The Ghan
Previously called “The Afghan Express” in homage to the Afghans Camelers who keep a permanent link for more than 150 years with the Red Center, “The Ghan” links Adelaide, in South Australia, to Darwin, in Northern Territories. A 2,979 kilometers trip that will takes you 3 days to complete.
The first track was following John MacDouall Stuart trail. Yes, the one who gives his name to the Stuart Highway. Still planning to tell you more about this one. On sunday the 4th of august 1929, the first train left Adelaide, boarding more than 100 passengers, heading to the remote town of Stuart. A town that, a few years later, will be named “Alice Springs”.
The Ghan crosses some of the most arid and hardest land of Australia. Subject to flash flood, fire, and even to termites. The legend says that one of the train staid blocked for 2 weeks at the same place, and that the motor engineer had to shoot wild goats to feed himself and the passengers.
In 1980, a new track was built, using concrete, termite proof. Still had to wait until 2004 for Darwin to be connected.
A trip aboard the Ghan is a unique experience, as are the landscape you’ll see from the train. MacDonnell Ranges in the south, the Red Center, and the tropical landscape in the north.
Interesting fact: the Ghan timetable is made for tourist. So the train stops for a few hours in Katherine, for passenger to be able to jump in a bus, and have a quick look around. Same in Alice, where you can stop for a few hours, or a few days, to have the time to visit Uluru. It’s not a real train trip. More a train cruse. Train drives by night when the landscape is not so much inspiring, and by day when you really want to see through your window. Definitely a unique way of traveling.
And what about the comfort? As usual, I’ve been traveling on a “poor” seat, taking the cheapest ticket I could find. And I just traveled from Katherine to Alice Springs. Only 1200 kilometers, traveled in 15 hours. People told me that the Ghan was a retirement house on wheel. That’s actually true if you stay in the most expensive part of the train. But if you’re happy with a simple seat, then you’ll meet all kind of travelers. Expect a nice comfort, but nothing exceptional. Wide folding seat, so you can rest, but with nothing to put your feet on. Less comfy that Amtrak in the States or Via Rail in Canada. But definitely better than the SNCF night train in France!
Anyway… the experience is unique and really nice. And I still keep the train as my favorite way of traveling!
