Australia

"Rail Cruising" - The Train

The refurbishment of the train began in November 2002. The upgrading and refurbishment will coincide with the completion of the new rail line at the end of 2003. Photographs, sketches and diagrams of the train on this website are therefore of similar carriages, and similar design.

The train set will be made up of 12 to 14 carriages and will carry 86/90 guests and 15 staff.

Your home aboard the air-conditioned train is a simple, yet comfortable compartment with more than enough storage for a suitcase and hand luggage per person.

There are four types of accommodation:(As the train is in the process of being put together, these pictures are only a first impression of the layout and design of the interior.)

Pelican – double or twin beds with small private lounge area, bar fridge, video player and en-suite facilities (WC and shower)
Kookaburra – twinette compartment with two comfortable beds, one above the other, with easy built-in access to the top bed and en-suite facilities (WC and shower).
Rosella – twin compartment with two comfortable wider beds, one opposite the other with shared shower/WC facilities.
Parakeet – roomettes – single private cabins with a window seat which folds out into a bed, limited space, and shared facilities.

The true advantages of travelling on a train only become evident when, in the evenings, the social areas become a hive of activity. The conversations hum as fellow travellers re-unite after a long day to compare experiences, and to plan and choose the coming days’ options.

There are three social area carriages:

The bar carriage, with a smokers’ lounge and a good selection of Australian wine and beer.

The non-smoking lounge car has a small library with daily newspapers, as well as a video with a small selection of Australian made films and documentaries
relating to the areas we will be visiting.
There are also tea, coffee and cake facilities.

The buffet car – has a self-service buffet used for breakfast, with a sitting area. This is used as a games room with card tables in the evenings.