Indian Pacific: Sydney to Perth by train, fares, cabins and tips (2026–27)

By the TrainsNews rail expert · updated 17 October 2026

The Indian Pacific crosses Australia from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, from Sydney to Perth, over 4,352 km of track via Broken Hill, Adelaide and the Nullarbor Plain, where it runs along 478 km of dead-straight railway, the longest straight stretch of track in the world. Like The Ghan, it is not a transport service but an all-inclusive rail journey: cabin, every meal, drinks and guided stops are included in the fare, from about AUD 2,990 per person (about USD 2,070) in 2026. Unlike The Ghan, it runs all year round. Here is everything you need to know before booking.

The Indian Pacific at a glance

Itinerary and stops

Coast to Coast (Sydney to Perth, 4 days / 3 nights). The train leaves Sydney Central in the afternoon and climbs through the Blue Mountains. On day two, guests step off at Broken Hill, the outback mining city, for a visit to the Miners' Memorial or a morning with a local drag queen performer. The train then passes the southern Flinders Ranges and reaches Adelaide in the late afternoon, where guests choose an evening: McLaren Vale wines and dinner, Adelaide Hills gin and cheese, a Coopers Brewery tour, or a guided Adelaide Central Market tour with dinner. Day three is the Nullarbor, with stops at Cook, a former railway town, and Rawlinna, on the edge of Australia's largest sheep station, where dinner is served at a long table under the stars from September to May (a bonfire with canapés in cooler months). On day four, brunch is served as the train comes down the Avon Valley into Perth.

The Mighty Nullarbor (Perth to Sydney, 5 days / 4 nights). Since 2025, the eastbound journey has an extra night. It stops at Kalgoorlie for the gold-rush town and the Super Pit mine, at Cook in the late evening for stargazing and a bonfire, in the Barossa Valley for dinner at Seppeltsfield Estate, and at Broken Hill for a choice of tours, including an underground mine. On the last day, guests can leave the train for the Blue Mountains (Scenic World or high tea) before a chartered train to Sydney, or stay on board and arrive before lunch.

Shorter sections, Sydney to Adelaide and Adelaide to Perth, are also sold. Off-train experiences depend on season and weather.

Fares 2026 and 2027

Journey Beyond sells three fare types: Advance Purchase (cheapest, limited), Everyday and Flexible. On the Indian Pacific, June and July are the cheapest months; March and September to November are the most expensive. Prices below are the lowest per-person fares in AUD for Sydney to Perth, with approximate USD in brackets; they are indicative and change often.

The Aurora and Australis suites start at about AUD 10,690 and 16,090 per person westbound in 2026. Solo travellers pay no published single supplement: they book a Gold Single, a compact cabin with shared showers, priced about 7% below a Gold Twin berth. USD figures use the rate of 1 October 2026 (1 AUD = 0.69 USD).

What is included

• All meals on board: breakfast, two-course lunch and three-course dinner in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant for Gold guests, with a regionally inspired menu.
• Drinks: Australian wines, beers, base spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Off-train experiences: Broken Hill, Adelaide and surrounds, Cook and Rawlinna westbound; Kalgoorlie, Cook, the Barossa Valley, Broken Hill and the Blue Mountains eastbound.

Cabins

• Gold Twin: the most popular choice, with a three-seat lounge by day, upper and lower berths at night and a private ensuite.
• Gold Single: one bed that folds into a seat, with shared showers and toilets at the end of the carriage.
• Gold Premium: added on the Indian Pacific in 2025, with a higher luggage allowance.
• Platinum: a double or twin cabin almost twice the size of a Gold Twin, with access to the Platinum Club lounge and dining carriage.
• Aurora and Australis suites: designed by Woods Bagot, they first ran on the Indian Pacific on 4 April 2026, from Perth to Sydney.

How to book

Book directly at journeybeyondrail.com.au or by phone on 1800 703 357 (from Australia), or through a specialist agent. Advance Purchase fares sell out first, so book early for March and September to November. The train uses Sydney Central Station (about 1 km from the city centre), Adelaide Parklands Terminal at Keswick (about 3 km) and East Perth Terminal (about 2.5 km).

