Across Australia by train
Photo: Tourism NT, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons
- See Rail travel in Australia for general information about travelling by train in Australia
Australia can be crossed by two great railway journeys, The Ghan, which crosses north to south straight through the heart of Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide, and the Indian Pacific, which crosses east to west, from Sydney to Perth.
UnderstandThe Indian Pacific she goes rollin' down the track. Five thousand miles to travel before she's there and back.
PrepareThese are not high-speed transcontinental trains. They are slow, laid back and luxurious trains that know how to take their time and let you enjoy the scenery. The trains are privately run by Journey Beyond.
Get inDarwin and Adelaide can be reached by plane from all major Australian cities and a few international destinations like Singapore, Denpasar, or Kuala Lumpur.
The GhanThis itinerary assumes you start from Darwin and head south, but it's also possible in the opposite direction. The Ghan takes 54 hours to travel 2,979 km.
The Indian PacificThis route connects the Perth on the Indian Ocean with Sydney on the Pacific Ocean.
Stay safeThough the journeys are long, and there are few chances of people just wandering in onto the train like in other countries, it is nevertheless wise to secure your room and items.
Go nextThe Overland (which is also a Journey Beyond train) operates between Adelaide and Melbourne.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Across Australia by train" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Tourism NT, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons