Try searching for
Beyond Canada · International rail
Rail journeys across Australia & New Zealand.
The Ghan crosses the Outback; the TranzAlpine threads New Zealand's Southern Alps.
Australia and New Zealand camp the long end of the rail world. The Ghan runs three days across the Australian Outback from Adelaide to Darwin. The Indian Pacific crosses the Nullarbor — 478 km of dead-straight track. New Zealand's TranzAlpine threads the Southern Alps from Christchurch to the West Coast in a single day.
These are journeys where the train is the only practical way to see what's outside the window — outback, glaciers, sheep stations and a thousand kilometres without a settlement.
The headliners
Signature Australia & New Zealand rail.
- The Ghan — Adelaide to Darwin in 54 hours across the Red Centre.
- The Indian Pacific — Sydney to Perth in 65 hours and three time zones.
- TranzAlpine — Christchurch to Greymouth through Arthur's Pass National Park.
- Northern Explorer — Auckland to Wellington through volcanic plateau country.
When to go
The right window.
- ·April–September: cool Outback season for The Ghan and Indian Pacific.
- ·October–April: New Zealand summer, peak TranzAlpine and Northern Explorer.
Booking notes
How to book it.
- ·The Ghan and Indian Pacific run only 1–2 times weekly — date flexibility wins.
- ·Gold and Platinum service include all meals, drinks and off-train excursions.
- ·KiwiRail Scenic services book up in NZ summer — secure 2–3 months ahead.
Practicalities
The boring but useful stuff.
Plug type
Type I · 230V (AU/NZ shared)
Operators
Journey Beyond · KiwiRail
Visa
Both require ETAs for Canadian passports
FAQs
Australia & New Zealand rail, answered.
Is The Ghan boring?+
Day two is a long expanse of red — but the off-train excursions at Alice Springs and Katherine Gorge break it up, and the night skies are unmatched.
Can I combine Australia and New Zealand by rail?+
There's no rail crossing the Tasman, but you can fly between Auckland and Sydney in three hours and continue by train each side.
Is the TranzAlpine doable as a day trip?+
Yes — many travellers do Christchurch–Greymouth–Christchurch in a single very long day, but staying a night on the West Coast is much better.
Keep exploring
More of Beyond Canada.
International
Europe
Alpine passes, Mediterranean coastlines and overnight sleepers between capitals.
International
Africa
Vintage carriages from Cape Town across the Karoo and into the wild interior.
International
Asia
Bullet trains through Japan, jungle rails in Vietnam, and the Trans-Siberian east.
International
United States
Coast-to-coast Amtrak, the California Zephyr and slow journeys through the West.