrives in Adelaide in the afternoon, with time for a city tour even if you're not stopping off, and leaves again for Perth in the early evening.  The day after leaving Adelaide the Indian Pacific crosses the hot, dusty emptiness of the famous Nullarbor Plain on the longest stretch of straight railway line in the world.  It stops long enough for you to visit the tiny community of Cook.  If you've ever wondered what the Middle of Nowhere looks like, this is it!  Once off the Nullarbor you can play 'spot the koala' over dinner as the beautiful evening sun plays over the leafy eucalyptus trees.  After dinner that evening the train stops at the gold rush town of Kalgoorlie for 3½ hours, long enough for a walkabout.  Next morning after breakfast the train rolls into the pleasant and modern city of Perth, capital of Western Australia.  You've crossed a continent!

 Sydney Adelaide Perth

           

 Perth ► Adelaide ► Sydney

 Indian Pacific, westbound...
 Indian Pacific, eastbound...
 Sydney Central depart 14:55  Saturdays & Wednesdays*  Perth (East) depart 11:55  Wednesdays & Sundays*
 Broken Hill arrive 06:40  Sundays & Thursdays  Kalgoorlie arrive 22:15  Wednesdays & Sundays
 Adelaide arrive 15:05  Sundays & Thursdays  Kalgoorlie depart 01:40  Thursdays & Mondays
 Adelaide depart 18:40  Sundays & Thursdays  Adelaide arrive 07:20  Fridays & Tuesdays
 Kalgoorlie arrive 19:10  Mondays & Fridays  Adelaide depart 10:00  Fridays & Tuesdays
 Kalgoorlie depart 22:40  Mondays & Fridays  Broken Hill depart 18:30  Fridays & Tuesdays
 Perth (East) arrive 09:10  Tuesdays & Saturdays  Sydney Central arrive 10:15  Saturdays & Wednesdays

*  The Saturday departure from Sydney runs all year round, but the Wednesday departure only runs  from 31 August to 28 November 2010 & 4 January to 31 March 2011.

*  The Wednesday departure from Perth runs all year round, but the Sunday departure only runs  from 31 August to 28 November 2010 & 4 January to 31 March 2011.

Please double check departure dates at www.gsr.com.au, as the recession means some departures have been cancelled in 2010 & 2011.

 Indian Pacific fares

One-way fares:   

Gold Service

sleeper:

Red Service

sleeper:

Red Service

reclining seat:

 Sydney - Perth

Adult

AUS$2008

AUS$1362

AUS$716

Child (under 16)

AUS$1399

AUS$887

AUS$286

 Sydney - Adelaide

Adult

AUS$694

AUS$501

AUS$308

Child (under 16)

AUS$527

AUS$365

AUS$130

Adelaide - Perth

Adult

AUS$1514

AUS$1036

AUS$458

Child (under 16)

AUS$1022

AUS$628

AUS$211

Children under 4 go free.  Note that the Pensioner fares shown on the GSR website are for Australian senior citizens only.

£1 = 1.65 Australian dollars,  $1 = 1.08 Aus$.  Currency converter.

How to buy tickets...

You can check fares and book online at www.gsr.com.au.  Alternatively, call GSR's UK agent, www.simplyrail.com on 08700 84 14 11.  The Pensioner/student fare applies to pensioners, students, children and (according to the GSR website, in reclining seats only) members of recognised backpacker associations (such as the Youth Hostel Association).  Return fares are twice the one-way fare, but check railpass prices as these can be cheaper.  Gold Class fares include all meals.  A small fuel surcharge is now being added (around A$10-30).

What's it like on board the Indian Pacific?

The Indian Pacific has 3 classes of accommodation, Gold Service sleeper, Red Service sleeper & Red Service reclining seat.  Which should you choose?  If you want the 'experience of a lifetime' and can afford it, go Gold Service sleeper for all the comforts, complete with restaurant car meals included.  At the other extreme, if you're on a very tight budget, Red Service seats allow you to experience one of the world's great train journeys for not much more than you'd pay for a flight plus a hotel room or two- but see if you can afford a Red Service sleeper, as travelling such a long distance in a seat isn't as comfortable as having a private room and a bed for the night.

Gold Service sleeper (formerly first class)...

