Indian Pacific

Journey Beyond Rail
Australia
Loading Map...
The Journey

Navigate from Sydney Central Station to East Perth Station across a span of 4352km. This is an overnight service.

Scenery Highlights
  • World's longest straight stretch of railway — 478.2 km of dead-straight track on the Nullarbor Plain between Loongana and Watson
  • Starlight dinner at Rawlinna — a 110-guest outdoor table under the southern Milky Way on the Nullarbor, signature moment of the journey
  • Blue Mountains descent — sandstone cliffs, eucalyptus forest and Jamison Valley views leaving Sydney via Lithgow and Katoomba
  • Broken Hill 'Living Desert' sculptures — 12 sandstone animal sculptures by Australian artists on a hilltop overlooking the Barrier Ranges
  • Adelaide Hills approach through Belair National Park and the Mt. Lofty Ranges, the only sustained climb of the route
  • Spencer Gulf coastal glimpses near Port Augusta, with the Flinders Ranges silhouette often visible to the north
  • Nullarbor Plain sunset at Cook — the last settled township before the 1,200 km stretch to Kalgoorlie
  • Kalgoorlie-Boulder Super Pit — one of the largest open-pit gold mines in the world, viewed from the off-train excursion and (for suite guests) from a scenic flight
  • Avon Valley wildflower carpet from September to November, framing the final hours of the westbound approach to Perth
  • Three-time-zone change ritual at the WA/SA border (twice), with onboard announcements and clock adjustments at Border Village and Yalgoo
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    65 hours

  • Distance

    4352 km

  • Est. Price

    AUD 4,190 (Gold Single, per person twin-share) to AUD 18,990+ (Australis Suite, per person twin-share); Aurora Suite from AUD 12,690

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: All meals in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant; tea, coffee and standard beverages included; alcoholic beverages available for purchase

Ensuite: No

Meals: All meals in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant; standard beverages included

Ensuite: Yes

Meals: All meals in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant; premium Australian wine and beer pairing included

Ensuite: Yes

Meals: All meals with à la carte menu; premium beverages; exclusive Platinum Club access in Sydney/Adelaide/Perth; private Platinum transfers at origin/destination

Ensuite: Yes

Meals: All meals with full à la carte menu; in-suite dining option; premium beverages; exclusive off-train experiences; private transfers; dedicated butler service. Launched April 2026.

Ensuite: Yes

Meals: All meals with full à la carte menu and in-suite dining; top-shelf premium beverages; exclusive off-train experiences; private transfers; dedicated butler service. Launched April 2026.

Ensuite: Yes

Engine / Locomotive

Electro-Motive Diesel 16N710G3B-EC 16-cylinder turbocharged two-stroke diesel, 3,000 kW (4,000 hp)

Track Gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge — same as Trans-Australian Railway (1917) and Sydney-Perth standard-gauge conversion (1970)

Braking Technology

Westinghouse air brakes (Australian standard), with Knorr-Bremse equipment on the NR class locomotives. Dynamic brake plus rheostatic brake on the 16-cylinder EMD prime mover.

Route Engineering Challenges

  • 478.2 km dead-straight stretch between Loongana and Watson on the Nullarbor Plain — welded continuously without a single curve, the world's longest straight stretch of railway

  • Trans-Australian Railway original 1917 alignment through the Flinders and Barrier Ranges required 2,400+ cuttings and embankments built largely by hand

  • Blue Mountains crossing (NSW) descends 600 m from the western plateau to the coastal strip via 10 tunnels and multiple sandstone viaducts in the first 100 km west of Sydney

  • Nullarbor Plain heat — daytime temperatures regularly exceed 45 °C in summer (December–February) with rail temperatures approaching 60 °C; speed restrictions and rail-stress monitoring required

  • Single-track Trans-Australian Railway requires scheduled crossing loops at sidings such as Cook, Rawlinna, and Loongana to allow eastbound and westbound trains to pass

  • Three Australian time zones crossed (AEST, ACST, AWST) — onboard timekeeping and onboard service schedule must adapt to the rolling clock changes at the SA/WA border

  • Wildflower-season Avon Valley fog and condensation in spring requires reduced visibility operating procedures on the final approach to Perth

Line length

4,352 km (Sydney Central ↔ East Perth)

Opened

Trans-Australian Railway 1917; standard-gauge Sydney-Perth link 1970; Indian Pacific service 1970 (originally operated by Commonwealth Railways / Australian National)

Current operator

Journey Beyond Rail (formerly Great Southern Rail until 2021 rebrand); part of the Journey Beyond group (Adelaide)

Locomotive fleet

NR class diesel-electric (originally built by Goninan/AAR 1996–1998), 3,000 kW 16-cylinder EMD 16N710G3B-EC, refurbished by Downer EDI 2018–2022. Auxiliary power van provides 415 V three-phase hotel power.

Rolling stock

Stainless-steel passenger carriages built by Goninan, entered service 1970 with progressive refurbishment in 2000 (The Ghan refurbishment program) and 2018–2022 (Aurora/Australis Suite refurbishment)

Distinctive structures

478.2 km straight stretch (world's longest); Blue Mountains descent (10 tunnels); Mt. Lofty Ranges climb; Cook and Rawlinna remote sidings; Kalgoorlie Super Pit crossing

Status

Operational — weekly service year-round in both directions

Schedule

Sydney → Perth westbound: every Wednesday 14:20 (AEST) departure, Saturday ~13:00 (AWST) arrival; Perth → Sydney eastbound: every Saturday 17:55 (AWST) departure, Wednesday ~09:20 (AEST) arrival

Currency

AUD

Booking lead time

Typically 6–12 months for Aurora/Australis Suites; 2–4 months for Platinum; Gold cabins sometimes available 4–8 weeks out

Onboard languages

English (primary); interpretive materials available in Mandarin, Japanese, German and French for international guests

Best wildlife segment

Western Australian goldfields approach to Kalgoorlie (wedge-tailed eagles, emus, kangaroos)

Best photography segment

Blue Mountains first 2 hours west of Sydney; Rawlinna starlight dinner; Avon Valley wildflower season (September–November)

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    65 hours

  • Distance

    4352 km

  • Est. Price

    AUD 4,190 (Gold Single, per person twin-share) to AUD 18,990+ (Australis Suite, per person twin-share); Aurora Suite from AUD 12,690

Official Booking Provider