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The Ghan, Port Augusta, South Australia © Journey Beyond

Australia's best train journeys

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Romance awaits aboard Australia’s lavish long-distance sleeper trains.

By Amy Fraser and Krysia Bonkowski

Four days, three states, two oceans and one train. The Indian Pacific isn’t just any train journey, it’s an epic escape from day-to-day life, an adventure of a lifetime and one of the best ways to experience the true beauty of Australia. Picture the majestic Blue Mountains in New South Wales, the rolling hills and winding streams of Western Australia , the bubble-gum pink lakes of South Australia and the iconic Nullarbor Plain ; you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled and your camera at the ready. Choose to hop on at any leg of the journey, or sit back for an epic four days from one ocean to another along the world’s longest stretch of straight railway.

Over three to four days, the Great Southern sweeps through one of the most diverse corners of the nation – venturing from the lush folds of South Australia’s Adelaide Hills, to the rugged Grampians mountain range in Victoria, past the lazuline shores of the New South Wales north coast and on to Brisbane. Four Australian states in a handful of days; it’s the ultimate way to see the country's ever-changing landscapes, all the while indulging in the world-class luxuries. This all-inclusive journey runs only once a year, across summer. The best part? The itinerary changes with the direction, giving you the perfect excuse to hop back on and do it all anew.

No distractions, no complications – just you and the monumental Australian outback. Traversing almost 3,000km (1,864mi) across some of the most hard-to-reach and jaw-dropping pockets of Australia, the Ghan journey is truly awe-inspiring. Snaking your way through the heart of the outback, you’ll see a new side to Australia – and perhaps yourself. From stylish interiors to indulgent experiences; the Ghan isn't one of the world’s most celebrated train journeys just for the route – it's the whole experience. To top it off, you'll have the opportunity to create your own adventure, choosing between a handful of routes and journeys.

26 hours and 1,300-odd km (808mi) – that’s all it takes to see the soul of western Queensland . As the Spirit of the Outback sleeper train chugs inland from Brisbane, lush greenery gives way to a land tinted gold and bronze by the sun. Between the Australiana-themed dining cars serving Queensland produce and the cattle stations stretching to meet the endless horizon, it’s an experience unique to this corner of the world. A place steeped in lore and legend – the inspiration for bush poet Banjo Paterson’s ballad “Waltzing Matilda” – the Queensland outback still echoes the bushrangers, prospectors, and hardy drovers that once roamed here.

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Australia is a huge country.  And the best way to appreciate its vastness is to cross it at ground level by train, in comfort.  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 at affordable prices, and Queensland Railways links Brisbane with Townsville & Cairns.  On this page you'll find train times, fares, how to buy tickets, and advice on what the train & the journey are like for all the main Australian train routes.

Train route map

Interactive map: Click a route for information

Useful country information

Sydney - adelaide - perth, across australia on the indian pacific.

Australia's biggest train journey, in every sense of the word.  This is a fabulous train ride right across Australia from Sydney or Adelaide to Perth, giving you a real sense of Australia's vastness which flying simply cannot deliver.  With a cosy bed at night in your own room, 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 Journey Beyond Rail ( journeybeyondrail.com.au , known as Great Southern Rail until 2019), the Indian Pacific links Sydney, Adelaide & Perth once a week all year round.  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 including in your grand Australian tour! 

What's it like on board the Indian Pacific?     What's the journey like?

Check times & departure dates at journeybeyondrail.com.au .   Passengers can take their cars between Adelaide & Perth on the Indian Pacific, see journeybeyondrail.com.au .  The station in Adelaide is Adelaide Parklands, formerly known as Adelaide Keswick.

Children under 4 go free, under 16s reduced rate.  Return fares are twice the one-way fare.

Gold & Platinum fares include all meals and soft drinks, beer & wine.

Note that the Pensioner fares shown on the GSR website are for Australian senior citizens only.

How to buy tickets

You can check fares & book a journey on the Indian Pacific online at journeybeyondrail.com.au .

Or you can use the contact & booking form of reliable Australian-based train ticketing specialist www.internationalrail.com.au who can arrange Indian Pacific tickets for you, wherever you live in the world. You'll normally get a quote within 24 hours.  International Rail can also sort tickets for other Australian train services, such as NSW TrainLink from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane. 

To buy Australian train tickets in the UK by phone, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3 , lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday.

Railpass options

The Rail Explorer Pass was discontinued in August 2015.  You need to buy regular tickets to use the IP or Ghan.

Vacations & tours by rail

Railbookers are train travel specialists with offices in the UK, Australia & United States.  They offer customisable tour packages around Australia with travel on some or all of Australia's great trains, with train tickets, stopovers, hotels, transfers and (if necessary) flights sorted for you.

What's a journey on the Indian Pacific like ?

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 in the train's restaurant car!  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, 478 km or 297 miles, 'nullarbor' being Latin for 'no trees'.  The train 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 used to stop at the gold rush town of Kalgoorlie for 3½ hours, long enough for a walkabout, but is passes through at 3am in its latest timetable.  Next day the train rolls into the pleasant and modern city of Perth, capital of Western Australia.  Congratulations, you've just crossed a continent!

What's it like on the Indian Pacific & Ghan ?

The Indian Pacific & the Ghan use similar equipment.  They both have two classes of accommodation, Gold Service sleepers & Platinum Service sleepers.  Both classes offer proper beds in private rooms with meals included in the restaurant car.  Platinum Service gets you a bigger room with (if you want one) a double bed, with an exclusive Platinum Service restaurant car with small lounge area.  Unfortunately, Red Service sleepers were discontinued in 2015 and Red Service reclining seats the year after, there is now no budget option.  What was originally a mode of transport with aspirations to cruise service at the top end is now an all-cruise train with prices to match.

Gold Service (formerly first class)

Gold Service passengers travel in private sleepers, either 2-berth twinettes for passengers travelling in twos or single-berth roomettes for passengers travelling alone, see the photos below.  The price per person is the same.  There's a restaurant car and a lounge car.

Queen Adelaide restaurant

The fare includes excellent 3-course meals served in the Queen Adelaide restaurant car.  Beer and standard wines are complimentary in Gold service.  Photos courtesy of DiscoverByRail.com .

Outback Explorer lounge car

During the day Gold Service passengers can use the Outback Explorer lounge (sometimes two of them) with bar & armchairs, complimentary tea & coffee always available.  The bar in the Outback Explorer lounge serves cocktails, beer & wine.  Since 2013, beer and standard wines are complimentary in Gold service.  Photos courtesy of Oliver Mann & DiscoverByRail.com

Twinette sleepers

If there's two of you, you'll get a relatively spacious 2-berth sleeper called a Twinette.  The twinette sleeping-cars have a conventional layout with a corridor along one side of the car, with compartments opening off it.  Each twinette compartment 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.  Your twinette comes with comfortable freshly made-up beds, towels and a complimentary toiletries pack with soap, shampoo, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste.  The photos pretty accurately show the size of the room, with the compact shower & toilet opening off the wall to the left of shot.  Photos courtesy of James Chuang & Oliver Mann.

If you're travelling alone in Gold Service, you'll get a cosy private roomette.  Roomette sleeping-cars have a corridor snaking through the centre of the car in a series of gentle 's' curves with doors to the roomettes opening off both sides of it (the curves in the corridor maximise the space in each roomette, by making it wider at the head end).  Each roomette is only about 7 feet long by 4 feet wide, big enough for a comfy armchair, a table, and a drop-down sink in one corner, though 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.  Roomettes come with a comfortable freshly made-up beds, towels and a complimentary toiletries pack with soap, shampoo, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste.

Platinum Service

The Ghan and Indian Pacific now feature an ultra-luxurious (and expensive!) Platinum Service, with a choice of double-bed or twin-bed sleeper compartments with private shower and toilet and extra space even compared to Gold Service.  As with Gold Service, meals are included in the fare, served in a Platinum Service restaurant car, which has a lounge area at one end.

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Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin

The ghan, to australia's red centre.

The lenendary Ghan is undoubtedly the best way to reach Australia's fabulous Red centre and the iconic Uluru (Ayer's Rock).  Australia's second most famous train, the 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 Journeys Beyond Rail (formerly Great Southern Rail ), and has the same classes of accommodation & facilities:  Gold class sleepers, lounge & 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 old Ghan was notoriously slow, taking 48 hours from Adelaide to Alice.  Only in the early 1980s was this new standard-gauge line opened taking a more direct route.  The journey time has been cut to an afternoon and a night, and the service doubled to twice weekly for much of the year.  Connections are available to/from Sydney and Melbourne using the Indian Pacific or Overland , see the Indian Pacific and Overland sections below.  The railway onwards to Darwin was completed in January 2004, and in February that year the Ghan was extended to Darwin once a week, doubled to twice-weekly in 2006.  Book early, as there has been huge interest in the service to Darwin and bookings have exceeded even the operator's own expectations.

The Ghan Timetable

IMPORTANT:  The Ghan does not run from mid-Dec to mid-Jan.

Off-train excursions happen at the longer stops.

Passengers can take their cars between Adelaide & Darwin on the Ghan, see journeybeyondrail.com.au .      What's it like on board The Ghan?

Children under 4 go free, under 16s reduced rate.  Return fares are twice the one-way fare. 

See journeybeyondrail.com.au for full details of fares.

Apex 6m+ = discounted advance purchase fare, bought at least 6 months in advance.

Gold & Platinum fares include all meals and (from April 2013), soft drinks, beer & wine.  Meals are extra in Red Service.

You can check fares & book a journey on the Indian Pacific online at journeybeyondrail.com.au . 

Or you can use the contact & booking form of Australian-based train ticketing specialist www.internationalrail.com.au who can arrange tickets for the Ghan for you wherever you live in the world.  You'll normally get a quote within 24 hours.  International Rail can also sort tickets for other Australian train services, such as NSW TrainLink from Sydney to Melbourne or Brisbane. 

To buy Australian train tickets by phone in the UK, call International Rail on 0844 248 248 3 , lines open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday.

The Rail Explorer Pass was discontinued in August 2015.  You need to buy regular tickets to use the Indian Pacific or Ghan.

What's it like on board the Ghan?

The train has similar classes, sleepers, lounges and restaurants as the Indian Pacific , see the accommodation guide above .

A trip on the Ghan from Adelaide to Australia's Red Centre

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 above, at the base of the white rock) is the very birthplace of the town - the original, dried up 'Alice spring'.  Telegraph station museum website .  Northern 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 www.wayoutback.com.au .  You're no longer allowed to climb Uluru as from October 2019 - it used to be a steep scramble along the tourist track up the least perpendicular part of its sandstone sides.  The website for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru .

Melbourne - Adelaide

The most civilised and pleasant way to travel between central Melbourne and central Adelaide is aboard the twice-a-week Overland , no need to use domestic flights.  It's the third of the 3 trains run by journeybeyondrail.com.au .

No service on 25 or 26 December.

The cheaper fare = advance purchase, limited availability.  The most expensive fare = full-flex rate.

Option 2, buy tickets at 12go.com .

12go is a reliable agency, the process is easy, overseas phone credit cards & phone numbers no problem.  Your ticket will be confirmed within 24h and sent by email.

What's it like on the Overland?

Sydney to melbourne, canberra & brisbane.

Comfortable air-conditioned trains link Sydney with Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, city centre to city centre, with no need to fly!  These trains are run by NSW TrainLink, formerly CountryLink, formerly the State Rail Authority of New South Wales.  NSW TrainLink runs two comfortable XPT trains every day from Sydney to Melbourne, one by day and the other a time-effective overnight train with sleeping-car.  A similar daytime and overnight XPT service links 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 several times a day.  More info & online booking at  transportnsw.info/regional .

Option 1, buy tickets at transportnsw.info/regional . 

Tickets bought online are sent by e-mail.

12go.com is a reliable booking agency, the process is easy, overseas phone numbers accepted.  Your ticket will be confirmed within 24h and sent by email.

Sleepers cannot be booked online , so for sleeper berths either call NSW TrainLink on +61 2 3814 0210 or use the contact & booking form of Melbourne-based agency www.internationalrail.com.au who can arrange sleeper tickets for you wherever you live in the world - you'll normally get a reply with a quote within 24 hours.

On board an XPT train

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 virtually identical - if you look really closely and get your tape measure out, you'll find there's 2" more legroom in first and the 1st class seats recline to 40 degrees rather than 28.  But that's the only difference, elbow room and the seats themselves are exactly the same.  So there is little point in paying for first class unless economy is full - or you want that extra recline on the overnight run.  XPTs have a buffet car selling food and drink, including wine.  XPLORERs have similar seating to XPTs and a buffet-bar.

XPT sleeping-cars

The overnight Sydney-Melbourne & Sydney-Brisbane XPT trains have one sleeping-car with 2-berth compartments.  A sofa converts to a lower berth and an upper berth folds out from the wall, with mattress and all necessary bedding.  There's a hot shower & toilet shared between each pair of adjacent compartments, just outside your compartment door.  Book early, as there's only one sleeping-car per train and it gets booked up fast. 

Unfortunately sleepers cannot be booked online, so you need to book at the station or by phone - from outside Australia call NSW TrainLink on +61 2 4907 7501.

Brisbane - Townsville - Cairns

Queensland Railways (QR) operates excellent passenger trains linking Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns, branded Traveltrain.  The trains operate on narrow gauge 3' 6" tracks, which explains why you need to change at Brisbane onto NSW TrainLink's standard gauge (4' 8½") trains to and from Sydney .  For more info & online tickets see www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au .

The SPIRIT OF QUEENSLAND is a new 100mph tilt train with Railbed Class flat-bed seats, Premium Economy Class seats and a lounge car.  Introduced in October 2013, this is a brand-new 100mph tilting train, see the photos below .  For more info see www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au .

The old Sunlander was discontinued in December 2014, replaced by the Spirit of Queensland 100mph tilt train.

BRISBANE-ROCKHAMPTON:   There are additional 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.  1st class fares now include meals.  See www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au for details.

CAIRNS-FORSAYTH:   A little 1963-tainless-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.

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

A-Choice fare = fully flexible, refundable.  U-Save fare = advance-purchase limited availability, no refunds.  B-Quick = another advance-purchase fare.

Option 1, buy at www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au

You can check train times & fares and book online at www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au .  This can book economy and railbed class. 

12go.com is a reliable booking agency, the process is easy, overseas credit cards no problem.  12go can book economy seats but may not be able to book railbed class.  Your ticket will be confirmed within 24h and sent by email.

The Spirit of Queensland tilt train

The train has two classes, Railbed class &  Premium Economy class.  All seats have power sockets and airline-style seat-back TV entertainment systems.  All passengers can use the lounge-cafe car, in Railbed class meals are served at your seat.

The Spirit of the Outback

Kalgoorlie - perth, transwa's prospector.

Transwa (formerly known as Westrail) introduced new express diesel trains on the Perth to 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.  For more info, visit www.transwa.wa.gov.au .

Things to see & do

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.sydneytowereye.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 transportnsw.info/travel-info/ways-to-get-around/ferry ).  For general city tourist information see www.sydney.com .

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Why not do the incredible Sydney Harbour Bridge climb ? From A$344, 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.

The Blue Mountains

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 was originally displayed there.

Great Ocean Road

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 .

Barossa Valley wine region

Great ocean road by train+bus, every monday, wednesday, friday for just au$ 10.

The Great Ocean Road along the coast from Melbourne is one of the great scenic drives of Australia.  You can hire a car and drive it, or there are various 1-day bus tours from Melbourne.  But rather than endure a bus for the whole day, just AU$ 10 gets you a 1-day tour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays run by V/Line, the regional train & bus operator, using comfortable trains from Melbourne's Southern Cross station, as follows:

You take the daily 09:10 V/Line train from Melbourne's main Southern Cross railway station to Geelong, arriving 10:07.  The train is comfortable and air-conditioned.  Economy seats only, no reservation required.

At Geelong, the train connects with a daily air-conditioned V/Line coach leaving from outside Geelong railway station at 10:20 and running via Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay arriving 12:53.  No reservation required.

At Apollo Bay, you switch buses and join a V/Line Great Ocean Road air-conditioned sightseeing coach.  This runs on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays leaving Apollo Bay at 13:25 and running all along the Great Ocean Road via the Twelve Apostles (30 minute stop), Loch-Ard Gorge (15 minute stop), London Bridge (10 minute stop) and Bay of Islands (10 min stop) to Warrnambool railway station, arriving 16:55.  No reservation is required for this bus.

At Warrnambool, the bus connects with the 17:36 V/Line train back to Melbourne Southern Cross, arriving Melbourne at 21:15.  This comfortable air-conditioned train has first class as well as economy seats, refreshments are available on board.  However, on this train a seat reservation is required.

How much does it cost?

Since 2023, a return ticket from Melbourne to Warrnambool, out via the Great Ocean Road sightseeing bus and back on the direct train now costs an amazingly cheap Aus$ 10 (£5 or US$6), after an election pledge to cap transport fares across Victoria (it used to cost around Aus$87, about £50 or US$62). Children 0-3 (inclusive) go free, children aged 4 to 16 go at the concession rate, Aus$5.

You can easily book this trip online at www.vline.com.au .  Simply click Plan trip/buy tickets and use the journey planner to book a return ticket from Melbourne Southern Cross to Warrnambool Station, making sure it's on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday.  Make sure you select the 09:10 departure from Melbourne to Warrnambool by train+coach+coach via Geelong & Apollo Bay on the outward leg, and the 17:36 direct train from Warrnambool to Melbourne on the return leg.  You pay by Visa or MasterCard and collect your tickets at any V/Line sales outlet, including at Melbourne Southern Cross station.  If you have any issues booking this, call V/Line on +61 3 9662 2505.

For general tourist information about the Great Ocean Road, see www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au .

Buy at Amazon.co.uk (UK) or Amazon.com (US)

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Australia by Rail from Trailblazer Guides

Accommodation in australia, tripadvisor hotel reviews.

www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to find independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.  It also has the low-down on all the sights & attractions too.

Backpacker hostels in Australia: www.hostelworld.com

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

Flights to Australia

1)  check flight prices at opodo, www.opodo.com, 2)  use skyscanner to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines....

3)  Lounge passes

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think!  See www.loungepass.com

Travel to Australia without flying

For information on how to travel from Europe to Australia without flying, either overland by Trans-Siberian Railway to the Far East then by freighter, or by sea all the way, see the Australia overland page .

H olidays by train in Australia

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

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

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 and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  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 with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Australian Train Trips

Looking for the Best Australian train trips to take? There are a couple of truly bucket list worthy trips like the Indian Pacific and the Ghan and a few others that you may not have heard of that offer uniquely Australian experiences. While I have been riding the rails since I was a kid, I have also linked to work by my fellow travel writers, who have taken these journeys more recently. So get comfy, you are about to begin your crash course in train travel across Australia.

Map of Train Services in Australia

Who operates train services in australia, train passes for nsw, queensland rail passes, rockhampton tilt train, spirit of the outback, spirit of queensland, the gulflander, the prospector, the australind, the indian pacific, the overland, dubbo xplorer, broken hill xplorer, canberra xplorer, griffith xplorer, nsw interurban trains, melbourne to albury, melbourne to bendigo, melbourne to ballarat, melbourne to warrnambool, the great southern.

This post contains affiliate links. Our full disclosure policy is here .

Train travel in Australia is a bit of a missed opportunity; the landscape and distance make it a perfect place to jump on a high-speed train and explore. The only problem is our governments have never really felt the same way, and as a result, we have a bit of a mishmash of services on offer and none of them high speed sadly.

There are some bucket-list-worthy trains like the Indian Pacific, The Ghan, the Overland, and the Great Southern, but excluding those, most of our long distances services are slow and not usually the cheapest way to get around.

That said there is a romance about traveling by train that is hard to beat and some routes do make sense for travelers wanting to enjoy the Australian landscapes along the way.

Planning train travel in Australia can be complex. Other than the luxury train services, train services are state-based, each with different ticketing systems and websites. Below I have pulled together everything you need to know about Australian train trips so that if you’re a train buff like me, you can work out which trips you might like to try when you explore Australia.

Did you know that the world’s longest straight stretch of railway track, a 478-kilometre or 297 miles stretch of the Trans-Australian Railway across the Nullarbor Plain?

This map highlights the services on offer in each state and shows the best ways to enjoy riding the rails in Australia.

Most passenger train services are state-based.

• In NSW there is Countrylink .
• The Sunshine State has Queensland Rail (QR),
• V/Line operates in Victoria.
• TransWA provides train services in Western Australia.
• In South Australia and the Northern Territory, train services are privatised and operated by Journey Beyond.

No passenger services currently operate in Tasmania.

The privately owned Journey Beyond operates the luxury train services in the country that often cross state borders.

Australian Train passes

Countrylink – The NSW intercity train service offers a pass valid for 14 days up to 6 months.

• The Discovery Pass 14 days $232, 30 days $275, 3 months $298, 6 months $420

The East Coast Train Pass offers a one-way economy between Melbourne and Cairns. You can travel in either direction and get on and off the trains wherever you wish.

• Melbourne to Cairns – $450
• Sydney to Cairns – $370
• Brisbane to Cairns – $280

The Backpacker Pass is only available to international travelers and offers tickets in time periods:

Queensland Rail offers two passes that are only sold to international visitors. They can be purchased with a 30 day or 60-day validity.

The Queensland Coastal Pass offers travel in one direction between Brisbane and Cairns. You can make unlimited stops and explore making unlimited stops en route. You can use the pass on the Spirit of Queensland, the Spirit of the Outback, and the Tilt Train. It also covers bus transfers to Harvey Bay and Airlie Beach from the train stations.

The Queensland Explorer Pass

This pass is valid for unlimited travel on Queensland Rail Travel Train services and adds the outback and inland trains the Spirit of the Outback, The Inlanders and the Westlander to the trips you can take.

Trains in Queensland

Overall Queensland has more train routes than the other states. The second-biggest state in the country has more than its share of epic train journeys. You could spend months exploring by rail.

The Inlander travels from Townsville to Mount Isa, the heart of the Queensland outback. This 970km journey which stops off at Charters Towers, and Cloncurry operates twice a week and takes 21 hours.

The Rockhampton Tilt Train travels from Brisbane to Rockhampton, via Bundaberg and Gladstone.

The 639km trip takes 7.5 hours and connects with transport to the Southern Barrier Reef Islands. A railbus service will get you to Hervey Bay .

If you fancy visiting the Stockmans Hall of Fame or the Qantas Founders Museum, this is the train for you. The Spirit of the Outback travels from Brisbane to Rockhampton, where it heads west through Emerald to Longreach.

The full 1325km journey takes 26 hours and operates twice a week. Along the way, the views change from stunning coastal landscapes to the rich colours of the outback. The train offers a bar, restaurant, and either economy seating cars or private first class sleepers.

This train travels the length of Queensland five times per week. The 1680km journey takes 25 hours and sure beats driving it! The service offers lie flatbeds.

You can read our review of riding the Spirit of Queensland here.

The Gulflander is a tourist train that travels between Normanton and Croydon in the Queensland Gulf.  Known as the “the old Tin Hare,” the train makes its 151 kilometres journey once per week.

The trip takes 5 hours, and along the way, the staff will entertain you with facts and trivia about the region along the way – a must for train buffs.

Trains in Western Australia

There are two long-distance trains in Western Australia. It would be great to have a service that made its way to Broome or Albany… perhaps one day!

At a top speed of 160km per hour, the Prospector makes 1-2 trips per day from East Perth to Kalgoorlie in the east of the state. The trip covers 653km and takes six hours and 45 minutes.

The Australind travels the 2.5 hour trip between Perth and Bunbury on the coast south of Perth. Bunbury is great for a day trip with a fab pier and a bunch of really great street art to explore.

Trains in South Australia

Journey Beyond operates three long-distance trains in South Australia . These all require advance bookings, the earlier you do it, the cheaper tickets are. It’s not uncommon for them to be booked out months in advance.

A trip on the Ghan is slow travel at its finest and a bucket list experience for many Aussies. Making the trip between Darwin and Adelaide via Alice Springs once a week. The 2,979-kilometre trip takes 54 hours, and many guests stop halfway and make a side trip to Uluru before rejoining the train or flying home.

The Ghan is named after the Afghan camel trains that used to service the Outback

I took my first ride on the Indian Pacific in 1989 and loved it. It was quite possibly the reason I fell in love with long-distance train travel. The first leg of the trip is to Broken Hill, before moving on to Adelaide, Kalgoorlie, and finally Perth.

The train makes the journey between the east and west coast over 3 days with stops and experiences on offer along the way. This is a holiday where the journey is very much the destination.

The Overland was Australia’s first train to travel between two state capital cities. The ten-hour trip from Adelaide to Melbourne is scheduled twice a week and is a fantastic way to travel between the two cities if you have time.

Train travel in NSW

Countrylink trains supplement the intercity trains which are part of the suburban network. A series of Xplorer services operate to main regional and rural towns.

The Dubbo Explorer travels from Sydney via Bathurst, Orange to Dubbo. If you are thinking of visiting the Western Plains Zoo or fancy some wine sampling in Orange, this is the train for you.

More than a little less fancy than the Indian Pacific, this once-a-week trip takes a full day, but there is plenty to see along the way. Travel writer Joanne Karcz recently travelled this trip and reviewed it or us .

The 4.5 hour trip between Sydney and Canberra stops off at Moss Vale, Goulburn, and Queanbeyan. There are three trips a day, and you rarely need a booking, although an advance ticket will save you some money.

I took this return trip last March, and it was an easy fuss free way to reach Canberra from Sydney, although it would be great if you could get wifi and be able to work along the journey.

There is one service a week, a 9-hour journey, that ends in Griffith in the NSW Riverina region. Designed by Walter Burley Griffith, the architect who won the competition to design Canberra , the area was settled by immigrants who developed the food and wine culture that the region is so famous for today.

Regular suburban trains include the Express services to Newcastle, The Blue Mountains , the Southern Highlands, Wollongong and Kiama. Learn more about easy day trips by train here .

These can be taken using your Opal card (and cost under $15 return on a Sunday!)

Train Travel in Victoria

Perhaps one of the best regional train networks in Australia you can reach most parts of Victoria by train.

A direct train operates between Southern Cross station and the border towns of Albury/Wodonga. There are usually three services a day and the trip takes just under 4 hours.

Services from Melbourne to Bendigo take approximately 2 hours. These trains often continue on to Echuca and Swan Hill. This service is covered by Melbourne’s MYKI card.

The trip to Ballarat only takes 85 minutes and is covered by the Myki card. A popular day trip from Melbourne, Ballarat is a great town to explore with some gorgeous architecture and the popular Sovereign Hill living history experience.

This 3.5 hour trip from Southern Cross Station via Geelong to the coastal city of Warrnambool.

Luxury Train Travel in Australia

Four luxury trains operate in Australia, taking in most of the country. The services are run by a company called Journey Beyond and they offer a lot more than just transport from A to B.

They are outstanding travel experiences and something that you might like to add to your Aussie travel bucket list.

We have taken the Indian Pacific, but it’s been quite a while and we have not ridden the Ghan or the Overland so we reached out to our travel writing friends who have been lucky enough to have taken a recent trip.

Haley from A Lovely Planet shares her experience of taking the Great Southern between Adelaide and Brisbane

Our friends Jarryd and Alesha shared some great photos of their time on the Indian Pacific a few years ago.

• Helen from Differentville has recently taken the train and pulled together an impressive list of frequently asked questions about riding the Ghan
• Michael from Time Travel Turtle took the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide
• Kerry from Eat, Drink and Be Kerry also rode the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide

Got a question? Head over to our Australia Travel Tips Facebook Group and ask a local .

1 thought on “The Best Australian Train Trips”

The next time I visit people in Oz again, I’ll make more of an effort to do it by train. Flights are just so easy to book before, but next time I hope to travel slower.

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Australia's top 10 epic train journeys

Taylah Darnell

Editorial Assistant

23 February 2023

From vintage sleepers to steam locomotives, see more of Australia by train with these epic rail adventures.

Forget packed flights where you don’t see anything between points A and B. Don’t even consider the drawn-out car journeys with too much traffic and not enough detours. Long gone are the days of long security lines and not enough room in the boot.

The best way to see Australia is by train, with a jam-packed itinerary and everything you need taken care of. Spread across carriages that traverse Australia’s most diverse landscapes, guests can wine and dine, rest and relax and discover somewhere new. Find 10 of the best (in no particular order) below.

1. The Ghan

Known as one of the most legendary rail journeys Australia has to offer, The Ghan traverses some of the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Those choosing to travel on the tracks can pick between Darwin to Adelaide , Adelaide to Alice Springs and Darwin to Alice Springs, each trip being reversible. Both on- and off-train experiences are designed to heighten your experience, from your spacious cabin and onboard restaurant and lounge to the stops you make along the way.

The Ghan is one of the best railway journeys on offer in Australia. (Image: Tourism NT/Steve Strike)

2. Indian Pacific

Go coast to coast on this transformative, transcontinental journey from Sydney to Perth via Adelaide or vice versa. Named after the two oceans it connects, the Indian Pacific charts 4352 kilometres across 65 hours. Enjoy a range of luxe experiences both onboard and off , from Barossa Valley wineries and The Nullabor to Australia’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains.

Witness some of Australia’s most jaw-dropping landscapes onboard the Indian Pacific. (Image: Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions)

3. Great Southern

The Great Southern takes guests from one underrated capital city to another in sleek style and comfort. Travel from Brisbane to Adelaide and uncover some of Australia’s best-kept secrets along the way; the Grampians, Hunter Valley and Coffs Harbour . Along the way, indulge in fine dining, premium wines and cosy accommodation onboard as you travel through Australia’s diverse landscape.

Uncover some of Australia’s best-kept secrets on the Great Southern.

4. The Overland

If you’re down for a shorter trip, The Overland is perfect for you. This daylight service travels between two very vibrant but very different cities, Adelaide and Melbourne. Throughout the trip, enjoy visits to small yet mighty Aussie towns like Murray Bridge, Horsham and Geelong . Guests will still enjoy a range of dining options, with semi-reclining seats for your comfort along the way.

The Overland is a daytime service perfect for families. (Image: Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions)

5. Spirit of Queensland

Take in Queensland’s distinctive landscape on the Spirit of Queensland railway journey, running between Brisbane and Cairns. Enjoy seat service, in-transit entertainment, a galley car, showers and convertible chairs into beds, you’ll arrive at your destination relaxed and refreshed. Along the way, discover the delights of the Whitsundays , Townsville , Bundaberg , and the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts.

The Spirit of Queensland traverses the landscape between Brisbane and Cairns.

6. Vintage Rail Journeys

Vintage Rail Journeys’ three rail tours showcase the diversity of Australia in vintage style. Get comfy on a restored 1960s Aurora Australis sleeping train to explore everywhere from Orange to the Blue Mountains in the Golden West; the Riverina , where you’ll get a taste of Australia’s food bowl; and the North Coast , which serves up a mix of coastal and inland beauty from Port Macquarie to the Northern Rivers.

Take in the verdant views of the Blue Mountains onboard with Vintage Railway Journeys. (Image: Destination NSW)

7. Scott Mcgregor’s Railway Adventures

Join Aussie presenter, producer and writer Scott McGregor and his experienced guides on fully escorted train tours across the continent . Head down to Tassie for an 11-night circumnavigation of the island state, relive the golden age of rail and river transport in Victoria on Puffing Billy or ride the Savannahlander and other historic railways in outback Queensland.

Travel onboard the legendary steam train Puffing Billy with Scott McGregor’s Railway Adventures.

8. Kuranda Scenic Railway

Immerse yourself in the heritage-listed rainforest of Tropical North Queensland’s Wet Tropics , beginning at sea level in Cairns and winding up to the pretty mountain village of Kuranda , at 328 metres. Enjoy locally sourced refreshments as you zoom through one of the world’s oldest rainforests and past waterfalls plunging into deep ravines.

Journey over the scenic Robbs Monument at the Kuranda railway. (Image: Journey Beyond)

9. Puffing Billy

With four epic adventures to choose from, Puffing Billy is the perfect option for families. Whether you pick Belgrave to Lakeside, Belgrave to Menzies Creek, Lakeside to Gembrook or Belgrave to Gembrook, you’re in for a treat. Puffing Billy, known as Australia’s favourite steam train, was built in 1900 and is based in the stunning Dandenong Ranges.

Puffing Billy is known as Australia’s favourite steam train.

10. Spirit of the Outback

The Spirit of the Outback traverses the heartland of Queensland’s outback from Brisbane to Longreach. Delve into the history and culture of the state via towns like Bundaberg and Emerald. All customers onboard can enjoy a variety of amenities. Single- and twin-cabin guests have access to the Shearers Rest lounge.

Delve into the history and culture of Queensland.

Taylah has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of a book or attempting to write her own. When she's not immersed in the world of words, she enjoys spending time amongst nature, hunting for second-hand treasures and watching/playing a good game of soccer.

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Comments (3)

I would love to go on anyone of these rail trips.

Very informative. Please let us know more about sightseeing of Australia’s nature.

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11 More Incredible Australian Train Trips To Experience

• Australia and South Pacific
• Destinations
• Types of Travel

The long and the short of it; Australia has some remarkable train trips. 

There are long haul train journeys such as The Ghan — the longest passenger train in the world — slicing Australia from top to bottom through the Red Centre .

Each state has historic railways with short runs. These are in scenic places and showcase Australia’s unique rail history. 

My son is to blame for my train obsession. He loved trains as a child and to feed his interest I would take him on steam trains. Now in his mid 20s I can’t remember the last time he traveled by train but my journeys continue. 

I shared some of my favorite trips in 8 Incredible Vintage Train Rides In Australia . Here are 11 more trains worth the ticket to ride.

1. The Great Southern

Brisbane to adelaide .

In December and January, the wet season sweeps across the Top End. The famous Ghan can’t run due to the chance of flooding on the tracks. Instead, the Great Southern , another service by Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions , borrows the Ghan’s carriages. This summer-only route covers the 1,242 miles between Adelaide and Brisbane .

Like the Ghan, the Great Southern offers sumptuous dining, fine wines, and Platinum and Gold-class carriages . I’ve traveled in a Gold Twin — a lavish experience.​ The carriages were refurbished at a cost of $2 million each. 

Trainspotters with tripods are out in force. Making passengers feel like rockstars. 

The multi-day journey is inclusive of side excursions to the Barossa or Hunter wine region ; Canberra, Australia’s capital; the Grampians ; and Coffs Harbour’s sun-kissed beaches. 

Pro Tip: Brisbane or Adelaide departures with these packages .

2. The Overland

Melbourne to adelaide.

The Overland has linked Adelaide and Melbourne since 1887, making it the oldest direct inter-capital rail service in Australia. The name refers to the “overlanders,” or colonists, who pushed forward into Australia’s hinterlands with bullock-drawn drays in search of pastoral land in the 19th century. 

The Overland’s symbol is the Emu, a bird which cannot fly but runs with speed and grace across wide-open lands. You could fly from Melbourne to Adelaide in an hour and 20 minutes. A run in the Overland takes all day. But oh, the scenery! Past the silvery lakes of the Wimmera, Victoria’s wheat-growing belt, the craggy Grampians, and the Adelaide Hills famous vineyards.

The Red Standard class offers value-for-money. The Red Premium is an all-inclusive in-seat dining and trolley service offering breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea. All passengers can access the licensed buffet bar.

Pro Tip: The Overland operates two services a week in each direction and links with The Ghan and the Indian Pacific. 

3. Spirit Of Queensland

Brisbane to cairns .

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a train! The Spirit of Queensland is as streamlined as any aircraft with reclining seats, overhead lockers, and in-seat entertainment .

The 1,045-mile journey from Brisbane to Cairns takes 24 hours but you can break the journey at Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Hervey Bay (with access to Fraser Island ), and Townsville. Cairns, the final destination, is the base for the Great Barrier Reef, and the Daintree . 

The service offers Premium Economy or RailBed Class similar to business class on airlines. Attendants recline the seats into flatbeds. They serve meals with a paddock-to-plate focus rather than airline food!

The Spirit of Queensland runs from Brisbane to Cairns five times a week. 

4. Mary Valley Rattler

Gympie, queensland .

Get on board! Hear the toot and the clickety-clack as you round the track. The Mary Valley Rattler is a beloved old-fashioned steam train. This tourist railway is in Gympie, a town 2 hours north of Brisbane, or behind the Sunshine Coast , should you be staying there. The scenic journey is through the Mary Valley, an area punctuated by misty hills, valleys, foodie haunts, and opportunities to kayak with platypuses. Enjoy the Historic Gympie Station, a traditional Queensland building restored to its glory days. Historical displays share stories of the Mary Valley Railway line. The Rattler’s 29-mile scenic return trip crosses the Mary River and chugs around curves and across bridges. At Amamoor , see the engine turned on the turntable. Experience the Rattler Tasting Train where you board the vintage railmotor RM76 and enjoy local cheese, sourdough, and other delights. On Sunday, their All Stations Train means wine and cheese tastings for a $5 donation to a community group. Tourists also love the Rusty Rails Café in the restored railway station dining area. The Mary Valley Rattler was a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award Winner .

5. The Q Train

Victoria .

If you love heritage trains and fine dining, this is the train to catch. Australia’s premier and award-winning rail restaurant, the Q Train , departs from the historic Drysdale Train Station, near Geelong . The journey offers stunning views of Swan Bay and the Bellarine particularly at sunset. The journey showcases the local food, wine, beer, and cider from the Bellarine Peninsula. Not simply a meal, this is a six-course dégustation journey created by chefs. Expect platings like Sage Farm-salted beef with pear, pepper, wasabi aioli, sesame oil, dehydrated tomato, and Thai basil. The Q Train uses renovated and restored carriages from Queensland’s retired Sunlander and one of its steam engines is from the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway .

Pro Tip: Drysdale Station is a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, or arrive via Port Phillip Ferries departing Melbourne’s Docklands.

6. Byron Bay Train

New south wales.

This is one hip trip. Byron Bay runs the world’s only full-sized, fully solar-powered train . The immaculately restored 1949-era, two-carriage heritage train was converted to solar power. The 1.86-mile coastal track links the Byron Town Center with the North Beach precinct and Byron Arts Estate. The 10 minutes one-way, or 25-minute return journey, passes through rainforest, endangered coastal wetlands, and over Belongil Creek, part of Cape Byron Marine Park. The train holds a capacity of 92 seated passengers, and their surfboards!

7. Scenic Railway

This may be the shortest but most thrilling ride of your life. Boasting the Guinness World Record for the world’s steepest railway, the funicular in the Blue Mountains behind Sydney was built for mining in the 19th century before being converted to a tourist ride in 1945. Following an award-winning redevelopment in 2013, the fifth-generation train travels an unforgettable route through a cliff tunnel before emerging on the floor of the Jamison Valley. Passengers choose their level of adventure, by adjusting their seated position. Choose the 64-degree incline if you want the Cliffhanger!

8. Victorian Goldfields Railway

The Goldfields Railway is a historical train service running between Castlemaine (around 2 hours’ drive from Melbourne) and the historic village of Maldon . I rode this wonderful railway recently on one of Victoria’s 100 degree Fahrenheit days. I appreciated the air conditioned carriages in first class and the bar. There’s something about watching the world slip by while sipping bubbles. Despite the heat, I couldn’t resist heading out to the external observation deck — like something out of an old western movie. Although, the scenes were Austalian and included locations from The Dressmaker starring Kate Winslett and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries .

The love and restoration that has gone into this heritage railway is extraordinary. Popular events include their Murder on the Orient Express nights where the journey includes a screening of the famous movie. The art deco and Edwardian parlor carriages are perfect for the occasion. Ales on Rails showcases the local brews and driver experience packages. You might finally get to drive a train. 

Pro Tip: Like in many of Australia’s tinderbox areas, diesel rather than steam engines are used in summer. 

9. Hotham Valley Tourist Railway

Western australia.

Dwellingup, in the Darling Range near Perth, was named 2021 Top Small Tourism Town in western Australia. The town’s historic Hotham Valley Railway is part of the attraction. Once serving the timber industry and agricultural areas, the steam trains now run weekly (May to October). On the return journey, there’s the thrill of a Steam Locomotive hard at work climbing western Australia’s steepest and most spectacular section of railway. The suspense of wondering whether it will make it is all part of the thrill. A vintage diner train runs on Saturdays, the forest softly lit for the occasion. Advanced bookings are recommended.

10. Alexandra Timber Tramway

A tourist railway is in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range in Alexandra 81 miles northeast of Melbourne. Experience the era of bush sawmills and tramways in the Rubicon Forest as they were during the early 1900s. View an extensive rolling stock including the first Victorian-built diesel locomotives. Experience a quaint tramway ride and learn more about narrow gauge and timber tramways at the museum. Pioneers lived with their families deep in the bush, their only connection to the outside world through these tramways. A number of them tragically lost their lives in the 1939 bushfires leading to a ban of rebuilding the mills in the forest — the end of an era and a unique slice of Australian history.

Pro Tip: Trains run on select weekends each month and for special events. 

11. Yarra Valley Tourist Railway

One of our favorite rides when my son was little was the Yarra Valley Tourist Railway; a chance to experience a 1950s Walker RM22 Railmotor and an exciting ride through an 1889 brick-built tunnel (stretching 500 feet through the tunnel hill). During the 30-minute ride, spot kangaroos in the paddocks, and chug past vineyards. Like many of Australia’s restored railways, the rides exist because of the tireless work of dedicated volunteers. Over 500 have helped keep this railway running. 

Pro Tip: The Yarra Valley is a famous wine region outside of Melbourne. Take the opportunity to visit Healesville Sanctuary to meet Australian wildlife. TarraWarra Museum of Art is a striking modern art gallery.

For more scenic views of the Australian Outback , visit these articles:

• 10 Amazing Experiences In One Of Australia’s Best-Kept Secrets
• 8 Places For Ultimate Relaxation In Byron Bay, Australia
• Best Experiences With Australia’s Cutest Animals

Nadine Cresswell-Myatt of Red Bag Will Travel took her first plane trip at age eight. This would not be so unusual except she was flying solo and had never seen a plane before: what were her parents thinking? This adventure set her course for life. For over 25 years, she has crafted stories about her travel adventures for newspapers, magazines, and online travel sites, as well as training others how to do the same. You can follow her international travel on Instagram or read about her Australian jaunts at WeekendNotes . Yes, she’s an Aussie, but with children and grandchildren around the globe and her ability to travel with only a red carry-on bag, you might just find her popping up anywhere. And she still travels solo.

luxury australian train journeys

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Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime luxury Australian train journey and experience the breathtaking beauty of the country’s landscape from the comfort of your world-class cabin aboard The Ghan . Our train holidays in Australia offer a thrilling and splendid way to explore iconic locations while enjoying delicious meals with both new and old friends. So, embark on an adventure and choose your destination today to begin your unforgettable luxury Australian train holiday.

THE GHAN - 2025 FARES

Indian pacific - 2025 fares, the great southern - 2025 fares, call 13 ghan (13 44 26) for more details, 2025 ghan special packages - view all.

ARNHEM LAND AND RED CENTRE SPECTACULAR 2025

From $21,635 pp*, arnhem land adventure 2025, from $16,000 pp*, the ultimate territory tour 2025, from $10,990 pp*, watch the video to see what it's like to travel as as guest on a top luxury australian train journey..

ADELAIDE · ALICE SPRINGS · DARWIN · VICE VERSA

Ride the rails of history aboard The Ghan, as you take the unforgettable luxury Australian train journey through the outback heartland. Whether you travel up to the tropical Top End of Darwin, or south to the wine capital of Adelaide, your time experiencing one of the world’s great rail journeys will deliver a unique holiday beyond expectations.

SYDNEY · ADELAIDE · PERTH · VICE VERSA

The expanse of a continent is yours to discover on this unique coast-to-coast transcontinental Australian train journey. Whether you’re travelling from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific or the other way round, this epic journey across the longest stretch of straight railway track in the world, traversing mountain ranges, deserts and goldfields, through rocky valleys and subtropical savannah is a luxury holiday experience of a lifetime.

ADELAIDE · BRISBANE · VICE VERSA

Lazy laidback days and balmy starlit nights – Australians know their summer is something truly special. Returning for its second season with all-new adventures, the Great Southern Australian train journey takes you via outback and ocean embracing everything you love about summer this December and January.

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8 best train journeys in Australia

From historic railway day trips to trans-continental tracks, we reveal the best train journeys in australia.

F orget flying, train travel is absolutely the best way to explore Australia without having to drive yourself around. A moving window taking in the country’s incredible, diverse landscapes — from historic rail day trips to transcontinental crossings — railways offer the opportunity to journey between cities without missing the hundreds of miles of wonderful wilderness in between.

Main photo: the Great Southern at Coffs Harbour

1. The Indian Pacific, Sydney to Perth

Stretching the width of the continent, from Sydney on the east coast to Perth in Western Australia, the Indian Pacific is Australia’s longest train journey and one of its most epic. Over the course of 70 hours you’ll cover 2,704 miles, including the longest unswerving length of railway in the world: 297 miles of dead-straight track.

Although the line was completed in 1917, the Indian Pacific didn’t become a passenger service until 1970, and today it provides a luxurious travel experience in both its gold service and platinum service quarters, with en suite shower rooms, comfy beds in wood-clad cabins, and fine wines and delicious dishes served in the dining car.

The Indian Pacific runs across the country in both directions, but setting out from Sydney you’ll first pass the Unesco world heritage-listed Blue Mountains — just an hour outside of the city — famed for their inky hues caused by short-wave rays of blue light being scattered by the droplets of eucalyptus oil that waft up from the forest below.

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After stopping in Broken Hill — Australia’s longest-running mining town, known as Silver City — the Indian Pacific snakes into South Australia’s capital, Adelaide, where you’ll alight for a range of day tours, that centre around the region’s fantastic food and wine, especially the vineyards of McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley.

Then it’s off into the wilderness, taking in the Nullarbor Plain — 77,000 square miles of immaculate isolation and the world’s largest expanse of exposed limestone bedrock — ghost towns, desolate cattle stations, red desert, salt flats, and iconic wildlife, on the way to Australia’s sunniest city: Perth.

2. Kuranda Scenic Railway, Cairns to Kuranda

Snaking through the Unesco world heritage-listed Wet Tropics of Queensland, the serpentine Cairns to Kuranda line passes gorgeous gorges and majestic mountains, runs right beneath waterfalls, winds across 37 bridges, and slips through 15 tunnels in this wild and wonderful train trip in the far north of Queensland.

Running 23 miles from Cairns — gateway to the Great Barrier Reef — and over the Great Dividing Ranges to the rainforest village of Kuranda, this beautiful train trip takes just under two hours to make the one-way journey. That includes a ten-minute break at Barron Falls Station, which bring spectacular, unobstructed view of Barron Falls — little more than a trickle during the dry season, but a staggering sight in the wet.

3. Puffing Billy, Belgrave to Gembrook

If you long for the golden age of rail travel then you’ll definitely want to make time to take a ride on the legendary Puffing Billy Railway. Dating back to 1899, this narrow-gauge, coal-powered steam locomotive route is among the world’s most popular steam heritage railways and it runs through the southern foothills of Victoria’s striking Dandenong Ranges on the outskirts of Melbourne.

Unlike some of Australia’s continent-spanning sleeper trains, Puffing Billy Railway is primarily run by enthusiasts and volunteers. You can choose from a variety of scenic day-trips, which vary in length and cost, but typically range from 30 minutes to two hours for a one-way trip.

Whether you travel from Belgrave to Menzies Creek, Emerald, Lakeside or on to Gembrook, routes usually cross the historic, timber-framed, Monbulk Creek trestle bridge and offer verdurous views of Sherbrooke Forest, under the canopies of mountain ash — the world’s largest flowering plant.

Take a short trip and tuck into an onboard picnic, or book into a first-class carriage and enjoy a white-tablecloth gourmet lunch experience as you ride these iconic rails.

4. The Great Southern, Adelaide to Brisbane

A relative newcomer to Australia’s suite of luxury, experiential train journeys, The Great Southern route only launched in December 2019. It takes passengers on a three-day northbound trip or a four-day southbound itinerary.

Linking Adelaide to the wonderful — woefully overlooked — sizzling city of Brisbane , this service explores the outlandish landscapes and extraordinary experiences across Australia’s diverse southeastern corner, and — just like its sister routes, the Ghan and the Indian Pacific — your ticket to ride includes luxurious sleeping quarters (bunk beds in Gold accommodation and double beds in Platinum), dining, drinking and off-train excursions.

Running exclusively during the (Antipodean) summer, the route makes stops in Victoria’s stunning Grampians Ranges: a fantastic area for hiking, riddled with a network of sylvan trails that often end in breathtaking cragged escarpments, overlooking the Victoria Valley. Such treks also reward rock climbers and casual walkers with ancient Aboriginal rock art sites dating back to when this place was known only as Gariwerd.

At Australia’s capital city, Canberra, you’ll stop to take in the lesser-visited, modern heart of the nation, and get a glimpse of Australia’s recent history at the humbling, National War Memorial. For the shape of things to come, visit Parliament House.

The final stop before arriving in glitzy, outdoorsy, surprisingly artsy Brisbane is the laid-back, beach town of Coffs Harbour, a great place to top up your tan on the sand, in the sea or simply while browsing the eclectic Harbourside markets.

5. Spirit of the Outback, Brisbane to Longreach

Heading west for over 820 miles, the Spirit of the Outback is a government-run sleeper train service that departs from the glossy metropolis of Brisbane and spends 26 hours travelling through rugged Queensland outback to the remote settlement of Longreach.

Accommodation classes onboard range from standard economy fares, which cover reclining seats and footrests (but no bedding), right through to the private cabins of the first-class carriages, which contain bunk beds, bedding, wardrobes, power points, and hand basins, as well as shower facilities at the end of each carriage. First-class fares also include all onboard meals, which ranges from Australian fine dining in The Tuckerbox Restaurant to snacks and drinks in the Captain Starlight Lounge and the Stockman’s Bar.

The train passes through the quirky, heritage mining towns of Blackwater, Emerald, and Barcaldine before arriving in Longreach, and upon arrival you can enjoy tours of the town, take a sunset cruise on the Thomson River, and visit the Qantas Founders Museum, historic home of the world’s third-oldest airline.

Longreach’s best-known attraction, however, is the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, which was opened by the Queen in 1988, and pays tribute to cattle ranchers, pioneers, explorers, and settlers of the Australian outback.

6. The Overland, Melbourne to Adelaide

With a history dating back to 1887, The Overland — originally known as the Intercolonial Express — connects the states of South Australia and Victoria. Travelling between their capitals, the route was soon dubbed the Melbourne Express when headed eastbound from Adelaide, and the Adelaide Express when heading west from Melbourne .

Spanning a distance of 515 miles, the daytime-only journey takes around 10-11 hours each way, and takes in quaint Victorian towns; crosses Australia’s longest river, the Murray River; and glides through the bucolic Adelaide Hills.

Despite its 130-plus years of history, the privately operated Overland remains in service due to the support of government subsidies and – with the ever-present threat of funding withdrawal looming in recent years — its best to make this trip while you’re still sure you can.

7. The Ghan, Adelaide to Darwin

The Ghan — pronounced so it rhymes with “can”, and named after the Afghan cameleers who once plied this route via dromedary — might just be the most memorable way to cross Australia.

Travelling from Adelaide in the south of the continent to Darwin in the Northern Territory, or vice-versa, The Ghan cuts straight through the Red Centre: Australia’s most famous patch of outback.

Run by the same company as The Indian Pacific, the standard of train travel is an identical, five-star experience, with the same carriages and quarters found on that east-west route. While the onboard experience is familiar, however, the views and the stops along the way are from another planet.

Departing Adelaide, its wine country, and rural South Australia’s sprawling swathes of golden savannah, you’ll first pass the dramatic Flinders Rangers, and then Cooper Pedy. This is an isolated opal-mining community where locals live in incredible, troglodytic cave dwellings to escape the fierce heat of the sun.

Moving on, you’ll visit the city of Alice Springs, which serves as a rough and ready outback outpost worthy of Crocodile Dundee and the gateway for an unforgettable flight, or road trip, to Watarrka National Park. Here you can hike up Heartbreak Hill to experience the vertiginous Rim Walk at Kings Canyon, where antediluvian marine fossils are inscribed into 330-million-year-old sandstone; and marvel at the 36 sandstone domes of Kata Tjuta, overlooked by the 3,500ft Mount Olga.

Let’s not beat about the Bush though: the Red Centre’s undoubted highlight is Uluru. Deeply sacred to the indigenous Anangu people, Uluru is much more than a big, red rock. Visit at dawn or dusk, when its colours deepen through day-glow orange, to dusky plum and on to colours without name and you’re sure to find it magical too.

At Nitmiluk Gorge, there are scheduled stops to explore the Katherine River by boat, canoe, or on foot (or even by swimming outside of crocodile season). Here you can inspect the ancient aboriginal rock art that adorns bluffs of billion-year-old sandstone.

Finally, your trip ends in tropical Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, and a hub for trips to Kakadu National Park, the Tiwi Islands, and more outback adventures. All aboard!

8. Victorian Goldfields Railway, Maldon to Castlemaine

Offering not just the opportunity to ride on a historic train, but also to actually drive a classic steam locomotive, the Victorian Goldfields Railway plies an 11-mile route between the 19th-century gold rush boomtowns of Castlemaine and Maldon in Victoria.

Originally opened in 1884, but today running purely as a tourist attraction, the railway’s locomotives and rolling stock date from the early to mid-20th century, and the line is primarily serviced by steam engines, operating two return trips on Wednesdays, Sundays and on public holidays.

Outside of these times, the railway offers anyone over the age of 18 the chance to try a full-day train driving experience, taking charge of a train for a whole return journey. Come the fire-danger months between December and March, the steam locomotives can be swapped for diesel trains, so if you have your heart set on getting sooty, avoid visiting during Australia’s summer.

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Best time to visit Australia

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Inspired to visit travel by rail but yet to book your trip? Here are the best getaways from Byway Travel and Newmarket Holidays . Or try a wine-themed cycle and rail tour here . And if you’re still unsure of where you want to go or what type of holiday to book, get in touch here and one of the Designer Travel experts will be in contact to help you arrange your perfect tailor-made break

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Australian Rail Map

Train Tours in Australia

Train tours are ideal for travelers looking for a worry-free journey across the vast landscapes of Australia. These spectacular train rides offer travelers the chance to view stunning beaches, magnificent national parks, lush rainforests, and Australian landmarks like Ayers Rock and the Sydney Opera House.  Enjoy gourmet dining under the stars before departing to your gold-class cabin or make new friends while relaxing in the luxurious rail lounge.  Travelling across Australia has never been easier, and you have the option to choose from several world-famous trains. We have premade itineraries listed below or you can  CLICK HERE  to have one of our Travel Experts create a Tailor Made Train Vacation Package just for you.

Destinations: Australia – Gold Coast, Spirit of Queensland Rail & Cairns

Activities: Beaches, Birds, Coastal, Crocodiles & Reptiles, Cruises, Great Barrier Reef, Island Experiences, Kangaroos, Koalas, Rainforest, Small Towns & Villages, Snorkeling, Swimming, Train Rides, Wildlife, Wildlife Encounters

Tour Type: Independent Travel

Class: 3 - 4 stars

Destinations: Australia – Cairns, Darwin, The Ghan (Train), Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Sydney

Activities: Aboriginal Culture, Art, Historic Landmarks, Outback, Rainforest, Reef, Rest & Relaxation, Restaurants, Snorkeling or Scuba Diving (optional), Shopping & Local Markets, Stunning Landscapes, Train, Short Walks, Wildlife, Wine & Dine

Destinations: Australia – Cairns, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, The Ghan (Train), Adelaide, Sydney

Activities: Barossa Valley Wine Tour, Aboriginal Culture, Art, Historic Landmarks, Outback, Rainforest, Reef, Rest & Relaxation, Restaurants, Snorkeling or Scuba Diving (optional), Shopping & Local Markets, Stunning Landscapes, Train, Short Walks, Wildlife, Wine & Dine

Destinations: Australia – Sydney, Adelaide, Indian Pacific (Train), Perth, Cairns

Activities: Sightseeing, Culture, Historic Landmarks, Outback, Rest & Relaxation, Restaurants, Shopping & Local Markets, Stunning Landscapes, Train, Short Walks, Wildlife, Wine & Dine, Snorkeling

Destinations: Australia – Cairns, Darwin, The Ghan (Train), Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney

Activities: Culture, Art, Historic Landmarks, Outback, Rainforest, Reef, Rest & Relaxation, Restaurants, Snorkeling or Scuba Diving (optional), Shopping & Local Markets, Stunning Landscapes, Train, Short Walks, Wildlife, Wine & Dine

Destinations: Australia – Sydney, Indian Pacific (Train), Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, The Ghan (Train), Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Cairns, Brisbane

Activities: Train, Aboriginal Culture, Art, Historic Landmarks, Outback, Rainforest, Reef, Rest & Relaxation, Restaurants, Snorkeling, Shopping & Local Markets, Stunning Landscapes, Short Walks, Wildlife, Wine & Dine

Class: 4 - 5 stars

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Australia Trains

Australian train tickets service, 20+ amazing train routes​.