Gold Service passengers travel in private sleepers, either single-berth 'roomettes' for passengers travelling alone or 2-berth 'twinettes' for passengers travelling in twos.  The price per person is the same.  Both roomettes and twinettes come with comfortable freshly made-up beds, towels, and a complimentary toiletries pack with soap, shampoo, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc..  The fare includes excellent meals served in the exclusive Gold Service restaurant car.  There's a Gold Service lounge car (sometimes two of them) with bar & armchairs, with complimentary tea & coffee always available.  The lounge car's bar serves cocktails, beer & wine, although drinks are extra.  Twinette sleeping-cars have a fairly conventional layout with side corridor.  Each twinette 2-berth sleeper has an upper & lower bed which fold away to reveal a sofa for daytime use.  Twinettes have a tiny private bathroom with hot shower, toilet & washbasin.  Roomette sleeping-cars have a rather strange 'wavy' corridor snaking along the middle of the car with doors to the roomettes opening off both sides of it (the S-curves in the corridor maximise the space in each roomette).  Each roomette is about 7 feet long by 4 feet wide, just big enough for a comfy armchair, a table, and a drop-down sink in one corner, though in 2010 it's reported that the drop-down flush toilet originally fitted underneath each sink is now boarded up out of use.  At night, the bed folds down from behind the seat and takes up most of the room.  There's an excellent hot shower & toilets at the end of the corridor.

Indian Pacific:  Gold Service roomette (daytime)   Indian Pacific:  Gold Service roomette (night-time)   Indian Pacific:  Gold Service restaurantcar

Gold Service roomette (daytime).  What you see is about the size of it.

Gold Service roomette (night-time mode).  The bed folds down length-ways from behind the seat.  When it's down, it takes up most of the room...

  Gold Service restaurant.  Waiter-served 3-course meals are included in the Gold Service fare.  Photo courtesy of James Chuang
Indian Pacific:  Gold Service lounge car   Indian Pacific - spotting Koala bears   Indian Pacific & Ghan:  The sink in a Gold Service roomette

Above:  One of the plush Gold Service lounge cars, serving complimentary tea & coffee.  The bar serves cocktails, snacks, beer & bottles of wine, although these are extra...

 

Above:  Koala spotting at dinner, just off the Nullarbor Plain and heading for Kalgoorlie.  The warm early-evening light on the eucalypt trees was fantastic...

 

The drop-down sink in single-berth roomette.  The in-room toilet is now out of use.

Red service sleeper (formerly Holiday Class)

Passengers travel in economy 2-berth sleepers.  As in Europe, berths in 2-berth compartments are sold individually and passengers travelling alone in Red Service sleepers will share with another passenger of the same sex.  The sleeping-car layout is identical to the Gold Service roomette cars, with a corridor snaking along the centre of the car in a series of shallow s-bends, with doors to the various sleeper compartments opening off both sides of it.  Each room is the same size as a Gold Service single-berth roomette (about 7 feet by 4 feet), but this time there are two armchairs facing each other, plus the washstand in the corner.  At night, a lower bed folds down from behind one seat, taking up most of the room, and an upper berth folds out from the wall with just enough space still free bedside it to climb in.   Red Service passengers can use the Red Service self-service restaurant car where they can buy snacks, soft & alcoholic drinks and complete meals, and rent personal DVD players and feature films.  Meals and drinks are extra.  If you find the Gold Service prices too expensive, this a much more economical way to see Australia by train with the comfort of a proper bed in a private room at night, and you still get a convivial lounge and restaurant car during the day.

Red Service reclining seats (formerly Economy Class)...

Passengers travel in comfortable reclining 'dayniter' seats with plenty of legroom and adjustable leg-rests.  Bring your own rug and pillow if required.  There's a hot shower at the end of the coach, with soap and towels provided for each passenger.  Seats passengers can use the Red Service self-service restaurant car where they can buy snacks, soft & alcoholic drinks and complete meals, and rent personal DVD players and feature films.  Naturally, sleeping in a seat is a bit 'rough' compared to the comforts of a proper bed in a cosy sleeper, especially if you are doing the whole 3-night journey in one go and not stopping off (which would be my first suggestion, to break the journey up).  However, you're not stuck in a seat like a bus as during the day you've got the same restaurant car as Red Service sleeper passengers, and of course the scenery is just as good!  The Red Service seats option makes this journey affordable for budget travellers when compared to flying plus a hotel room or two.  Even in a seat, there's no comparison between the experience of a train journey across Australia and the mundane non-experience of a flight.  In other words, you might find journey on the Indian Pacific in a seat enjoyable or you might find it a bit uncomfortable, but either way you'll have loads to write home about, whereas if you fly you won't.

Indian Pacific:  Cook on the Nullarbor Plain   Indian Pacific & The Ghan:  Economy class reclining seats Indian Pacific & The Ghan:  Red Kangaroo restaurant

Above:  Unfortunately, not enough people got sick and the hospital closed.  Eastbound & westbound Indian Pacifics pass each other at Cook, a tiny community on the Nullarbor Plain, where you can get out & stretch your legs . If you've ever wondered what The Middle of Nowhere looks like, this is it. 

