Adelaide has one rail platform that you should be treating as a bucket-list item. The Parklands Terminal sends three of Australia’s most famous long-haul trains in three different directions, and a traveller with time to spare is exactly who they’re built for.
The Ghan runs between Adelaide and Darwin, crossing the red heart of the continent. The Darwin-bound trip from Adelaide takes three days; the longer southbound Expedition takes four. Stops along the route include Katherine, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy – the kind of country you don’t see from a plane window – ochre, salt pan, escarpment.
The Indian Pacific is the transcontinental classic, linking Sydney and Perth via Adelaide across four days westbound (slightly longer the other way). The Nullarbor crossing is the headline act: the world’s longest stretch of straight railway track, the horizon doing nothing at all for hour after hour. It’s hypnotic, and very good for the soul.
The Great Southern runs only across summer (December to February), travelling between Adelaide and Brisbane. The northbound trip from Adelaide is a three-day affair with off-train experiences in the Grampians, Canberra and Coffs Harbour. Of the three, it’s the most underrated.
For 2026, Journey Beyond has rolled out two new luxury suites – the Aurora and Australis – on The Ghan and Indian Pacific. Both are sold out for most of the year already. Worth booking 2027 now if it’s been on the list.
Find out more:
journeybeyondrail.com.au
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