This luxury Aussie rail journey just ranked among the world’s best

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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This isn’t just a train trip – it’s an experience of a lifetime.

Luxury train travel is well and truly on the rise. In recent years, both Australian and international brands have been expanding their offerings to welcome an influx of guests from around the world.

In light of this surge, the experts at Japan Rail Pass have analysed and compared thousands of reviews, Instagram hashtags and global search volumes to determine which ones you should add to your bucket list. But you won’t have to book a flight to jump onboard – one of the best rail journeys in the world is right here in Australia.

From the red heart of the outback to lush Top End landscapes, The Ghan is slow travel at its finest – with gourmet dining, epic sunsets and pure adventure along the way.

What is Australia’s best luxury train journey?

It won’t come as a shock to anyone that The Ghan came out on top as Australia’s best rail journey, ranking fifth in the world overall. The Ghan, as we know it today, was launched by Australian experiential tourism company Journey Beyond and traverses the vast expanse of red-dirt country between Darwin in the Northern Territory and South Australia’s capital city of Adelaide.

The Ghan travelling through Marla in South Australia
The Ghan has ranked among the world’s best luxury train journeys.

But its lore extends well beyond that, going much deeper than its current identity as a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. The history of The Ghan goes back as far as the late 1800s, when the first cameleers arrived in Australia. The camel drivers, primarily from parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Türkiye and Egypt, were vital to the development of Australia’s outback.

Often referred to as ‘Afghans’ or ‘Ghans’ – hence the train’s name – the men transported goods across thousands of kilometres. They worked tirelessly, connecting remote towns with coastal cities and facilitating crucial infrastructure projects and major rail lines.

the exterior of Broken Hill Mosque
The Broken Hill Mosque Museum holds the history of the cameleers. (Image: Steve Madgwick)

While the workers were eventually replaced by automobiles and trains, they have since been honoured by companies like Journey Beyond for their significant contributions to Australia’s trade, agriculture, mining and transport industries. Learn more about the cameleers with a visit to the Broken Hill Mosque Museum.

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What can I expect from a trip on The Ghan?

Australians have always known The Ghan is one of the country’s most memorable rail journeys. And while being recognised among the world’s best is a new feat for the train, take a closer look and it’s not hard to see why.

Over the years, The Ghan has undergone numerous upgrades to ensure the best experience for guests. From railway extensions and offboard inclusions to the recent introduction of brand-new cabin configurations, it’s no wonder it has made the list. If you’re keen to book, you can expect the journey of a lifetime.

Gold Service cabin onboard The Ghan
Watch the world go by from your cosy Gold Service cabin.

Trips are flexible, with multiple options to choose from. If you only want one night onboard, book a trip travelling between either Darwin or Adelaide to Alice Springs. After a little more? Go from Adelaide to Darwin (or vice versa) over two nights and three days. Or go all out with The Ghan Expedition, a four-day, three-night journey exploring the wonders of Australia’s heartland.

Onboard, you’ll find a dining carriage offering delicious food (two-course breakfast, a two-course lunch and a three-course dinner) and premium wines, as well as a range of cabins to choose from depending on your price point. Opt for the Gold offering to enjoy a twin or single cabin and access to the Outback Explorer Lounge. Get a little more with the Gold Premium and Platinum packages, such as priority check-in, tour preferencing and a private en suite.

The new Aurora Australis suite on The Ghan
The opulent Aurora Australis suites will be available from 2026.

Those joining The Ghan in 2026 should also consider splurging on the all-new Aurora Australis suites. In an Australian first, the ultra-luxe rooms will include butler services, an in-suite bar, private chauffeur, access to the Platinum Club Lounge and much more.

Don’t forget about the offboard experiences either. Guests can visit some of Australia’s coolest destinations, from famous outback towns such as Katherine to award-winning wineries in McLaren Vale. For a little extra, why not add on a scenic cruise of Nitmiluk Gorge, or a private helicopter flight over Uluru? Take your pick.

Offboard experiences with The Ghan in Alice Springs, NT
Choose from a range of unforgettable offboard experiences.

What other luxury train journeys made the list?

Coming in as the world’s best luxury train is the Rocky Mountaineer out of Canada, with a final rating of 8.88/10. This was followed by California’s Napa Valley Wine Train and the GoldenPass Express in Switzerland. Fourth place went to South Africa’s Rovos Rail, with The Ghan rounding out the top five with an impressive overall rating of 8.54/10.

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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The road trips and trails you need to experience in Victoria now

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
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    Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow. 

    There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.  

    Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur, is one of my favourite road trips. 

    The Black Spur 

    The Black Spur drive
    Through the forested canopy of The Black Spur drive that winds from Healesville to Narbethong. (Image: Neisha Breen)

    Location: Yarra Ranges
    Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes 

    The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.  

    In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn, a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.   

    Victoria’s Silo Art Trail 

    Silo Art Trail
    The Silo Art Trail in the Wimmera Mallee region. (Image: Visit Victoria/Anne Morely)

    Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
    Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days  

    What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.  

    The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud, making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.   

    Metung to Mallacoota  

    Gippsland lakes
    Gippsland Lakes. (Image: Visit Victoria/Josie Withers)

    Location: Gippsland
    Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours  

    The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance, where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch. 

    Lakes Entrance
    Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

    Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea. 

    Great Ocean Road 

    12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road
    The 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
    Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days  

    Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.  

    Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast. 

    Bellarine Taste Trail 

    Terindah Estate
    Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Location: Bellarine Peninsula
    Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours  

    The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.  

    You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate, sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours. 

    O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote 

    Pink Cliffs Reserve
    Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Location: Central Victoria
    Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling 

    Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail. The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.  

    The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular. 

    Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo 

    Location: Central Victoria
    Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling  

    The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.  

    As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.