 

Above:  Red Service 'Dayniter' seats on the Indian Pacific and the Ghan.  During the day, seats passengers can use the Red Service lounge & restaurant car.  Photo courtesy of James Chuang

Above:  Red Service self-service restaurant car on the Indian Pacific and the Ghan.  It serves affordable meals, snacks & drinks.   Photo courtesy of James Chuang

 Railpass options

Rail Explorer Pass:  Unlimited Red Service reclining seat travel on the Indian Pacific, Ghan & Overland for 6 months, for £391 adult, £335 student/backpacker/child aged 4-15.

Check pass prices & buy online from International Rail

Passes can be sent to any address worldwide.

Austrail Pass:   An amazing option!  6 months unlimited nationwide Australian train travel on the Indian Pacific, The Ghan, The Overland, CountryLink trains between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra, & most Queensland Railways trains, for £567.

Check pass prices & buy online from International Rail

Passes can be sent to any address worldwide.


The Ghan...

  The Ghan: By train from Adelaide to Alice Springs and Darwin

The Ghan:  Another of Australia' amazing train journeys, from Adelaide to Alice Springs & Darwin...  Photo courtesy of James Chuang

This is the best way to reach Australia's fabulous 'Red centre'.  Australia's second most famous train, the legendary 'Ghan' links Adelaide, Alice Springs & (since 2004) Darwin, once a week all year round, twice a week from April to October.  By using the train you get a real feel for the scale of the Australian outback, which you simply don't on a plane.  Like the Indian Pacific, the Ghan is now run by Great Southern Rail, and has the same classes of accommodation & facilities:  Gold Class sleepers, lounge & restaurant, Red Class sleepers, reclining 'dayniter' seats, lounge & self-service restaurant, see the section above.  Most departures of the Ghan now have an additional class of accommodation, the new super-deluxe 'Platinum Class' complete with double (or twin lower) beds.

The Ghan gets its name from the (supposedly) Afghan camels and camel drivers who used to carry supplies up to Alice Springs before the railway came.  The first railway was narrow gauge, and the speed of the old 'Ghan' was notoriously slow, taking 48 hours from Adelaide to Alice.  Only in the early 1980s was the new standard-gauge line opened via a more direct route.  The journey time has been cut to an afternoon and a night, and the service doubled to twice weekly.  Connections are available to/from Sydney and Melbourne using the Indian Pacific or Overland, see the Indian Pacific section and the Overland section.  The railway onwards to Darwin was completed in January 2004, in February 2004 the Ghan was extended to/from Darwin once a week, doubled to twice-weekly in 2006.  Book early, as there has been massive interest in the service to Darwin and bookings have exceeded even Great Southern Rail's expectations.

The Ghan Timetable...

 Adelaide ► Alice Springs ► Darwin

            

 Darwin Alice Springs Adelaide

 The Ghan, northbound...
 The Ghan, southbound...
 Adelaide depart  12:20  Sundays & Wednesdays*  Darwin depart  10:00 Wednesdays

 09:00 Saturdays*

 Alice Springs arrive 13:45 Mondays & Thursdays  Alice Springs  arrive 09:10 Thursdays

 11:15 Sundays

 Alice Springs depart 18:00 Mondays & Thursdays  Alice Springs depart 12:45 Thursdays  15:15 Sundays
 Darwin arrive 18:30 Tuesdays & Fridays  Adelaide arrive 13:10 Fridays

 13:10 Mondays

* The Wednesday departure from Adelaide and the Saturday departure from Darwin only operate from 7 April to 30 October 2010.

On board the Ghan...

The Ghan has the same Gold Class & Red Class accommodation as the Indian Pacific, see the section above, but most departures now feature super-deluxe Platinum class with 2-bed rooms (solo passengers must pay extra for sole occupancy of a 2-bed room in Platinum class as there are no singles).  If you can afford it, by all means have the 'experience of a lifetime' in Platinum or Gold class, but even in a Red Service sleeper or economical reclining seat it's a great way to go, complete with restaurant car & lounge.

The Ghan from Adelaide to Alice Springs & Darwin:  Boarding Platinum Class   The Ghan:  Platinum Service 2-berth sleeper   Ayer's Rock - Uluru.  Get there by train!
Boarding Platinum Class sleeping-cars on the Ghan, linking Darwin, Alice Springs & Adelaide.  Gold Service carriages will soon be refurbished with the same ribbon glazing along the window line. Platinum photos courtesy of James Chuang A luxurious Platinum Class sleeper on the Ghan, in day mode with twin lower beds folded away. This is the most luxurious option. Ayer's Rock (Uluru) is some 275 miles from Alice Springs, so book a tour from Alice.  You can still climb the 348-metre-high sandstone monolith, a steep scramble, though aboriginal people request that you don't.  See www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru/

 Fares for the Ghan...

