The Ghan is Australia's most famous rail route, covering a distance of 1,861 miles over a 54 hour period between Adelaide and Darwin, from the southern to the northern parts of the country. The passenger train was named the Ghan as an abbreviation of the original name given to the service by one of the first crew members -
The Afghan Express, which was named after the
Afghan Camel Trains that first ventured into Australia's Red Centre.
The original service only went as far north as Alice Springs from Adelaide, but today passengers can enjoy the full route from the south to the north coast of the mainland with stops in between making it one of the most popular and comfortable ways to see Australia.
History
In the beginnings of the service, the track was just a narrow gauge railway - a far cry from the rail journey. The full track from Adelaide to Darwin was only completed in 2004, with the extension to Alice Springs starting in 2001, following a number of other updates made to the track.
The modern trail
The route now runs from
Adelaide Parklands Terminal with eight stops in between there and Alice Springs before going to Tennant Creek and Katherine and finally reaching its destination of Darwin. The Ghan allows visitors to Australia to see some of the most isolated parts of the country, as Alice Springs is made up of a population of just 27,000. This makes the
Australian rail journey a popular choice with both those who have visited the sunny land before and are looking for a new experience as well as those who are new Down Under, with all visitors able to gain a true understanding of the Australian outback.
Taking out the hassle of finding transportation whilst still allowing passengers to see a wide expanse of Australia in one trip is why the Ghan is one of
Australia's hidden treasures.