The Ghan: Adelaide to Darwin by train, fares, cabins and tips (2026–27)

By the TrainsNews rail expert · updated 16 October 2026

The Ghan crosses Australia from south to north, from Adelaide to Darwin, over 2,979 km of track through the red centre. It is not a transport service but an all-inclusive rail journey: cabin, every meal, drinks and guided stops at Alice Springs and Katherine are included in the fare, from about AUD 2,690 per person in 2026. Departures run from March to November only, and the northbound journey grows from two to three nights in 2027. Here is everything you need to know before booking.

The Ghan at a glance

Which journey to choose?

The Legendary Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin). In 2026 it takes 3 days and 2 nights, with a sunrise stop at Marla, a day of excursions in Alice Springs and a stop at Katherine before arriving in Darwin. From 2027 it becomes a 4-day, 3-night journey, adding a dinner in the Clare Valley wine region and a full day in the Flinders Ranges.

The Ghan Expedition (Darwin to Adelaide). It takes 4 days and 3 nights and adds Coober Pedy, the opal-mining town where people live underground, and a sunrise stop at the remote siding of Manguri. In 2026 it leaves Darwin on Wednesdays from March to November and on Saturdays from April to October.

The wet season in the north explains the calendar: there are no departures from December to February.

Fares 2026 and 2027

Journey Beyond sells three fare types: Advance Purchase (cheapest, limited), Everyday and Flexible. March and November are the cheapest months, May to August the most expensive. Prices below are per person in AUD and indicative; they change often.

The new Aurora and Australis suites, with private bedrooms and butler service, start at about AUD 10,890 and 16,390 per person in 2027. Solo travellers pay no published single supplement: they book a Gold Single, a compact cabin with shared showers, priced about 14% below a Gold Twin berth.

What is included

• All meals in the restaurant (breakfast, lunch and dinner), with regional dishes such as kangaroo or crocodile dumplings.
• Drinks: Australian wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks.
• Off-train experiences: in Alice Springs (Desert Park, Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm or a town tour), in Katherine (Nitmiluk Gorge cruise, Cutta Cutta Caves) and, on the Expedition, Coober Pedy.
• In Gold, a free shuttle in Darwin to selected city hotels. Helicopter and scenic flights, such as over Uluru, cost extra.

Cabins and life on board

• Gold Twin: a lounge with three seats by day, upper and lower berths at night, and a compact private shower and toilet.
• Gold Single: one bed that folds into a seat, a small basin, shared showers at the end of the carriage.
• Platinum: about twice the size of a Gold Twin, with a double bed, picture windows, a private lounge and restaurant (Platinum Club).
• Public spaces: the Queen Adelaide Restaurant and the Outback Explorer Lounge for Gold guests.

Luggage

In your cabin you can keep one piece of hand luggage plus one garment bag or small case per person; Journey Beyond publishes no size limit in centimetres, so pack light. Checked luggage travels in a separate van and cannot be reached during the journey: 60 kg per person in Gold (2 × 30 kg), 75 kg in Gold Premium and 90 kg in Platinum. Keep medicines and valuables with you.

Stations

• Adelaide Parklands Terminal: Richmond Road, Keswick, about 3 km from the city centre.
• Alice Springs: George Crescent, about 2 km from the town centre.
• Darwin Rail Passenger Terminal: East Arm, about 17.5 km from the city centre; Gold guests get a free shuttle.

A short history

The name comes from the "Afghan Express", in memory of the cameleers, mostly from British India and Afghanistan, who opened supply routes into the centre. The first Ghan left Adelaide for Stuart (now Alice Springs) on 4 August 1929. A new standard-gauge line replaced the flood-prone original route in 1980, and the 1,420 km extension from Alice Springs to Darwin opened in 2004: the first through train left Adelaide on 1 February 2004 and reached Darwin two days later.

Recent news

Journey Beyond has been fully owned by the private equity firm Crestview Partners since February 2024, when it left the Hornblower group. On 1 October 2026 it completed the purchase of Kelsian Group's tourism businesses, including Sydney's Captain Cook Cruises. The Aurora and Australis suites entered service on the Indian Pacific in April 2026 and now also run on The Ghan. The most recent incident reported was a road train hitting The Ghan at a level crossing north of Alice Springs on 15 September 2024; no one on the train was injured, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau published its final report on 12 February 2026.

Train or plane?

Qantas and Jetstar fly Adelaide–Darwin non-stop in under 4 hours, from about AUD 110 to 150 one way (indicative). The Ghan costs about twenty times more but sells something else: a land cruise in which the cabin, meals, drinks and four or five guided excursions are included, and the landscape changes from the Flinders Ranges to the red centre and the tropical Top End. Seen as a cruise rather than a ticket, the price makes more sense.

An expert's view

The Ghan is a passenger train on a freight railway. North of Adelaide it runs on the standard-gauge interstate network, and from Tarcoola to Darwin on a single-track line built mainly for freight, where trains cross each other on passing loops. That is one reason why its average speed is only about 85 km/h, with a top speed of 115 km/h, according to Journey Beyond.

In the outback, the main safety issue is not speed but the meeting point between road and rail. The line crosses remote roads used by road trains, multi-trailer trucks that are long and slow to stop. The collision north of Alice Springs in September 2024, investigated by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, is a reminder that level crossings remain the weak point of long rural lines everywhere in the world.

Frequently asked questions

How long is The Ghan journey?

2,979 km. In 2026, Adelaide to Darwin takes 3 days and 2 nights and Darwin to Adelaide 4 days and 3 nights; from 2027 both directions take 4 days and 3 nights.

When does The Ghan run?

From March to November only, once or twice a week in each direction.

How much does The Ghan cost?

From about AUD 2,690 per person in 2026 (Gold Twin, northbound, Advance Purchase) and AUD 3,590 in 2027; Platinum from about AUD 4,790 in 2026.

What is included in the fare?

The cabin, all meals, drinks and the off-train experiences; scenic and helicopter flights are extra.

Can I travel solo?

Yes, in a Gold Single cabin, which has its own fare and shared showers; no single supplement is published.

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

• Adelaide–Darwin in 3 or 4 days, March to November only.
• All-inclusive from about AUD 2,690 per person in 2026.
• From 2027, the northbound journey grows to 4 days with the Flinders Ranges.

Read also

• Sydney to Melbourne by XPT train
• Etihad Rail passenger guide
• Haramain High Speed Railway: Makkah–Madinah
• All our train travel guides

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Sources: Journey Beyond, About The Ghan; Journey Beyond, The Legendary Ghan 2026; Journey Beyond, The Ghan Expedition 2026 (7 April 2026); Journey Beyond, The Legendary Ghan 2027 (prices at 1 September 2026); Journey Beyond, Gold Service; Journey Beyond, luggage; Journey Beyond, stations and terminals; Travel Weekly, 2027 season (21 November 2025); Luxury Travel, Aurora and Australis suites (15 April 2026); Seatrade Cruise, Journey Beyond ownership (21 February 2024); Travel Agent Central, Kelsian acquisition (9 October 2026); ATSB, level crossing collision report RO-2024-005 (12 February 2026). Information checked on 16 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