 One-way fares:

Platinum

sleeper*:

Gold Service

sleeper:

Red Service

sleeper:

Red Service

reclining seat:

 Adelaide to

 Alice Springs

Adult

AUS$2365

AUS$1019

AUS$656

AUS$358

Child (under 16)

n/a

AUS$701

AUS$400

AUS$166

 Adelaide to

 Darwin

Adult

AUS$2987

AUS$1973

AUS$1312

AUS$716

Child (under 16)

n/a

AUS$1357 AUS$800 AUS$331

Children under 4 go free.  Note that the Pensioner fares shown on the GSR website are for Australian senior citizens only.

* The Platinum class price is for two people sharing, per person.  In Platinum class, a solo passenger pays double the price.

£1 = 1.65 Australian dollars,  $1 = 1.08 Aus$.  Currency converter.

How to buy tickets...

You can check fares and buy tickets online at www.gsr.com.au.  Alternatively, call GSR's UK agent, www.internationalrail.com on 08700 84 14 11.  The Pensioner/student fare applies to pensioners, students, children and (according to the GSR website, in reclining seats only) members of recognised backpacker associations (such as the Youth Hostel Association).  Return fares are twice the one-way fare, but check railpass prices as these can be cheaper.  Gold Class fares include all meals.  A small fuel surcharge is now being added (around A$10-30).

 Railpass options

Rail Explorer Pass:  Unlimited Red Service reclining seat travel on the Indian Pacific, Ghan & Overland for 6 months, for £391 adult, £335 student/backpacker/child aged 4-15.

Check pass prices & buy online from International Rail

Passes can be sent to any address worldwide.

Austrail Pass:   An amazing option!  6 months unlimited nationwide Australian train travel on the Indian Pacific, The Ghan, The Overland, CountryLink trains between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & Canberra, & most Queensland Railways trains, for £567.

Check pass prices & buy online from International Rail

Passes can be sent to any address worldwide.


The original 'Alice Spring'...Alice Springs...

The Alice, as it's usually known, still has a frontier feel to it.  Originally called Stuart and only officially renamed Alice Springs in 1933, it grew up around a telegraph station on the overland telegraph linking southern Australia with London.  The site for the telegraph station was chosen because there was water, a spring  which was named after the wife of Charles Todd, superintendent of telegraphs in Adelaide.  You can still see the telegraph station, now a museum, at the North end of the town.  Next to it (pictured right, at the base of the white rock) is the very birthplace of the town - the original, dried up 'Alice spring'.  Telegraph station museum websiteNorthern Territories official visitor website.

Ayer's Rock (Uluru)...

You'll want to explore the outback whilst in Alice Springs, including Uluru, the world's largest sandstone monolith.  It's some 275 miles southwest of Alice - the outback is a big place!  It's a fabulous area with lots to see besides Uluru, including the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) & King's Canyon.  You can see Uluru & Kata Tjuta as a 17 hour day trip from Alice (which includes a 5 hour drive each way), but it's far better to book a 2, 3 or 4-day 4-wheel drive camping safari to see more in less of a hurry.  Try this link for Uluru & outback tours from Alice or try www.wayoutback.com.au.  You're still allowed to climb Uluru, a steep scramble along the tourist track up the least perpendicular part of its sandstone sides - however, aboriginal people request that you don't.  The website for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru.


 Melbourne - Adelaide

For more info see www.gsr.com.au  

   
  The 'Overland' train from Melbourne to Adelaide

The Overland:  The new 'Emu' logo on the stainless steel coaches of the Overland train linking Melbourne & Adelaide...  Photo courtesy of James Chuang

The Overland...

The third of the three trains run by Great Southern Rail, the Overland links Melbourne and Adelaide three times a week, all year round.  Forget domestic flights, the 'Overland' is easily the most civilised way to travel between these cities.

 Melbourne ► Adelaide

          

 Adelaide Melbourne

 The Overland...

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays

 The Overland...

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays

 Melbourne (Southern Cross) depart 08:05 (08:40 Sats)  Adelaide (Keswick) depart 07:40
 Adelaide (Keswick) arrive  17:45  Melbourne (Southern Cross) arrive 18:40

To check times & fares, visit www.gsr.com.au.  To buy tickets for the Overland in the UK, contact the UK sales agent www.simplyrail.com on 08700 84 14 11 or book online at www.gsr.com.au.  Will not run from Adelaide on 25 December or from Melbourne on 26 December.

What's it like on board the Overland?

The Overland was refurbished in May 2007, and now has spacious and comfortable 'Red Service' standard class reclining seats with loads of legroom, and deluxe 'Red Premium' first class reclining seats with even more room and at-seat meal service (although meals are not included in the fare).  All passengers can access the licensed buffet-bar.  Review of a journey on the Overland on Tripadvisor.
Refurbished Red Premium seats on the 'Overland' Melbourne to Adelaide train.   Refurbished Red service seats on the 'Overland' Melbourne to Adelaide train.   Refurbished Red Cafe car on the 'Overland' Melbourne to Adelaide train.
Above:  Red Premium (first class) seating on the Overland.  Photo courtesy of James Chuang   Above:  Red service seating.

Photo courtesy of James Chuang

  The Overland cafe car.  So much more civilised than flying or a nightmare bus journey...

Photo courtesy of James Chuang

 Fares for The Overland...

 

Red Premium seat:

(first class):

Red seat:

(standard class)

 Melbourne - Adelaide

 one-way

Adult

AUS$134

AUS$90

Child

AUS$95

AUS$45

£1 = 1.65 Australian dollars,  $1 = 1.08 Aus$.  Currency converter.

Southern Cross is the new name for Melbourne's refurbished Spencer Street station.

You can check fares and buy tickets online at www.gsr.com.au.  Alternatively, call GSR's UK agent, www.internationalrail.com on 08700 84 14 11Railpass information.


CountryLink's XPT and XPLORER trains...

Trains in New South Wales, including the interstate trains from Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane, are run by CountryLink, formerly the State Rail Authority of New South Wales, a division of RailCorp.  CountryLink run two comfortable 'XPT' trains every day from Sydney to Melbourne, one by day and the other overnight.  A similar service runs from Sydney to Brisbane, although as trains alternate between Brisbane and Casino, a bus connection is needed to Brisbane on one of the two.  Equally comfortable 'XPLORER' trains link Sydney with Canberra.

CountryLink XPT trains from Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane   Economy class seats on CountryLink XPT train from Sydney to  Melbourne & Sydney to Brisbane   First class seats on CountryLink XPT train from Sydney to  Melbourne & Sydney to Brisbane
CountryLink XPT trains.

Photo courtesy of Rail Australia...

Economy class seats on an XPT. Spot the difference...  First class seats on an XPT are almost identical to economy.

XPT trains might look familiar.  That's because they're based on the UK's InterCity 125, but re-geared to 100mph and with (you'll be pleased to learn...) beefed-up air-conditioning.  XPTs have first and economy class reclining seats.  First and  economy class seating is identical (even the legroom), so there is no advantage whatsoever in paying for first class unless economy is full.  XPTs have a buffet car selling food and drink, including wine.  XPLORERs (pictured, below right), which have similar seating to XPTs and a buffet-bar.

  A CountryLink Xplorer train about to leave Sydney for Canberra
 

Above:  A CountryLink XPT...

Photo courtesy of James Chuang

  2-berth sleeper on a CountryLink XPT train from Sydney to Melbourne or from Sydney to Brisbane
 

Above:  XPT 2-berth overnight sleeper from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane

Photo courtesy of Rail Australia...

  A CountryLink Xplorer train about to leave Sydney for Canberra
 

Above:  Xplorer train from Sydney to Canberra...

Sleeping-cars:  The overnight Sydney-Melbourne & Sydney-Brisbane XPT trains have one sleeping-car with 2-berth rooms.  A sofa converts to an upper & lower berth, and there's a hot shower & toilet shared between each pair of adjacent compartments.  Book early, as there's only one sleeping-car per train and it gets booked up fast.  Note that sleepers cannot be booked online, you need to book at the station or by phone.

 Sydney ► Melbourne

        

     

 Melbourne ► Sydney

 by CountryLink XPT
Daily Daily
 by CountryLink XPT
Daily Daily
 Sydney Central depart 07:42 20:40  Melbourne (Southern Cross) depart 08:30 19:55
 Melbourne (Southern Cross) arrive 18:53 07:35  Sydney Central arrive 19:54 06:55

1st & Economy class with buffet-bar.  Sleeping-car available on overnight train (2-berth rooms, shower next door).

Check times before travel at www.countrylink.info, times can vary.

ImportantA bus is temporarily replacing the train between Albury & Melbourne from 8 August 2010 onwards until further notice, due to engineering work, see www.countrylink.info.  This may go on until October, the duration isn't clear.

Southern Cross is the new name for Melbourne's refurbished Spencer Street station.

 Sydney ► Brisbane

          

     

 Brisbane ► Sydney

 by CountryLink XPT
Daily  Daily
 by CountryLink XPT
Daily Daily
 Sydney Central depart 07:15 16:12  Brisbane (Roma St) depart  07:30 15:20**
 Brisbane (Roma St) arrive 22:31* 06:30  Sydney Central arrive 21:06 06:52

1st & Economy class with buffet-bar.  Sleeping-car available on overnight train (2-berth rooms, shower next door).

Important:  Arrivals & departures in Brisbane are one hour earlier during daylight saving time.

Please double-check times at www.countrylink.info, as times can vary.

*  The 07:15 XPT from Sydney terminates at Casino at 18:44, you must change there for a bus connection to Brisbane.

