Top 10 Trips By Train In Australia

Travel by Train to the Dreamy Destinations in Australia

Australia is a huge country, whose immenseness cannot be enjoyed if you do not visit most of the regions. And visiting different places in Australia is not possible without a train tour. The best way to enjoy the beauty of Australia is by travelling around the country at ground level, that is, train. There are different train tours which can take you around Australia, while you just sit back and relax and get amazed by the beauty of the country of the Oz. If you are planning your trip to Australia, make sure you get to one of these train tours in Australia, to enjoy an experience of a lifetime.

1. The Indian Pacific

The Indian Pacific is the lifetime experience in the train across Australia. It is the biggest train journey in Australia and this journey is worth it. The amazing train ride starts from Sydney or Adelaide and takes you to Perth. This train travel will make you realize the mightiness of Australia, which you cannot imagine while you travel by air. The Indian Pacific train journey is actually not a ride, but we can say it is a rolling hotel. When you travel through the Indian Pacific, you are given your own bed at night with a small room. There is a restaurant which prepares your meal and a lounge in which you can relax or watch television during the day time. The Indian Pacific train is run by a company named as the Great Southern Rail. This train tour takes you across Australia once a week and during the peak periods of tourism, two times a week. The train route was developed in the 1970s from Sydney to Perth. It has a length of 4,343 kilometres. The coaches used in these trains are made up of original stainless steel which is built by the American Budd Company. If you are planning to travel to Australia make sure to enjoy this train trip across Australia. The route starts with Indian Pacific leaving Sydney Central Station and making its way through Sydney suburban commuter land to the blue mountains of Katoomba at night. When you wake up the other day you are somewhere in the Broken Hill. If you are lucky enough, you might spot a kangaroo or two or even an emu while you have your delicious breakfast. By afternoon, you reach Adelaide and then leave for Perth in the evening. On the other day, you will cross the dusty Nullarbor plain, which literally is the middle of nowhere. After dinner, the stop of Kalgoorlie comes. After this much travel, next in the morning the train reaches Perth and here you have crossed a whole continent on a train.

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2. The Ghan

If you want to visit Australia’s Red Centre, the Ghan is the best available option for you. It surely is the best way to reach the ‘Ayers Rock’ or ‘Uluru’. The Ghan is named after Afghan camels and camel riders who once used to carry supplies from Alice Springs, long before the railways came. It is the second most famous train in Australia and is a link between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin. It takes people from Adelaide to Darwin once a week around the year and twice a week during the peak period. If you want to really experience Australia, you must travel on Australian train rather than a plane. The Ghan is also run by the Great Southern Rail like the Indian Pacific. This train has the same system and class of accommodation like that of Indian Pacific. There are Gold class sleepers, lounge, and restaurant to sit back and have food. A self-service café restaurant is also provided for the passengers to prepare and eat whatever they want. A new super deluxe Platinum class has also been introduced in the Ghan which has double beds or twin lower beds. Initially the Ghan service was so slow that it took 48 hours to reach Alice Springs from Adelaide, but this service has now improved, after the opening of new standard gauge line, and takes only a night and an afternoon to reach Darwin. If you are planning to enjoy a trip on the Ghan, then you have to book it early because there lies a huge interest of tourists in this service.

3. The Overland

Overland tours from Melbourne to central Adelaide twice a week. It is considered to be the most civilized and refreshing way to travel between these two cities. Now you do not need domestic flights, because you have Overland. This train is also run by the Great Southern Rail. Although the South Australian government stopped its funding , the Victorian government jumped in and saved this train for another year. The Overland has red service standard class in which reclining seats are available with enough legroom. The deluxe red premium first-class reclining seats have even more legroom. Meat service is available on the seat and is included in the fair. Although, all of the passengers can avail the service of a licensed buffet bar.

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4. The Queensland Railways

The Queensland Railway travels from Brisbane to Cairns, through the coast of Queensland. The travel time of this tour is 31 hours in which it covers a distance of 1681 kilometres. The train not only travels through cane fields and rainforests but also stops at some of the amazing stations at the coast of Queensland. The biggest and best stations of the Queensland Railways include Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville, and Prosperine, which is the gateway to Whitsunday Islands. Although there are two levels of luxury, if you can buy the tickets for premium Queenslander class then go for it. The seafood platter which is made up of local produce of the Queensland coast makes this class worth all the money.

5. Kuranda Scenic Railway

If you do not have much time and cannot afford a 31-hour journey, then you can go for the Kuranda Scenic Railway which is a much shorter journey. This railway takes around 2 hours in one way and takes you to the hinterland which is located behind the city of Cairns. While on this rail trip, you will be seeing stunning waterfalls. You will also be able to travel through the World heritage-listed rainforest. The journey in the rainforest takes around 15 tunnels and 55 bridges. Although this track was originally established for the mining industry, now is used by this scenic railway. The Kuranda Scenic Railway also offers two classes for travelling. It will surely be among your most scenic railway journey.

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6. Puffing Billy Railway

The Puffing Billy Railways travel from the village of Belgrave, which is about 40 kilometres at the west of Melbourne. The train travels to the Dandenong Ranges which are an incredibly beautiful part of the Victoria, outside Melbourne. This train is open every day of the year, except on 25th December. It is a short trip of one and a half hour during which the train takes you to the ancient forests and fern trees. At the end of the trip, stay at Belgrave for some time to enjoy the traditional Devonshire tea and taste the best scones, jams, and cream in the town.

7. Great Ocean Road Day Tour by Train

The scenic drive on the Great Ocean Road can covert to the scenic ride in a regional train, which leaves from the Melbourne Southern Cross Station. All you have to do is, book the tickets for the Great Ocean Road train which is run by V/line. The train takes you to a one day trip on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. While on this trip, you will be able to explore a lot. The V/Line train leaves from Melbourne Southern Cross Railway Station at 09:10 am and reaches Geelong. This train has only Economy seats available and you do not have to book it earlier. From Geelong, the train is linked to air-conditioned coaches of V/Line that will take you to Apollo Bay by travelling through Angelsea and Lorne. Then at Apollo bay, you have to switch from train to buses and experience a ride to the Great Ocean Road. There you can visit Twelve Apostles, Loch-Ard Gorge, London Bridge, and Bay of Islands, where the bus stops for quite a few minutes for you to take pictures and make memories. This bus also does not require any bookings. Then this bus takes you the Warrnambool railway station, where it connects back to the V/Line train and leads to Melbourne Southern Cross Station. This comfortable train has air-conditioned coaches as well as economy coaches and for this train, reservation is required. Refreshments are also available onboard.

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8. The Pichi Richi Railway

The Pichi Richi Railways is destined for tourists who are based in the southern Flinders Ranges. This train is actually a re-enactment of the old Ghan and it travels from the small town of Quorn to Port Augusta through the Pichi Richi Pass. It’s a one-day return journey but that does not mean that it is a high-speed train. This train does not have any air conditioning and it is quite slow as well as a little uncomfortable. But with this discomfort, you will experience how the Old Ghan was once. Besides, all these spectacular sceneries await you and make your journey worth every penny. Although it may be raw, it is still very good.

9. Ida Bay Railway

The Ida Bay railway is known to be the southernmost operational railway line in Australia. The Ida Bay Railway is 100 kilometres to the south-west of Hobart. Although this railway is not much famous, it is an exceptional journey. The train is owned by Meg Thornton, who have brought this old railway back. In the past, tramways were used to explore the remoteness of the south. These trams were used to transport limestone, which was produced there to Southport Lagoon for the ship loading. The Ida Bay Railway is the only survivor of this old host of tramways. Unlike other premium railway journeys in Australia, the Ida Bay railway takes you to a very remote and a different location in the south. During the journey, you will explore the vast empty spaces, snow-capped hills, forests, spread with tranquil coastal waters of the Southern Ocean. The train travels to a 14 kilometres return journey in a time period of 2 hours. But you can enjoy this trip fully by bushwalking, or you can even have overnight camping during this trip.

10. Brisbane-Rockhampton Tilt Train

The last but not least in the list of train journey in Australia is the Brisbane-Rockhampton Tilt train. This is considered to be the best route for travelling between Brisbane and Rockhampton and exploring the coastal regions of Queensland. The train offers a very comfortable journey in both of its business and economy classes. You can also enjoy delicious meals on this journey.

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Conclusion

If you are planning a foreign trip then Australia is a perfect destination. Although it is a little expensive, this trip will be filled with adventure, excitement, and thrill. And if you want to make it further economical and enhanced thrill then plan to travel through local trains. During this budget tour, you can visit multiple places and can even visit across Australia and experience the mightiness of the region. You can visit all of the amazing destinations of Australia comfortably in railways. So a smooth rail journey is all you want to enjoy the beauty and incredibility of this country of the Oz.

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