Planning a new journey? All of Australia's most popular train direction are available to meet all of your expectations. Choose your itinerary for an unforgettable trip.

​Travel Classes for Any Budget

Find more information about the travel classes and available facilities onboard modern Australian trains. Enjoy the most comfortable ride possible!

Modern Regular & High-Speed Trains

There are several types of the most comfortable trains on the rails in Australia, so you can choose one that fits your needs. Select the schedule, route, train type and departure time.

Book Train Tickets in Australia

Popular Train Routes

Are you looking for the most convenient, fast and comfortable way to travel in Australia? ​Then choose a high-speed train journey from one Australian city to another. ​Trains leave daily from 1 to 4 times a day, all of them are well equipped, which will allow you to feel the utmost comfort, even over long distances. Discover more popular Australian train destinations and choose one for yourself!

FAQ: What to Know About Trains in Australia

​DOES AUSTRALIA HAVE A GOOD TRAIN SYSTEM?

​DOES AUSTRALIA HAVE A BULLET TRAIN?

That will be an Electric Tilt train. As a rule, it operates at the top speed of 160 km/h (about 100 mph), although tests showed that the train's top possible speed is approximately 210 km/h (130 mph). You can also check Rail Ninja Reviews to find more information.​

HOW EXPENSIVE IS A HIGH-SPEED TRAIN IN AUSTRALIA?

​WHAT IS THE FASTEST TRAIN IN AUSTRALIA?

​DOES AUSTRALIA HAVE HIGH SPEED RAIL?

Australia doesn't have a high speed rail, but it's planned.

​Nowadays, it is easier and faster to purchase tickets online. You can book trains in more than 50 countries on more than 1.5k routes with Rail.Ninja. Rail.Ninja website allows you to book tickets all over the world. To learn more, take a look at the Rail.Ninja review .

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Indian Pacific

Perth to sydney or vice versa.

A fabled journey. Follow the path of bush pioneers, gold rush prospectors, and legendary adventurers as you make an epic transcontinental crossing aboard the Indian Pacific.

Perth to Adelaide or vice versa

Timeless travel between two great cities, experience the tremendous beauty of the Nullarbor on this epic three day, two night journey.

Adelaide to Sydney or vice versa

From the mountains to the sparkling coast, discover a world of wonders as you travel between these two great cities.

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Extend the journey with these off train experiences.

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To see all available options for The Overland, please press the button below to be redirected to our online booking engine.

Great Southern Rail Journeys are only available in January and December

To book this package please call or email [email protected] .

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Moscow Metro 2019

Will it be easy to find my way in the Moscow Metro? It is a question many visitors ask themselves before hitting the streets of the Russian capital. As metro is the main means of transport in Moscow – fast, reliable and safe – having some skills in using it will help make your visit more successful and smooth. On top of this, it is the most beautiful metro in the world !

. There are over 220 stations and 15 lines in the Moscow Metro. It is open from 6 am to 1 am. Trains come very frequently: during the rush hour you won't wait for more than 90 seconds! Distances between stations are quite long – 1,5 to 2 or even 3 kilometers. Metro runs inside the city borders only. To get to the airport you will need to take an onground train - Aeroexpress.

RATES AND TICKETS

Paper ticket A fee is fixed and does not depend on how far you go. There are tickets for a number of trips: 1, 2 or 60 trips; or for a number of days: 1, 3 days or a month. Your trips are recorded on a paper ticket. Ifyou buy a ticket for several trips you can share it with your traveling partner passing it from one to the other at the turnstile.

On every station there is cashier and machines (you can switch it to English). Cards and cash are accepted. 1 trip - 55 RUB 2 trips - 110 RUB

Tickets for 60 trips and day passes are available only at the cashier's.

60 rides - 1900 RUB

1 day - 230 RUB 3 days - 438 RUB 30 days - 2170 RUB.

The cheapest way to travel is buying Troyka card . It is a plastic card you can top up for any amount at the machine or at the ticket office. With it every trip costs 38 RUB in the metro and 21 RUB in a bus. You can get the card in any ticket office. Be prepared to leave a deposit of 50 RUB. You can get it back returning the card to the cashier.

SamsungPay, ApplePay and PayPass cards.

One turnstile at every station accept PayPass and payments with phones. It has a sticker with the logos and located next to the security's cabin.

GETTING ORIENTED

At the platfrom you will see one of these signs.

It indicates the line you are at now (line 6), shows the direction train run and the final stations. Numbers below there are of those lines you can change from this line.

In trains, stations are announced in Russian and English. In newer trains there are also visual indication of there you are on the line.

To change lines look for these signs. This one shows the way to line 2.

There are also signs on the platfrom. They will help you to havigate yourself. (To the lines 3 and 5 in this case). 

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Europe’s longest hyperloop test track revives futuristic tube transport hype

Operators hope newly opened Dutch track will help prove feasibility of high-speed shuttle system

The longest hyperloop test track in Europe has opened, raising faint hopes once more that the maglev meets vacuum tube transport technology could be the future.

Operators said the facility would help prove the hyperloop’s feasibility, saying it could allow a 6,200-mile (10,000km) network of high-speed tubes to be in place around the continent by 2050.

As it stands, the European Hyperloop Center test bed in Veendam is not so much a loop as a 420-metre-long forked white pipe running alongside the railway and road that must still be used, for now, to transport people around this corner of the Netherlands .

Made of 34 interconnected prefabricated 2.5-metre-wide steel cylinders, the partly EU-funded test pipe is somewhat shorter than the 2-mile track envisaged in 2020 , and allows speeds of only a fraction of the 620mph (1000km/h) that proponents believe the technology can achieve.

The fork in the Vandeem pipe will allow engineers to test what happens at a “lane switch” when a high-speed vehicle changes course. First tests will be carried out by the Dutch company Hardt Hyperloop in the coming weeks.

The centre’s director, Sascha Lamme, said it was a “pivotal moment”, telling Agence France-Presse: “You need this to create a network. The lane switch is a diverging part of the infrastructure, so one part goes for example to Paris, the other one heads off to Berlin.”

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The idea of the hyperloop was floated by Elon Musk in 2013 , who proposed a line linking San Francisco and Los Angeles, using magnets to propel shuttles along pipes in near-vacuum conditions, with the lack of friction and air resistance potentially allowing the vehicles to rival the speed of aeroplanes.

His fellow tycoon Richard Branson continued to put the hype in hyperloop with a Virgin-branded company testing a passenger capsule in the Nevada desert in 2020. He sold up and the renamed Hyperloop One collapsed last year.

While past predictions for the hyperloop have appeared unduly bold, Lamme maintained a pan-European network could appear in a few decades. “If you look at how highways were developed over time, it goes exponentially when the technology is ready. It should really be possible to get into a station in Amsterdam and travel to a city like Barcelona in two hours.”

Supporters say the hyperloop offers potentially cleaner and quieter as well as quicker transport, although passengers may balk at the idea of travelling in a windowless pod hurtling through an airless tube. Lamme suggested reluctance could be overcome with “a capsule with a nice ceiling which might display stars or a nice sunny day”.

Europe’s innovation may yet allow it to keep up with developments in China, which opened a one-mile test track for “low-vacuum pipeline magnetic levitation technology” in Shanxi province in 2022, according to state media.

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More on this story

First passengers travel in Virgin's levitating hyperloop pod system

Amsterdam to Paris in 90 minutes? Dutch tout hyperloop as future of travel

Labor rebuffs Elon Musk’s ‘hypothetical’ Hyperloop to solve Australia's transport woes

Is Richard Branson’s high-speed train in a pneumatic tube pie in the sky?

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group invests in Hyperloop One

Is Elon Musk's plan for a road network beneath LA more than a pipe dream?

Elon Musk: Boring Company commits to 600mph Hyperloop and tube network

'Faster, cheaper, cleaner': experts disagree about Elon Musk's Hyperloop claims

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