**  The 15:20 departure from Brisbane is by bus to Casino, then by train (departing 19:25) to Sydney.

 Sydney ►Canberra

         

     

 Canberra ► Sydney

 by CountryLink XPLORER
Daily Daily Note A
 by CountryLink XPLORER
Daily

Mon-Fri

Sat, Sun

Note B

 Sydney Central depart 06:58 12:05 18:11  Canberra depart  06:43 11:56 11:55 17:03
 Canberra arrive 11:23 16:32 22:29  Sydney Central arrive  11:02 16:21 16:25 21:23

Note A= runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays.

Note B = runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays.

Please double-check times at www.countrylink.info, as times can vary.

 CountryLink fares...

 One-way fares per person: Economy seat    1st class seat   1st class sleeper
 Sydney - Melbourne Low season fare A$91 A$128 A$216
High season fare A$130 A$183 A$271
 Sydney - Brisbane Low season fare A$91 A$128 A$216
High season fare A$130 A$183 A$271
 Sydney - Canberra Low season fare A$39 A$56 -
High season fare A$57 A$80 -

£1 = 1.65 Australian dollars,  $1 = 1.08 Aus$.  Currency converter.

How to buy tickets:  www.countrylink.info

To check fares & train times and buy tickets online, see www.countrylink.info.  Tickets bought online are sent by e-mail.  Sleepers cannot be booked online, only by phone or at the station.  Alternatively, to book in the UK, contact the UK sales agent, www.internationalrail.com on 08700 84 14 11Railpasses for Australia are also available, including the Backtracker pass covering CountryLink trains or the Austrail Pass covering CountryLink and other Australian train routes too.


Sydney...

Sydney is a fantastic city.  Take a tour of the opera house (www.sydneyoperahouse.com).  Wander through the botanic gardens.  Visit the observation deck of the Centrepoint Tower (www.sydneytower.com.au).  Take a ferry from Circular Quay to Watson's Bay for fish and chips at Doyle's famous refreshment rooms (www.doyles.com.au, look for 'Doyles on the beach', for Sydney ferry information see www.sydneyferries.info).  For general city tourist information see www.sydney.com.au.

Why not do the incredible Sydney Harbour Bridge climb (pictured, right)? From Aus$179 (£77), you are briefed and equipped for a walk up the girders of Sydney Harbour Bridge, for some fantastic views across the city, from the Pacific Ocean in the East to the Blue Mountains in the West.  The bridge climb tour has been operating since October 1998.  Book your climb online here or visit www.bridgeclimb.com for more information.

On top of the world - Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Blue Mountains...

Looking for a scenic day out from Sydney?  Hop on a double-deck suburban train from Sydney to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, 109.9km from Sydney - trains run about every hour, journey time 2 hours, fare around Aus$7.80 each way, or Aus$10.80 for an off-peak day return valid any time after 9am Monday-Friday or any time at weekends.  Children under 16 half fare, children under 4 free.  A short walk from the station brings you to the Three Sisters rock formation, overlooking the breathtaking Jamieson Valley, with lots of great scenic walks.  For information & a guide to walks, see www.bluemts.com.au or www.infobluemountains.net.au.

For Sydney Suburban train times & fares see www.cityrail.info (select 'Blue Mountains Line in their journey planner', and remember that Sydney Central is listed as just 'Central'.

  A double-deck train from Sydney arrives in Katoomba The Three Sisters, Katoomba

Melbourne...

Don't forget to visit the museum in Melbourne's old gaol, www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au.  Ned Kelly, Australia's most infamous outlaw, was imprisoned and hanged in Melbourne gaol, and his unique armour is still displayed there (pictured, right).

Take a ride on Melbourne's trams (there's even a restaurant in a tram - eat your dinner travelling round the Melbourne streets, book a tramcar meal online here or see www.tramrestaurant.com.au).  For general tourist information, see www.visitmelbourne.com.

For a day or two out of town, drive the famous Great Ocean Road.  You can do this as a day tour by bus  from Melbourne, or you could hire a car for a day or two.  See www.greatoceanrd.org.au.

  Great Ocean Road:  'The 12 apostles' Ned Kelly's armour, Melbourne gaol

Adelaide...

Named after the wife of King William IV, Adelaide is a much smaller city than Sydney or Melbourne, and much more relaxed.  Admirably well laid-out by its founder, Colonel William Light, the city centre is surrounded by parkland.  On Montefiore Hill to the north of the centre, you can see 'Light's vision', where Colonel Light stood to map out his plan for the city.  For city visit information see www.cityofadelaide.com.au.

It's worth hiring a car for a few days to visit some of the wine regions nearby, including the famous Barossa Valley, see www.barossa.com or www.barossa-valley-australia.com.au.

Don't drink this Jacob's Creek..!

Perth...

Perth is the capital of Western Australia, a clean, modern city - for visitor information see www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au

Frequent electric trains link Perth with Fremantle, see www.transperth.wa.gov.au for times & fares.  In the maritime museum in Fremantle are the remains of the Dutch East India company ship 'Batavia' (pictured, right).  The ship was carrying a stone arch for the main gate of the city of Batavia (modern day Jakarta).  Needless to say, the arch never arrived...  See www.museum.wa.gov.au.

