My goal years ago was to travel on every long, luxury rail trip in the world. And to write each experience up in this blog, achieved so far for Australia, Canada, USA, Japan, Southern China, Singapore, India, Spain, France and Britain.
Since then, I read and loved the book Night Trains: the Rise and Fall of the Sleeper by Andrew Martin, 2017. Now is a great time to review the 2 historical luxury train services in Australia and to introduce our newest luxury train.
1] Australia's most famous train, The Ghan, started in 1929. Originally known as the Afghan Express after the C19th Muslim cameleers who helped pioneer Australia's red interior, it first moved north from Adelaide on its inaugural journey to Alice Springs. The track extended to Darwin in 2004, stopping in Katherine and Alice Springs.
The modern journey takes 3 days/2 nights northbound and 4 days/3 nights southbound, including a stay in Coober Pedy. The fares range from $1,049 pp to platinum from $2749 pp.
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Australia's 3 luxury train trips
2] The first Indian Pacific, one of the world's few transcontinental rail adventures, first set off from Sydney to Perth in 1970. Thousands of well-wishers were gathered a few days later to welcome the Indian Pacific's safe arrival in the capital of Western Australia. It was the first time one train had been able to complete the 4,352 ks journey from ocean to mighty ocean, using a common rail gauge.
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The Grampians
Passengers are welcomed back on the train with cocktails. Appropriately the livery of the diesel engine pulling the Great Southern train is burnt orange, matching the Australian bush and hot beaches
The Brisbane-Adelaide return is a 4-day/3-night trip, with a Hunter Valley stopover. After departing Brisbane, enjoy lunch on board and a relaxing afternoon settling in a private cabin before arriving at the coastal town of Coffs Harbour. Visitors can choose to meander through the historic vineyards of the Hunter Valley, sampling wines from boutique cellar doors and enjoying a sumptuous lunch.
Or visit Newcastle, a city with amazing coastal views and a historical Fort Scratchley site visit. Finish the day with a visit to Strzelecki Lookout and stroll along the Newcastle Memorial Walk.
Or explore the beautiful Port Stephens area. Travel to Nelson Bay for a relaxing cruise spotting dolphins and taking in the beauty of the Bay before a fresh seafood lunch at the Marina while the waves lap at the shore nearby. Next stop is exploring the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes in 4WD vans. Then return to the train for dinner.
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The cabin during the day
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The cabin at night
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The dining room
Great Southern train from Adelaide to Brisbane: Australia's new luxury train unveiled noted that Sydney and Melbourne were not included in the trip. Next day after bunch on board, visit the Moorabool Valley and wander along the Geelong waterfront, discover public art on the foreshore and enjoy the Pier, Eastern Beach and Baywalk Bollards. Then set off on a road trip by coach through regional Victoria to the Great Ocean Road to see unforgettable highlights such as the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge or the majestic London Bridge. Finally journey through the charming Adelaide Hills and enjoy the last breakfast on board before arriving into Adelaide.
Post coronavirus, fares will restart from $1649 per person for Gold service and $3899 per person for Platinum service.
Since then, I read and loved the book Night Trains: the Rise and Fall of the Sleeper by Andrew Martin, 2017. Now is a great time to review the 2 historical luxury train services in Australia and to introduce our newest luxury train.
1] Australia's most famous train, The Ghan, started in 1929. Originally known as the Afghan Express after the C19th Muslim cameleers who helped pioneer Australia's red interior, it first moved north from Adelaide on its inaugural journey to Alice Springs. The track extended to Darwin in 2004, stopping in Katherine and Alice Springs.
The modern journey takes 3 days/2 nights northbound and 4 days/3 nights southbound, including a stay in Coober Pedy. The fares range from $1,049 pp to platinum from $2749 pp.
2] The first Indian Pacific, one of the world's few transcontinental rail adventures, first set off from Sydney to Perth in 1970. Thousands of well-wishers were gathered a few days later to welcome the Indian Pacific's safe arrival in the capital of Western Australia. It was the first time one train had been able to complete the 4,352 ks journey from ocean to mighty ocean, using a common rail gauge.
The long trip stopped at Broken Hill, Adelaide, the South Australian wine regions, Nullarbor Plain and Kalgoorlie. But the off-train excursions differ, depending on whether the visitors are travelling eastward or westward. The gold single starts at $1789 pp while the Platinum starts at $3799 pp.
Both the Indian Pacific and The Ghan include great food and wine. While travelling on board, visitors can focus on local foods and wines from the regions the train passes through.
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Thank you to Steve Meacham for the history and photos. Since 2004, when the previously unprofitable Ghan line was expanded north to Darwin, it and the Indian Pacific have been in the forefront of a renewed global interest in luxury rail travel. The slow train connected to the human psyche; being on the train was wonderful, and so were the off-the-train activities. The two long Australian train journeys were very popular and there was a nine-month waiting list for the Ghan and Indian Pacific! Other luxury operators in Canada, Europe, South Africa and Chile reported similar success rates. People loved the romance of luxury train trips, transformed into high-value, more experiential adventure.
