Following the early pre-release of several popular rail packages for 2024, Journey Beyond has announced the launch of the full 2024 season for bookings across all rail journeys. Returning with packages pairing the iconic trains and Journey Beyond’s sister brand Outback Spirit touring, and new Rail and Sail offerings, along with opera on the harbour with Opera Australia, helicopter flights, and a host of wineries, there’s plenty to get excited about for 2024.
The multi-day train journeys are known for delivering romantic nostalgia and a connection to country that comes from travelling through some of Australia’s most awe-inspiring landscapes and buzzing cities. The legendary Ghan travels between Adelaide and Darwin, traversing some of Australia’s most dramatic outback landscapes; the Indian Pacific crosses the continent between Sydney and Perth, taking in the barren beauty of the Nullarbor Plain; and the Great Southern is a summer adventure running down the coast and inland between Brisbane and Adelaide.
The season release is being supported by a major new campaign – Australia by Train – that revels in the enjoyment of train travel and the beauty of Australia’s ever-changing landscapes, culture and people. It’s a celebration of everything that makes this big, beautiful country so unique, inspiring discovery and exploration that takes travellers further and deeper, whether on The Ghan, the Indian Pacific or Great Southern. Australia by Train really says it all, with the moments within these journeys represented in new television advertising that brings audiences on board the train experience and stepping into Off Train Experiences for a journey preview that ignites the imagination, soundtracked to classic The Church, Under the Milky Way.
David Donald, Executive General Manager of Rail for Journey Beyond said, “2024 is set to be a year of new package adventures, along with ongoing favourites. Our rail and touring packages with small-group 4WD specialist Outback Spirit are true Australian adventures – there’s no better way to explore the remote and wild beauty of the country. We’re also extending our rail and sail offering and increasing our city stay packages.”
Here is a selection of new packages, all of which are available to book now:
Stagelights & Sydney Sights (7 days/6 nights) The breadth of Australia’s staggering diversity and unparalleled grandeur unfolds before your eyes while travelling between Sydney and Perth on the Indian Pacific. Add fine wine and regionally inspired meals and it becomes a true journey of the senses. Start your adventure with three nights in Sydney and a cruise of iconic Sydney Harbour onboard the Spirit of Migloo for an indulgent all-inclusive, premium two-course menu. Then it’s time for a visual feast, with a night at ‘Opera on the Harbour’, performed on Sydney’s most spectacular outdoor stage. Then you’ll board the Indian Pacific, crossing the country with stops in Broken Hill, Adelaide, and key historic locales before crossing the vast Nullarbor Plain for your arrival in Perth.
Scenic Sip & Sail (7 days/6 nights) Australia’s staggering diversity plays out on a grand scale as the Indian Pacific travels coast-to-coast from Perth to Sydney – one of the world’s great train journeys. Before boarding the train where you’ll experience the vast expanse of the Nullarbor Plain, your adventure gets underway with an exciting exploration of Perth and Rottnest Island where you can take a selfie with an adorable Quokka. Then you’ll take a scenic flight to Margaret River for a day of touring, wine tastings and lunch. Once onboard the Indian Pacific, you’ll make your way across the country, stopping in historic locales, including Adelaide and the Blue Mountains before reaching Sydney.
Coastal Cruiser (11 day/10 night) This perfect summer adventure starts in Adelaide, where you’ll depart in style on board the Great Southern. Stopping in the Grampians region, you’re immediately transported into another world, a million years in the making, with wild and spectacular scenery. The next stop is Australia’s capital city, Canberra, then it’s off to Coff’s Harbour to experience stunning coastal scenery. In Brisbane, you’ll board the Coral Princess, launching your exploration of the Queensland coast, with stops at Arlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Archipelago, Cairns, Port Douglas, and scenic cruising around Willis Island, the only permanently inhabited island in the Coral Sea Islands Territory. There’s no better way to explore this region, from its cuisine to its culture and the sights it has to offer.
Island Coastal (13 days/12 nights*): This one-of-a-kind adventure is a rather glamorous affair, combining the Art-Deco ambience of the regal Queen Elizabeth with cruising around the extraordinary island of Tasmania, stopping in the Port of Burnie and Hobart. Next, you’ll take a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House and cruise the landmark-filled Sydney Harbour on a 78ft luxury vessel. The adventure doesn’t end there – you’ll board the Indian Pacific for a breathtaking transcontinental journey, stopping in Broken Hill and Cook before crossing the stunning barren landscape of the Nullarbor Plain along the longest straight section of rail line in the world.
Outback to Ocean with Kakadu (19 days/18 nights) Pair the legendary journey through the red centre of Australia via the iconic rail journey, The Ghan, with an intimate small group Kakadu, East Alligator River and Litchfield tour with Outback Spirit Tours in 4WD state-of-the-art Mercedes Benz vehicles, staying at luxury wilderness lodges along the way. Then take to the water aboard PONONT’s Le Laperouse for a cruise through the Kimberly, making for a journey of epic proportions. The Kimberly region of Western Australia is a wild land featuring remote spectacular scenery, spread over vast distances – from the outback town of Alice Springs to the Horizontal Falls in Talbot Bay, this rail and sail adventure is one to be treasured.