Luggage and life on board

In your cabin you can keep one piece of hand luggage plus one garment bag, cabin bag or briefcase per person; Journey Beyond publishes no size limit in centimetres, so pack light. Checked luggage travels in a separate part of the train and cannot be reached during the journey: 60 kg per person in Gold (2 × 30 kg), 75 kg in Gold Premium (3 × 25 kg) and 90 kg in Platinum (3 × 30 kg). Pack an overnight bag for three or four nights, with layers: Nullarbor evenings can be cold outside summer.

What's next

For 2027 the itineraries stay the same in both directions, still weekly and all year round, but fares rise by about 6 to 7%: the lowest Gold Twin fare from Sydney goes from AUD 2,990 to 3,190. Journey Beyond's big 2027 change is on The Ghan, whose northbound journey grows to four days. The operator has been solely owned by the private equity firm Crestview Partners under a deal announced in February 2024, and on 1 October 2026 it completed the purchase of Kelsian Group's tourism businesses, including Captain Cook Cruises in Sydney and Perth.

An expert's view

The Indian Pacific is a passenger train on Australia's main east–west freight railway. It became possible only after gauge conversion: the first through train left Sydney on 23 February 1970 and reached Perth three days later, with no change of gauge. Between Crystal Brook, Adelaide and Kalgoorlie it runs on the standard-gauge interstate network managed by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), including the Trans-Australian Railway, opened in 1917.

That line is mostly single track. Trains meet on crossing loops; newer loops, such as Coondambo (2010), are about 1,850 m long, part of works that let trains of up to 1,800 m run on the corridor. A timetable for one weekly passenger train has to fit around a flow of long freight trains, which explains why arrival times can shift and why the crossing of the Nullarbor feels unhurried. It also explains the long straight: across the flat, treeless Nullarbor, the builders had almost nothing to curve around for 478 km.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Indian Pacific journey?

4,352 km. Sydney to Perth takes 4 days and 3 nights; Perth to Sydney takes 5 days and 4 nights.

When does the Indian Pacific run?

Once a week all year round: Wednesdays from Sydney and Saturdays from Perth.

How much does the Indian Pacific cost?

From about AUD 2,990 per person in 2026 (Gold Twin, Sydney to Perth, Advance Purchase, June–July) and AUD 3,190 in 2027; Platinum from about AUD 6,490 in 2026.

What is included in the fare?

The cabin, all meals, drinks and the off-train experiences at each stop.

Can I travel only part of the route?

Yes, Sydney to Adelaide and Adelaide to Perth are sold as separate journeys.

How much luggage can I take?

One hand bag plus one small case in the cabin; checked luggage of 60 kg in Gold, 75 kg in Gold Premium and 90 kg in Platinum, with no access during the trip.

Key takeaways

• Sydney to Perth in 4 days, Perth to Sydney in 5, every week of the year.
• All-inclusive from about AUD 2,990 per person in 2026 and AUD 3,190 in 2027.
• The highlight is the Nullarbor, with 478 km of straight track and stops at Cook and Rawlinna.

Read also

• The Ghan: Adelaide to Darwin by train, to compare with Journey Beyond's north–south journey
• Sydney to Melbourne by XPT train
• Toronto to Montreal by VIA Rail
• All our train travel guides

For rail enthusiasts

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Sources: Journey Beyond, Coast to Coast 2026 (7 April 2026); Journey Beyond, Coast to Coast 2027 (7 April 2026); Journey Beyond, The Mighty Nullarbor 2026 (7 April 2026); Journey Beyond, Gold Service; Journey Beyond, Platinum Service;Journey Beyond, luggage; Journey Beyond, stations and terminals; Travel Daily, 2025 Indian Pacific itinerary (15 November 2023); Travel Weekly, Aurora and Australis suites (8 April 2026); Australia Post, Transcontinental Railway 50 years (11 February 2020); The Railway Magazine, Trans-Australian Railway centenary (31 March 2018); ARTC, Coondambo passing loop (23 June 2010); ARTC, network configuration (22 April 2026); seat61, Australia by train (18 August 2026); Seatrade Cruise, Journey Beyond ownership (21 February 2024); Travel Agent Central, Kelsian acquisition (9 October 2026); Exchange-rates.org, AUD/USD (1 October 2026). Information checked on 17 October 2026.

Photo: Tomoyn, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Written with AI assistance from the official sources cited, reviewed by the TrainsNews editorial team. Real photo, credited below the image. Spotted an error? contact@trainsnews.com — Our AI policy