Introduction
Due to its size and scale, great railway journeys in Australia are an excellent means of traversing the country for people with a bit more time who want to travel more intimately than flying can allow. As well as attractive journeys on routes such as the Sunlander from Brisbane to Cairns, which showcases the highlights of Queensland's East Coast there are epic overland journeys available that are genuine icons of Australian travel.
The Indian Pacific connects Perth in the west with Sydney in the east; it's one of the world's longest railway journeys and allows you to see the Blue Mountains, Adelaide, Nullarbor Plain and Kalgoorlie on route. Alternatively, board The Ghan to travel across Australia from Adelaide to Darwin or vice versa and enjoy the opportunity to see the Red Centre, Outback and Top End from an exclusive vantage point. These ground level, transcontinental journeys will remind you of the romance of riding the rails and are undoubtedly the most comfortable ways to discover how vast and varied Australia is.
To learn more, read our round-up of Australia's 10 best rail journeys.
In New Zealand, cross the country on board the TranzAlpine Express from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth in the west and take the opportunity to travel slowly across the Canterbury Plains, through the spectacular Southern Alps and past the dramatic Waimakariri River gorge.
