With a land mass of nearly three million square miles or 7.7 million square kilometers, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and has a wide array of rail options for those who want to experience its nature and classic red-earth landscapes that are easy to miss for those whose trip ends at the major cities.
Australian trains are, given the large stretches of land and time needed to cross them, generally a luxury experience that that is chosen above all by rail enthusiasts and those who want to travel in style rather than get from Point A to Point B.
Journey Beyond, the company that has operated iconic Australian train routes like The Ghan and The Indian Pacific since 2017, just unveiled new sleeper train suites aboard three of its routes.
“Some of the country’s most extraordinary landscapes”: Journey Beyond unveils new Aurora Australis suites
Debuting on the Indian Pacific train from Perth to Sydney on Apr. 4, the Aurora Australis suites come with queen-size beds and a lounge with an in-room bar with butler service. Tapping into Art Deco style, the décor with of timber and stone as well as sheepskin and leather accents are also meant to evoke the aesthetic of the Australian landscape.
The Aurora Australias suites will be the train operator’s most premium offering; those traveling on them will also get access to the trains’ Platinum Club lounge and dining carriage, a private transfer to the platform from the arrival and departure destinations and excursions depending on the journey: a helicopter ride above Nitmiluk National Park in Northern Territory on the northbound Ghan route and a charter flight to Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park on the southbound one.
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“Our iconic trains have long connected guests with some of the country’s most extraordinary landscapes, and these suites elevate that experience to an entirely new level,” Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent said in a statement. “They offer guests a private sanctuary on board, a place to unwind and fully immerse themselves in the journey across this remarkable continent.”
Journey Beyond
How much does a luxury train across Australia cost?
Fares on the three-day Indian Pacific route start at $7,800 USD for the Aurora Suite and $11,700 USD for the Australis Suite while going up for the longer Ghan journey between Darwin and Adelaide and Great Southern between Adelaide and Brisbane.
The journeys are tailored above all to international travelers looking to experience Australia in a particularly luxurious way.
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As part of the same growth in Australian tourism from the U.S. market, United Airlines has also launched a new route to Adelaide Airport (ADL) from San Francisco International (SFO) in December 2025.
The new route to the Journey Beyond headquarters and capital of the South Australia state runs for 15 hours and is the only direct flight to the city from the U.S. Competitor Delta has recently also brought back its seasonal routes to Brisbane and Melbourne from LAX while American Airlines increased its flight frequencies between LAX and Brisbane Airport (BNE) to three times a week for 2026.
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