On board epic Aussie train’s new ‘premium economy’ class

The most striking thing about my journey through Australia’s Red Centre is that it’s not red at all – it’s green.

The clumps of spinifex are so dense they’ve created a carpet of green on these hills just outside Alice Springs, where I’m joining fellow passengers from The Ghan for a short exploration of the West McDonnell Ranges and Simpsons Gap.

Simpsons Gap.

To the north, the ranges jut from the ground, strikingly split in two where the gap lies, while to the east, we can see Alice, flat but surprisingly large given its remote location. In every direction, green is the dominant colour, with occasional patches of dirt showing. It’s the reverse of my previous visits to this part of the world, where plant life sparsely broke up the bare earth.

As I make my way up the relatively easy five-kilometre track leading to the top of Cassia Hill’s lookout across the surrounding landscape, I’m reminded of how extreme the temperatures can be in Central Australia.

This morning, the train stopped at the tiny outback outpost of Marla, where we disembarked to watch the sun rise over the desert while enjoying breakfast. I was rugged up in a thermal shirt, jumper and puffer jacket.

Now, afternoon on the same day, I’m slopping on sunscreen and slapping on a hat as the hot sun bears down, about 500 kilometres further north on our journey.

Marla, our first stop.

I’m one of the first passengers to experience the Ghan’s 2979-kilometre run from Adelaide to Darwin in the train’s new “gold premium” class.

Sitting between its luxe platinum and entry-level gold classes, gold premium is, in its own way, similar to premium economy on board an aircraft – it features perks and comforts beyond the standard gold, while not offering the full luxuries of platinum.

Gold premium passengers get their own restaurant, with additional courses (two courses for lunch, four for dinner) and entirely different dishes to those served in gold, along with a different look and feel – it’s art deco and, while still classic, it’s a slightly more modern feel than the Queen Victoria restaurant of regular gold class. The gold premium carriages are designed by Woods Bagot, the firm that also redesigned the train’s platinum class in 2019.

Gold premium carriages offer several perks.

Like gold, gold premium cabins also consist of a three-seater couch that converts to a bed and a second bunk bed that folds down from the ceiling. Passengers have their own ensuite bathrooms and toiletries in the gold premium carriages, similar to those in gold class twin cabins (while those in single cabins must use shared facilities).

We started our trip at Journey Beyond’s base at Adelaide Parklands Terminal, where guests can relax in the morning before the easy boarding process, allowing us to depart in time for lunch on board.

It’s my second cross-country train trip in Australia, after taking the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth more than 16 years ago (my first travel assignment after joining Traveller). That journey involved long stretches of staring out at the emptiness of the Nullarbor, where I found myself sometimes entering a near-meditative state.

The Ghan is different, with dramatic changes in landscape and climate in a relatively short distance.

Those changes begin almost as soon as we depart Adelaide. After passing rolling hills and dozens, if not hundreds, of wind turbines, the ground becomes drier, the trees smaller and the sky larger. The Flinders Ranges are visible on the horizon, beyond the shrub-like trees. We briefly pass over a salt lake, still bone dry from the summer’s heat.

The landscape, as we head south to north, changes dramatically.

It’s been an early morning flight from Melbourne for me, so I decide to get my couch converted to a bed in the afternoon and put my feet up. The view is vaguely hypnotic, just small trees, saltbush and spinifex, with the occasional hillock in the background. Less occasionally, there’s some small sign of civilisation – a dirt track, a pipeline, very rarely a level crossing, a radio tower or a small group of cattle.

Coming from Melbourne, a city that is now, arguably, Australia’s biggest – with all the issues of housing shortages, a booming population and struggling infrastructure that entails – it feels strange to look out on such vast spaces, devoid of any sign of human habitation.

The light of magic hour hitting the landscape to the east as the sun starts to go down is a reminder that it’s time for dinner.

The meals change throughout the trip to reflect the regions we pass through. That means starting the journey with dishes such as Adelaide Hill-cheese souffle and pork loin from Murray Bridge, east of South Australia’s capital, and moving on to tropical chicken and mango salad and massaman curry as we approach Darwin. Along with breakfast, which includes a full English version, it’s enough to make one feel like you spend half the journey eating. Fortunately, the meals are tasty and, if you so choose, light enough that it feels OK to indulge a little. Drinks, including a selection of beers, wines and spirits, are also included.

The Gold Premium restaurant.

This version of the Ghan has two kitchen cars, each with two chefs working hard to serve the 200 passengers across the three classes. Between them, they’ll serve more than 3000 dishes during the journey to Darwin and its return to Adelaide.

After its ancient origins as an Afghan camel train, the rail version of the Ghan originally only ran as far as Alice Springs. After our stop at Alice and exploration of Simpsons Gap (one of several included excursions to choose from), we continue towards the Top End. The rail line was extended to Darwin in 2004, and the ride becomes noticeably smoother. The rollicking nature of the train, combined with a teething problem in our carriage that had the air conditioning blasting freezing temperatures all night, meant my first night on board was a little uncomfortable. Night two is much improved.

The greenery becomes denser, and it’s amazing to see huge pools of water on either side of the tracks as we make our way to our final expedition before reaching Darwin: Nitmiluk Gorge.

The gorge is a short distance from Katherine, the NT’s third-largest town (after Darwin and Alice), where the train stops and the passengers file on to buses to transport us to Nitmiluk, where we board small boats for a cruise.

Cruising Nitmiluk Gorge.Credit: iStock

Our guide points out a large crocodile trap near the jetty. “We pulled a big salty out of there last week,” he says casually.

The heavy rains haven’t benefited just the flora. Saltwater crocs have been making their way up the gorge thanks to the high water levels, moving into areas that are usually inaccessible to them. Needless to say, no one is keen to go for a dip.

Instead, we’re content to learn something of the Indigenous history of the place, while marvelling at the multicoloured sandstone cliffs that rise on either side of us.

We spot a freshwater crocodile sunning itself on a beach. These smaller species come further up the river to avoid their giant saltwater cousins, who can view them as prey.

Despite the high waters, we reach a point where rocks bar the way, so we’re invited to get out and walk a short distance before reboarding another boat on the other side to continue the journey up the gorge, getting close to a small waterfall before returning the way we came.

It’s not far to Darwin from Katherine, so soon after the train resumes, evidence of civilisation returns as we approach the Northern Territory’s capital. Before I know it, the journey is over, and I’m disembarking in time for dinner at the excellent local Sri Lankan restaurant, Ella by Minoli.

It’s been an opportunity to see parts of Australia I’ve never seen before, and even the parts I had seen before have never looked quite this way. My only regret is having to return the boring way – by plane.

THE DETAILS

The Ghan departs from Adelaide (three days, two nights) on Sundays (March to November) and Wednesdays (April to October). The return journey from Darwin to Adelaide (four days, three nights) departs Wednesday and Saturday

Prices for Adelaide to Darwin departures in 2025 start from $2590 per person for gold single, $2890 per person for gold twin, $3490 gold premium twin per person and $5190 per person in platinum. See journeybeyondrail.com.au

The writer travelled as a guest of Journey Beyond.