This vintage train ride delivers you in style to Parkes Elvis Festival

We can’t help falling in love with this vintage rail journey to Parkes’ quirky Elvis-themed festival.

When one thinks of Elvis Presley, a lot of things come to mind: Memphis, blues, gyrating hips. What might be left off that list is the small town of Parkes in New South Wales. But doing so would be wrong. Every year, the Parkes Elvis Festival celebrates the life, music and legacy of Elvis Presley over five days. And this year, visitors can pop on their blue suede shoes and catch a not-so-mysterious train from Sydney to Parkes for the festivities.

Parkes Elvis Festival

Next running from 6-10 January 2027, Parkes Elvis Festival started as a spontaneous little shindig put on by local restaurant owners Bob and Anne Steel in 1992. Their restaurant was named Gracelands, so an Elvis-themed party just made sense. And things just grew from there. These days, the whole town gets involved, with the festival attracting over 25,000 Elvis fans each year (more than doubling the local population).

Events run the gamut. From an Elvis tribute artist contest, where national and international artists compete for the title to advance to the next stage of the competition, held in Memphis. To street parades, live music and tribute shows, markets and a whole bunch of wacky, Elvis-themed happenings (think vow renewal ceremonies and a Miss Priscilla competition).

Elvis Festival Train

impersonators in front of a train at the Parkes Elvis Festival — Get your kicks as soon as you depart Sydney. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Departing Sydney on 7 January, Vintage Rail Journeys’ Elvis Festival Train departs for a five-day itinerary blending curated regional experiences and chef-prepared dining with a rock’n’roll flair. It’s a rolling celebration of Elvis, nostalgia and classic Australian hospitality.

“You can’t help but fall in love with the undeniable charm and nostalgia that envelops you on Vintage Rail Journeys," says David Donald, managing director rail & touring at Journey Beyond.

“Imagine the excitement as you join fellow festival-goers, with live entertainment and the beats of Elvis classics that will have your toes tapping from the moment you board."

The journey is all-inclusive, complete with breakfast, lunch, dinner and all beverages onboard. Spend your days getting all shook up in the atmosphere of Parkes and its funky festival, before returning to the train for dinner each evening. Guests also receive tickets to the main event, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Concert.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

The full itinerary

Day 1 – Sydney to Parkes

aerial shot of vintage rail journeys train — Travel through the NSW countryside to Parkes. (Credit: Chris Ersek)

Settle in with live entertainment, plus lunch and dinner onboard.

Day 2 – Arrival in Parkes

a meal in the dining carriage of vintage rail journeys train — Enjoy chef-prepared dinners every night.

Wake to sweeping views of the NSW Central Tablelands and a hearty breakfast before arriving in Parkes to spend the day at Parkes Elvis Festival. Return to the train for a chef-prepared dinner and a relaxed night onboard.

Day 3 – Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest

elvis presley impersonator performing at the Parkes Elvis Festival — Watch Elvis impersonators battle for the crown. (Credit: Parkes Elvis Festival)

It’s the day of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, and you have tickets. Watch performers from around the globe compete for the coveted crown. Afterwards, return to the train for dinner.

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Day 4 – Final Day at the Festival

impersonators sitting on a park bench at the Parkes Elvis Festival — Soak in your final day at the festival. (Credit: Parkes Elvis Festival)

Today is your final chance to enjoy the Elvis-themed fun of the festival, before dinner onboard. The train takes off while you sleep.

Day 5 – Return to Sydney

Wake to a final breakfast and the last views of country NSW before arriving back in Sydney.

The details

Parkes Elvis Festival

Bookings: Plenty of the festival is free, but find booking details for individual events on the festival website.
Cost: Entry costs range from free admission up to $170 for premium seats at signature events.
Dates: 6-10 January 2027

The Elvis Festival Train

Bookings: For booking details and T&Cs, visit the Vintage Rail Journeys website.
Cost: From $4990 per person in a Heritage Twin or Single cabin.
Departure date: 7 January 2027
Departure location: Sydney’s Central Station.

From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.

Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.

Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train carriage — Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.

The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.

The Riverina

Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train travelling through nsw — Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.

The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.

North Coast

This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.

Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.

Golden West

winery experience in new south wales — Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.

Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.

Special event journeys

meal onboard Vintage Rail Journeys Southern Aurora train — Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)

Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.

For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.

Step back into the golden age of rail travel at vintagerailjourneys.com.au.

This vintage train journey delivers you in style to the Parkes Elvis Festival

We can’t help falling in love with this vintage rail journey to Parkes’ quirky Elvis-themed festival.

Parkes Elvis Festival

Elvis Festival Train