Australia rail travel is affordable, convenient and very satisfying. This whole can be seen and explored by rail. This article takes you through some of the more popular Australian train travel experiences.
The Ghan
The most famous of all rail services in Australia The Ghan is a funny name but it is certainly cemented in Australian culture with the service being in operation for over 80 years! This service will take from Adelaide through to Alice Springs then onto Darwin. The accommodation on board matches any luxurious hotel although there are economy styles as well. It takes 2 nights in either direction and covers some of Australia most iconic areas such as the desolate Nullarbor Desert.
The Indian Pacific
Getting it's name from the two oceans on either side of Australia the Indian Pacific will take you from Sydney to Perth or vice versa taking in Adelaide. Covering famous towns such as Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie. This is the world's longest straight stretch of railway and your journey from one side of the country to the other will take 3 nights.
The Overland
Take the Overland to go from Melbourne to Adelaide or vice versa. You have the opportunity to hop off at various towns such as Geelong to explore and the great thing about this service is that it is a daylight service so it will get you to either Melbourne to Adelaide within the day in a very relaxed and comfortable way.
The Southern Spirit
Now this is my kind of rail service. There are two rail services available: the Coastal Tour which will take you from Brisbane to Uluru or the Grand Tour which is the just the Coastal Tour going the other way. Made up of 13 nights and 14 days the train takes you off the beaten track so to speak for some off train excursions including famous towns such as Coober Pedy known widely for being opal country and then there is the wine country of the Hunter Valley. The Southern Spirit books out quickly and early so give yourself plenty of time to research the trip.
The Spirit of the Outback
Brisbane to Longreach. Take the Spirit of the Outback to explore Queensland's outback country. This is a world away from the cities of Australia, a different way of life where the sun is hotter and the days are longer. Many say it is the real Australia and it is hard to argue with that. The Spirit of the Outback will take you to towns such as Emerald, Barcaldine and onto Longreach where Qantas was founded and also where the famous Stockmans Hall of Fame is located.
Australia Rail Passes
There are quite a few ways to save money when planning your Australia rail holiday. Consider the AusRail pass which is unlimited rail travel for 6 months using the Traveltrain, Countrylink or Great Southern Rail services. This is the complete rail pass to see most of Australia.
The Backtracker rail Pass is the pass to see East Coast Australia taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra using the XPT (Countrylink) services. Valid for 14 days or 1,3 or 6 months the pass also includes at least $40 AUD of City rail fares which means you can travel to the Blue Mountains or the famous Bondi Beach.
The East Coast pass is one way travel for 6 months along East Coast Australia.
The ultimate pass for Australia Rail travel is the Rail Explorer Pass/Great Southern Railway Pass. This will let you travel The Ghan, The Indian Pacific and The Overland in any direction for 6 months. See Uluru, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin and many other famous Australian destinations, all for less than $700AUD.
And finally there is the Queensland Explorer Pass which allows you to see the whole of Queensland on unlimited travel for 3 or 6 months. Visit Cairns and Kuranda or outback destinations such as Longreach or Mount Isa. A 3 month pass will be less than $400AUD and a 6 month pass will be less than $600AUD.
So there we have it. A complete guide to rail travel in Australia. This is a big country and I have found that one of the best ways to see it comfortably is by rail. There are lots of services available as you've seen so why not include rail on your holiday for easy hassle free traveling.
The Ghan
The most famous of all rail services in Australia The Ghan is a funny name but it is certainly cemented in Australian culture with the service being in operation for over 80 years! This service will take from Adelaide through to Alice Springs then onto Darwin. The accommodation on board matches any luxurious hotel although there are economy styles as well. It takes 2 nights in either direction and covers some of Australia most iconic areas such as the desolate Nullarbor Desert.
The Indian Pacific
Getting it's name from the two oceans on either side of Australia the Indian Pacific will take you from Sydney to Perth or vice versa taking in Adelaide. Covering famous towns such as Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie. This is the world's longest straight stretch of railway and your journey from one side of the country to the other will take 3 nights.
The Overland
Take the Overland to go from Melbourne to Adelaide or vice versa. You have the opportunity to hop off at various towns such as Geelong to explore and the great thing about this service is that it is a daylight service so it will get you to either Melbourne to Adelaide within the day in a very relaxed and comfortable way.
The Southern Spirit
Now this is my kind of rail service. There are two rail services available: the Coastal Tour which will take you from Brisbane to Uluru or the Grand Tour which is the just the Coastal Tour going the other way. Made up of 13 nights and 14 days the train takes you off the beaten track so to speak for some off train excursions including famous towns such as Coober Pedy known widely for being opal country and then there is the wine country of the Hunter Valley. The Southern Spirit books out quickly and early so give yourself plenty of time to research the trip.
The Spirit of the Outback
Brisbane to Longreach. Take the Spirit of the Outback to explore Queensland's outback country. This is a world away from the cities of Australia, a different way of life where the sun is hotter and the days are longer. Many say it is the real Australia and it is hard to argue with that. The Spirit of the Outback will take you to towns such as Emerald, Barcaldine and onto Longreach where Qantas was founded and also where the famous Stockmans Hall of Fame is located.
Australia Rail Passes
There are quite a few ways to save money when planning your Australia rail holiday. Consider the AusRail pass which is unlimited rail travel for 6 months using the Traveltrain, Countrylink or Great Southern Rail services. This is the complete rail pass to see most of Australia.
The Backtracker rail Pass is the pass to see East Coast Australia taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra using the XPT (Countrylink) services. Valid for 14 days or 1,3 or 6 months the pass also includes at least $40 AUD of City rail fares which means you can travel to the Blue Mountains or the famous Bondi Beach.
The East Coast pass is one way travel for 6 months along East Coast Australia.
The ultimate pass for Australia Rail travel is the Rail Explorer Pass/Great Southern Railway Pass. This will let you travel The Ghan, The Indian Pacific and The Overland in any direction for 6 months. See Uluru, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin and many other famous Australian destinations, all for less than $700AUD.
And finally there is the Queensland Explorer Pass which allows you to see the whole of Queensland on unlimited travel for 3 or 6 months. Visit Cairns and Kuranda or outback destinations such as Longreach or Mount Isa. A 3 month pass will be less than $400AUD and a 6 month pass will be less than $600AUD.
So there we have it. A complete guide to rail travel in Australia. This is a big country and I have found that one of the best ways to see it comfortably is by rail. There are lots of services available as you've seen so why not include rail on your holiday for easy hassle free traveling.
Want a complete guide to rail travel in Australia including inside information on train services from Brisbane and Sydney? Click here http://www.australian-east-coast.com
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