My solo journey from Adelaide to Darwin on the Ghan

Image: Givenworks

What a magnificent journey. The trip from Adelaide to Darwin on The Ghan was on the top of my bucket list and I finally got to tick it off.

I booked a single Gold Class cabin on the train and while it was a little bit expensive, they do have generous seniors’ discounts. The cabins are small but comfortable and you have your own cabin steward who makes your bed while you are at dinner in the evening. When you’re at breakfast the next morning, they put away your bed again.

Each carriage of single cabins has showers and toilets at each end. They’re small but convenience and I never had to queue.

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Tea and coffee making facilities are also available in each carriage, should you choose to stay in your room instead of going to the lounge. The meals on board are superb and the service is second to none.

The train stops at dawn at Marla in the South Australian outback for passengers to alight and enjoy coffee and bacon rolls as the sun rises. A tour of the town is offered, and it won’t take you long to complete. It’s one of those rusty-soiled outback towns that has little more than a servo, pub, motel and caravan park.

The next stop is Alice Springs and off-train excursions are included.

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There is one great activity that is not included – an optional helicopter flight over the region. There are also excursions offered in Katherine included in the price of your ticket, and I can thoroughly recommend the Katherine Gorge Tour. It blew me away.


All in all, it was a wonderful experience from start to finish.