3] More than a year of negotiations with the National Rail Freight Corporation went into planning Australia’s newest route. Now Australia has got its third epic, luxury, multi-day rail adventure - the Great Southern Rail. Dec 2019 was the start, but Australia was diverted within a couple of months by coronavirus. Great Southern Rail will again be one of the world's great new generation of railway journeys, from Adelaide to Brisbane and return, with multiple experiential stops in between.
Each trip takes 218 guests. Both gold and platinum accommodation is provided in single or twin cabins, with on-board dining, beverages and off-train excursions.
A 3-day/2-night adventure from Adelaide to Brisbane has stops en route. The trip leaves Adelaide in time for lunch on board. Most meals on the Great Southern's rail adventures are eaten in the train’s dining cars: watching the scenery go by is part of the rail experience. At Victoria's Grampians, the train stops so passengers can explore a lovely part of Australia. Walk to MacKenzie Falls after lunch, where the steep trail shows water cascades over huge cliffs into a deep pool. Or perhaps an hour or two at Brambuk, one of Australia's greatest Indigenous interpretative centres.
Both the Indian Pacific and The Ghan include great food and wine. While travelling on board, visitors can focus on local foods and wines from the regions the train passes through.
**
Thank you to Steve Meacham for the history and photos. Since 2004, when the previously unprofitable Ghan line was expanded north to Darwin, it and the Indian Pacific have been in the forefront of a renewed global interest in luxury rail travel. The slow train connected to the human psyche; being on the train was wonderful, and so were the off-the-train activities. The two long Australian train journeys were very popular and there was a nine-month waiting list for the Ghan and Indian Pacific! Other luxury operators in Canada, Europe, South Africa and Chile reported similar success rates. People loved the romance of luxury train trips, transformed into high-value, more experiential adventure.
3] More than a year of negotiations with the National Rail Freight Corporation went into planning Australia’s newest route. Now Australia has got its third epic, luxury, multi-day rail adventure - the Great Southern Rail. Dec 2019 was the start, but Australia was diverted within a couple of months by coronavirus. Great Southern Rail will again be one of the world's great new generation of railway journeys, from Adelaide to Brisbane and return, with multiple experiential stops in between.
Each trip takes 218 guests. Both gold and platinum accommodation is provided in single or twin cabins, with on-board dining, beverages and off-train excursions.
A 3-day/2-night adventure from Adelaide to Brisbane has stops en route. The trip leaves Adelaide in time for lunch on board. Most meals on the Great Southern's rail adventures are eaten in the train’s dining cars: watching the scenery go by is part of the rail experience. At Victoria's Grampians, the train stops so passengers can explore a lovely part of Australia. Walk to MacKenzie Falls after lunch, where the steep trail shows water cascades over huge cliffs into a deep pool. Or perhaps an hour or two at Brambuk, one of Australia's greatest Indigenous interpretative centres.
Passengers are welcomed back on the train with cocktails. Appropriately the livery of the diesel engine pulling the Great Southern train is burnt orange, matching the Australian bush and hot beaches
The Brisbane-Adelaide return is a 4-day/3-night trip, with a Hunter Valley stopover. After departing Brisbane, enjoy lunch on board and a relaxing afternoon settling in a private cabin before arriving at the coastal town of Coffs Harbour. Visitors can choose to meander through the historic vineyards of the Hunter Valley, sampling wines from boutique cellar doors and enjoying a sumptuous lunch.
Or visit Newcastle, a city with amazing coastal views and a historical Fort Scratchley site visit. Finish the day with a visit to Strzelecki Lookout and stroll along the Newcastle Memorial Walk.
Or explore the beautiful Port Stephens area. Travel to Nelson Bay for a relaxing cruise spotting dolphins and taking in the beauty of the Bay before a fresh seafood lunch at the Marina while the waves lap at the shore nearby. Next stop is exploring the Stockton Bight Sand Dunes in 4WD vans. Then return to the train for dinner.
Cocktail lounge
Great Southern train from Adelaide to Brisbane: Australia's new luxury train unveiled noted that Sydney and Melbourne were not included in the trip. Next day after bunch on board, visit the Moorabool Valley and wander along the Geelong waterfront, discover public art on the foreshore and enjoy the Pier, Eastern Beach and Baywalk Bollards. Then set off on a road trip by coach through regional Victoria to the Great Ocean Road to see unforgettable highlights such as the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge or the majestic London Bridge. Finally journey through the charming Adelaide Hills and enjoy the last breakfast on board before arriving into Adelaide.
Post coronavirus, fares will restart from $1649 per person for Gold service and $3899 per person for Platinum service.