Travelling Australia by train is a remarkable way to explore the country in comfort and style, with The Ghan one of the nation’s, if not the world’s, great train journeys. Celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, The Ghan is a national treasure with a rich locomotive history that every Australian should experience once in their lives.
Traditionally beginning in Darwin, The Ghan travels through the heart of the scenic Red Centre, stopping at Katherine, Alice Springs, Uluru (optional upgrade), Manguri and Coober Pedy before coming to a rest at the Adelaide Parklands Terminal.
Riding The Ghan is akin to staying at a luxury hotel on rails, but it wasn’t all comfy beds and champagne breakfasts when the first train left the station almost a century ago.
From Camels To Trains
Long before locomotives became the most convenient way to travel Australia’s outback during the early settlement days, camels trekked across the country delivering supplies to towns throughout the 1860s. It wasn’t until 1877 that construction finally began on the first section of the narrow gauge track between Port Augusta and Alice Springs.
Upon completion some 38 years later, the Commonwealth realised the importance of connecting rural Australia to the big smoke. The government opened their wallet and commenced work on extending the railway and creating a direct route from Alice to Adelaide.
Officially opened on August 4, 1929, The Ghan, then known as the Afghan Express (named after the cameleers who trekked through the desert following the route first plotted by explorer John Mac Douall Sturart), embarked on its maiden voyage from Adelaide to Alice Springs.
100 passengers were on board along with supplies bound for Alice, with the voyage taking two days to complete. Journeys between the two cities continued, although not consistently, as there were often delays due to the extreme weather conditions faced in central Australia. Not only did the heat play havoc with the steam engines, but flash flooding was a constant danger during the wet season.
According to Journey Beyond Rail, conditions got so bad during one trip that The Ghan ended up stranded in the middle of the outback for two weeks, with the driver forced to shoot wild goats to feed the starving passengers.
The Ghan continued to operate several trips a week before World War II changed everything. During this period dozens of daily trips were made to transport soldiers across the country for training and deployment, with up to 247 trains running per week during 1944.
Adelaide to Darwin Complete
After the war the frequency of trips dropped, and by the 1970s The Ghan was only making one trip a week. During this time severe weather continued to play havoc with the railway as the original tracks began to deteriorate.
Understanding the need for progress, a new standard gauge line was constructed using concrete sleepers that bypassed the flood-prone regions. The first train on this new line officially left Adelaide on December 4, 1980, travelling to Alice Springs via Port Augusta.
The next box to tick was completing the railway extension from Alice to Darwin, finally connecting Adelaide to the Top End. At the time it was said to be the second most expensive engineering project in Australian history, with construction costing a reported $1.3 billion.
Building got underway in July 2001 and took three years to complete. The inaugural transcontinental train from Adelaide arrived in Darwin on February 1, some 126 years after the idea of a train connecting the two states was first envisioned.
These days The Ghan operates several times a week between July and September and once per week for the rest of the year. Allowing for stops, it takes 53 hours and 15 minutes to complete the 2,979 kilometre journey through the heart of Australia.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Unlike a century ago when passengers were crammed into rickety carriages with uncomfortable seats and had no access to high-quality dining, riding on board The Ghan in the 21st century is a wonderfully luxurious experience, with four different types of journeys on offer.
Those short on time can take the two-day, one-night all-inclusive excursion from Adelaide to Alice Springs (or vice versa) or Alice Springs to Darwin (or vice versa) and get a small taste of travelling the Red Centre.
But if you really want to immerse yourself in everything The Ghan has to offer, there are two longer options available. Not only do you get to experience the luxuries on board, such as a regionally selected menu paired with local wines and comfortable cabins with ensuites, but these journeys include unforgettable off-train experiences. It’s hard to pass up a walk through the breathtaking Simpsons Gap in Alice Springs or a tour of the Cutta Cutta Caves in Katherine. There are also several optional upgrades, with one of the most popular being a helicopter flight over Nitmiluk Gorge.
The Adelaide to Darwin (or vice versa) route takes three days and two nights and is great, but it’s The Ghan Experience, an incredible four-day, three-night (departing Darwin) exploration of Australia’s Outback we recommend if you really want to experience what is arguably Australia’s most famous train journey.
Book tickets on The Ghan here.