Maritime museum, Freemantle (near Perth)

Queensland Railways...

 Brisbane ► Townsville Cairns

  The Sunlander The Sunlander 100mph tilt Train
 Brisbane (Roma St) depart 08:55 (Tue, Sun) 13:25 (Thursdays) 18:25 (Mon, Fri)
 Rockhampton depart 20:30 (Tue, Sun) 23:55 (Thursdays) 02:15 (Tue, Sat)
 Townsville arrive 08:35 (Wed, Mon) 11:50 (Fridays) 11:55 (Tue, Sat)
depart 09:00 (Wed, Mon) 12:15 (Fridays) 12:05 (Tue, Sat)
 Cairns arrive 16:15 (Wed, Mon)  19:15 (Fridays)

18:20 (Tue, Sat)

 Cairns Townsville ► Brisbane

  The Sunlander 100mph tilt train
 Cairns depart 09:15 (Tue, Thur & Sat)

09:15 (Wed, Sun)

 Townsville arrive  16:10 (Tue, Thur & Sat) 15:15 (Wed, Sun)
depart  16:35 (Tue, Thur & Sat) 15:30 (Wed, Sun)
 Rockhampton arrive 04:50 (Wed, Fri & Sun) 01:10 (Thur, Mon)
 Brisbane (Roma St) arrive 15:55 (Wed, Fri & Sun) 09:10 (Thur, Mon)

The SUNLANDER:  1st class sleepers (private 1 & 2-berth sleepers), economy berths (shared 3-berth sleepers) and economy reclining seats, lounge and restaurant.  On Thursdays & Sundays from Brisbane, Tuesdays & Saturdays from Cairns & Townsville, this train also has deluxe Queenslander class sleepers, restaurant and lounge.  Read this illustrated blog about travelling on the Sunlander.

TILT TRAIN:  Introduced in April 2003, this is an all-new 100 mph tilting diesel train.  It has buisness class reclining seats with video entertainment and a buffet-bar.  Unfortunately, there are no sleepers, just seats.

BRISBANE-ROCKHAMPTON:  There are other trains between Brisbane and Rockhampton, including a 100mph tilting daytime train.

BRISBANE-LONGREACH:  A train called the SPIRIT OF THE OUTBACK runs twice a week Brisbane - Rockhampton - Longreach, with 1st & economy sleepers, economy seats, and restaurant car.  See www.traveltrain.com.au for details.

CAIRNS-FORSAYTH:  A little 1963-vintage stainless-steel railcar works the Savannahlander train from Cairns to Forsayth at 06:30 every Wednesday with an overnight hotel stop in Almaden, arriving in Forsayth on Thursday evening.  It returns from Forsayth at 08:30 on Fridays, also with an overnight hotel stop in Almaden, arriving Cairns 18:40 on Saturdays.  A 4-day outback rail experience!  It runs March until December, no service in late Dec, Jan or Feb or first few days of March.  See www.savannahlander.com.au for timetable, fares & booking.

 Fares

One-way fare per person:   

Sunlander:

Queenslander

class sleeper:

Sunlander:

First class

sleeper:

Sunlander:

Economy

berth:

Sunlander:

Economy

seat:

Tilt train:

Business

class seat:

 Brisbane - Townsville

Adult

AUS$714

AUS$385

AUS$249

AUS$189

AUS$283

 Brisbane - Cairns

Adult

AUS$784

AUS$429

AUS$279

AUS$219

AUS$328

Children 3 years and under go free, children 15 years and under pay half the adult fare.

How to buy tickets...

To check train times and fares and book online, see www.traveltrain.com.au.  To book Queensland Railways trains from the UK, visit www.internationalrail.com or call 08700 84 14 11Railpasses for Australia.

Club car on Queensland Railways' Spirit of the Outback   Queensland Railways' Spirit of the Outback at Emerald
Above:  Club car & exterior of the Spirit of The Outback from Rockhampton to Longreach.  Although narrow gauge (3' 6") it's very comfortable!  Photo courtesy of Peter Young.
Lounge car, Brisbane to Cairns on the Sunlander train   Restaurant car on the Brisbane-Cairns Sunlander train

Above:  Lounge & restaurant car on the Sunlander between Brisbane, Townsville & Cairns. Photo courtesy of James Chuang.

Read this illustrated blog about travelling on the Sunlander, with photos of first class and economy sleepers


 Kalgoorlie - Perth

 For more info, visit www.transwa.wa.gov.au 

Transwa's "Prospector"

Transwa (formerly known as Westrail) introduced brand-new express diesel trains on the Perth - Kalgoorlie 'Prospector' services in September 2003, running at up to 100mph.  Within a few years, track will be upgraded to 125mph (200km/h), making these trains the fastest in Australia.

