The Indian Pacific is one of the world’s great train journeys.
Linking Sydney and Perth, the route whisks you, in almost a straight line, from one side of the country to the other in style.
Leaving the cities behind, the train traverses deserts, goldfields and the Blue Mountains, offering an ever changing landscape and bring home the vastness of Australia.
While backpacking Australia crossing the Nullarbor Plain was near the top of my bucket list. Unfortunately, due to a broken down van (long story) on my first attempt, I never quite made it.
When I returned to Australia a few years later I was determined not to miss out. However, this time I decided to take the train across the Nullarbor.
Crossing the Nullarbor Plain – The Indian Pacific Route
The Indian Pacific train route, a mere 4352 km (or 2704 miles) takes you from Sydney to Perth (or vice versa) via Adelaide and Kalgoorlie.
For the rail buffs, the route includes the world’s longest stretch of straight track. 478 km (297 miles) of it.
The full journey takes four days and three nights, although that’s not quite as bad as it sounds as there are a few chances to get off, explore and stretch your legs.
If being stuck on a train that long is one of your worst nightmare’s you can do a section of the journey instead, such as Perth to Adelaide, or Sydney to Adelaide.
That way you’ll get some of the Indian Pacific experience without losing your mind.
The journey gives a unique view of the diverse Australian landscape. From the hustle and bustle of the cities to the rugged Blue Mountains and the remoteness of the desert.
Cross the Nullarbor itself takes around a day or so.
Although staring out across empty plains sounds pretty dull it’s actually quite mesmerising. The flat barren landscape seems to go for forever. The horizon is endless.
You can lose hours just lost in thought watching the desert pass by.
All aboard...one of Australia’s great train journeys
I guess I better add a disclaimer here now as I did this trip way back when in 2006 so things may have changed slightly (digital cameras and my photography skills have certainly got better).
However the experience probably hasn’t and it’s definitely one to add to your Australian bucket list.
I was in Australia to watch The Ashes and after we lost the series in Perth it was time to head to Melbourne for Christmas and the famous (although sadly meaningless in this case) Boxing Day test.
Leaving Perth on Wednesday lunchtime the train headed through the Avon Valley on the way to the first stop Kalgoorlie, one of Australia’s famous mining towns.
I wish I could share more about Kalgoorlie but it was dark by the time we got there and although I did the optional tour you couldn’t really see much.
The most exciting thing I remember is some fellow passengers returning from the pub saying they had seen a proper wild west fight with chairs and tables being thrown (!)
Leaving Kalgoorlie it was time to bunk down for the night. Not literally though. As I was on a backpackers budget I had booked (a now defunct) Red Service Daynighter seat.
I know… but hey after spending 24 hours in economy to get to Australia what’s a few days in a reclining seat on a train? And it was super cheap.
I also had the most awesome seat neighbour, an elderly lady travelling to Adelaide to visit her son, so if she could cope with the journey a few times a year I had nothing to complain about.
Queen of the Nullarbor
The next morning we arrived in Cook, the ghost city of the Nullarbor. The station and now desolate town, in the middle of the Nullarbor Plain, was created in 1917 to support the railway.
Once the railway was privatised in 1997, the new owners no longer needed a support town and it pretty much shut down. Now with a population of four, it’s hard to believe Cook was once thriving and nicknamed the Queen City of the Nullarbor.
The stop in Cook was short, around half an hour, but allowed enough time to wander round and stretch the legs.
It was quite eerie wandering around the abandoned town.
You really got a sense of being in the middle of nowhere with the flat land extending as far as the eye could see.
After one more night on the train I arrived in Adelaide early Friday morning.
Taking the Indian Pacific train across the Nullbor was a great experience. There is something special about long train journeys and the Indian Pacific didn’t disappoint.
Crossing Australia by train you really see a different side to the county.
With hindsight I should probably have stayed on the train and completed the journey to Sydney but I had to get to Melbourne for Christmas.
One day I think I’ll go back and complete the journey, although this time I’ll get a cabin!
Have you done any great rail journeys? If so I’d love to hear about them…
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I would love to do that train journey. I did part of the route, between Perth and Kalgoorlie, but not on the Indian Pacific.
Hi Stuart, thanks for the comment. It’s a great train journey, I hope you get to do it one day. I’ve got my eye on Adelaide to Darwin next time:o)