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 Country information

Australia is a huge country.  And a great way to appreciate its vastness is to cross it at ground level by 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. This page will show you the major rail services around Australia.

On this page:

Train route map

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 - Rockhampton - Townsville - Cairns (Queensland Railways)

Kalgoorlie - Perth (Transwa)

Europe to Australia without flying

The Ghan...

Australia's second most famous train, The Ghan links Adelaide and Alice Springs twice a week and (since February 2004) Darwin.  The Darwin service was doubled to twice-weekly in April 2006.  It's easily the best way to travel to Australia's 'red centre'.  Like the Indian Pacific, the Ghan is now run by Great Southern Rail, and has the same classes of accommodation and facilities:  Gold Class sleepers, lounge and restaurant, Red Class sleepers, reclining 'dayniter' seats, lounge and self-service restaurant - see the section above.

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 new service to Darwin and bookings have exceeded even Great Southern Rail's high expectations.

Timetable for The Ghan from 1 April 2007:

On board the Ghan...

Gold Class 'dreamtime' lounge car.		The Gold Class restaurant car...		Gold Class 1-berth roomette.

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

How to buy tickets:

You can check fares and buy tickets 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).

Alice Springs

	Above:  The new 'Emu' logo on the stainless steel coaches of the Overland Melbourne-Adelaide train...  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.

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.

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.

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

Saver = limited-availability special fare, book well in advance.

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.simplyrail.com on 08700 84 14 11.  Railpass 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. 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