 Perth ► Kalgoorlie

       

 Kalgoorlie Perth

 The Prospector Mon-Sat

Sun

Mons & Fris  The Prospector Mon-Sat

Sun

Mons Fris
 Perth (East) depart 07:05 14:05 15:00  Kalgoorlie depart 07:15 14:15

15:15

15:25

 Kalgoorlie arrive 13:45 20:40

21:45

 Perth (East) arrive 14:00 21:00

22:00

22:05

This route is also served by the Indian Pacific.  Transwa also run trains between Perth & Bunbury, see www.transwa.wa.gov.au.

Fares & how to buy tickets:  Perth-Kalgoorlie costs Aus$ 81.55 each way.  Children under 5 free, children 5 to 15 (inclusive) half fare.  You can book online at www.transwa.wa.gov.au.
The 'Prospector' train between Perth and Kalgoorlie  
Above:  The Perth to Kalgoorlie 'Prospector' train.  Photo courtesy of James Chuang  


 

 Holidays by train in Australia...

UK companies such as Great Rail Journeys offer fully inclusive 5-star escorted tours around Australia, using the Indian Pacific, the Ghan & Countrylink.  Check the holiday details online, then call 01904 527 120 to book or use their online booking form.  Seat61 gets some commission to help support the site if you book your holiday through this link and phone number.

Alternatively, companies such as Travelbag can arrange independent travel, with flights and trains as required.

 

 

 Europe to Australia without flying...

For information on how to reach Australia overland by Trans-Siberian Railway, or by sea all the way,

see the Australia overland page

 


 

 Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable

It's probably the most adventurous timetable ever published...  The famous Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable is the best place to find train, bus and ferry times for Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand or anywhere else in Asia, Africa, America, Australasia.  It's updated every two months, it's essential reading for any serious overland traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers!

You can get a copy for £13.99 from any UK branch of Thomas Cook or buy online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (with worldwide delivery).

Alternatively, buy the independent traveller's edition at Amazon.co.uk, Overseas Timetable Summer 2010 edition.

 

 

 Hotels & accommodation

Find a hotel anywhere in Australia...

A good guidebook like the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides will point you at some good hotels in each town or city when you get there.  Alternatively, you can pre-book hotels in almost any Australian town or city using www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below.  It's not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start looking for any hotel online anywhere.

 

◄◄◄ Search all major hotel

booking websites at once...

Hotel reservations? Find the right hotel first. Compare here.

Powered by Hotelscombined.com  

Backpacker hostels in Australia...

www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in many places in Australia, at rock-bottom prices.



 

 Tours, excursions & activities

If you're travelling independently, you can pre-book specific city tours, short excursions or activities all over Australia at www.isango.com.  They have quite a range, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, Sydney Opera House tours, various city tours, wine region tours, the Melbourne tramcar restaurant, Great Ocean Road, balloon flights, and more.  Definitely worth a look!


 

 Guidebooks

Lonely Planet Australia - click to buy onlineA guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.  With a decent guidebook you'll see so much more and know far more about what you're looking at.  For the serious independent traveller I recommend either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  I personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planets, but others prefer the Rough Guides.  Both books provide a similarly excellent level of practical detail and useful background.  You won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy online at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy Lonely Planet Australia direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.

"Australia by Rail" from Trailblazer Guides...

Colin Taylor's "Australia by Rail" is well worth buying if you plan to tour Australia by train.  Not only will it help you understand the routes, trains, and on-board accommodation, it has city information and best of all a mile-by-mile lineside guide of what to see from the train on the way.

Buy online at Amazon.co.uk

 

 Travel insurance, SIM card...

Get insured...

 
   

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

If you live in the UK, get quotes from Columbus Direct or Go Travel Insurance, or go to Confused.com to run a price comparison on a whole range of travel insurance providers for your dates of travel, seeing their policy's features at a glance..

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a pre-paid currency MasterCard from Caxton FX...

You can save money on ATM charges and exchange rates using a Caxton FX currency card, available in euros, dollars or the multi-currency 'Global Traveller' card.   Find out about these cards & sign up here.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.


 Flights to Australia...

Overland travel around Australia  by train is an essential part of the experience, so once there, don't cheat and fly, stay on the ground!  But a long-haul flight might be unavoidable to reach Australia in the first place.  For flights from the UK to Sydney, two airlines stand out:

  • Virgin Atlantic Airlines, www.virginatlantic.com, who fly direct from the UK to Australia, a good choice for both price & service.

  • Singapore Airlines, www.singaporeair.com, consistently voted one of the world's best (and I wouldn't disagree, as airlines go...).

To compare prices on a whole range of airlines, use www.opodo.com or www.e-bookers.com.  Seat61 gets a small commission through these links.


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