Australia's Greatest Rail Journeys — The Ghan, The Indian Pacific, and Outback Spirit
By Launceston Travel & Cruise Centre
There are bucket list experiences, and then there are the journeys that change the way you see your own country. The Ghan and the Indian Pacific are in a category of their own — two of the world's truly great train journeys, crossing thousands of kilometres of extraordinary Australian landscape in comfort and style.
We book more of these journeys than almost anyone in Tasmania. Here's everything you need to know.
The Ghan — Adelaide to Darwin (or Darwin to Adelaide)
The Ghan's origins date to 1929, when the first train pushed north from Adelaide through the red heart of Australia. Named after the Afghan cameleer teams who first opened these routes, it now carries passengers in air-conditioned luxury across 2,979 kilometres of outback wilderness — all the way to Darwin, after the line was extended north in 2004.
The standard journey takes two nights aboard the train, with off-train excursions in Alice Springs and Katherine. You can also book The Ghan Expedition — a four-day, three-night extended journey with more time off the train, deeper into some of Australia's most remote landscapes.
Highlights include:
Waking up surrounded by the red earth of the Simpson Desert
A signature dinner at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station, under the outback stars
Off-train experiences including guided nature walks in Katherine Gorge, cultural experiences in Alice Springs, and optional scenic flights over Uluru and Kata Tjuta
Watching the landscape transform from ochre outback to the green fields of South Australia as you approach Adelaide
The Ghan operates between February and December, with the most popular departures in the dry season months of April through October.
The Indian Pacific — Sydney to Perth (or Perth to Sydney)
If The Ghan is a journey through the heart of Australia, the Indian Pacific is a journey across its spine. At 4,352 kilometres, it's one of the longest train journeys in the world — four days connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, traversing a continent.
The route takes you through the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, out into the desert at Broken Hill, through Adelaide, and then across the Nullarbor Plain — the world's longest stretch of straight railway track — before pulling into Perth.
Highlights include:
The extraordinary Nullarbor crossing, where the horizon stretches unbroken to the edge of the earth
Off-train experiences in Broken Hill, the historic outback city famous as home of the Brushmen of the Bush — Pro Hart, Jack Absalom, and Australia's great outback artists
A stop at the ghost town of Cook — once a thriving railway town, now almost entirely abandoned
Gold country in Kalgoorlie, just hours from Perth
Fine dining onboard, with meals prepared fresh and wine from the regions you're passing through
Outback Spirit — Beyond the Train
Outback Spirit is the small-group touring arm of Journey Beyond — the same company that operates The Ghan and the Indian Pacific — and it takes you to the parts of Australia that even most Australians have never seen.
These are premium, all-inclusive small group tours (typically 19–26 guests) travelling in custom Mercedes-Benz 4WD coaches, staying in exclusive safari lodges and wilderness camps in some of the most remote corners of the continent.
Destinations include:
The Kimberley in Western Australia — ancient gorges, dramatic waterfalls, and some of the oldest rock art on earth
Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory — sacred indigenous landscapes rarely accessible to visitors
Cape York in Far North Queensland — the tip of the continent, accessible only in the dry season
The Flinders Ranges and outback South Australia
Tasmania — yes, Outback Spirit also offers a Tasmanian Wilderness Explorer itinerary for those wanting to explore this island in depth
Many travellers combine an Outback Spirit tour with a Ghan or Indian Pacific journey — arriving by train and continuing overland, or the reverse.
Why Book Through Us?
We are among the highest-volume sellers of Journey Beyond rail journeys in Tasmania — and that matters for you.
As members of Helloworld Travel, we have strong buying power with Journey Beyond and access to allocations, pricing, and inclusions that aren't always available when booking directly. Popular departures on The Ghan and Indian Pacific sell out months in advance. Our clients are consistently amongst the first to secure their preferred cabin category and departure date.
We also know these journeys from experience. We can advise you on the difference between the Gold and Platinum service classes, which cabin position on The Ghan gives you the best views at sunset, whether The Ghan Expedition is worth the extra days, and how to combine a rail journey with an Outback Spirit tour for the ultimate Australian adventure.
This is exactly the kind of trip that benefits from a proper conversation — not a checkout page.
Ready to Talk?
If The Ghan, the Indian Pacific, or an Outback Spirit journey has ever been on your list — now is the time to ask us about it. Availability for peak season departures fills up fast, and the earlier you book, the more choice you'll have.
📞 Call us on 03 6332 1222 Open Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. Located at Holyman House, 54 Brisbane Street, Launceston.
Or book an appointment online — we'd love to help you plan one of the great Australian journeys.
Launceston Travel & Cruise Centre — Northern Tasmania's longest-running locally owned travel agency, since 1989.