- Route
- Adelaide ↔ Darwin
- Distance
- 2,979 km
- Audio stories
- 62
- In the app
- Both directions · Works offline
Watch the journey
A short film of the line — the views the guide narrates as they pass your window. English captions in the player.
Route map
Tap to explore the full route.
The route in text
- Route
- Adelaide ↔ Darwin, Australia
- Distance
- 2,979 km
- Audio stories
- 62, narrated in both directions of travel, fully offline
- On the map
- Illustrated route map of The Ghan with stations, distances, and journey highlights. Station names and distance markers are printed on the map itself.
About this journey
Cross the Australian continent on The Ghan, from Adelaide in the south to Darwin on the tropical north coast — nearly 3,000 kilometres through the Red Centre over three days. Named for the Afghan cameleers who first opened these routes, the train runs through Alice Springs and the ancient heart of the outback.
Stops along the way
The stations the narration is keyed to, in order (toward darwin). Timetables and stops change; check the operator before you book.
- Adelaide Parklands Terminal
- Marla
- Alice Springs
- Katherine
- Darwin
Highlights and which side to look
A few of the 62 narrated sights, toward darwin, with the side of the train they appear on. See every sight, both directions.
| Distance from start | Sight | Look |
|---|---|---|
| 312 km (194 mi) | Port Augusta: Where the Line Began | Left side |
| 724 km (450 mi) | The Gibber: Reading the Stony Desert | Left side |
| 1915 km (1190 mi) | The Camels and the Eagle | Right side |
| 2026 km (1259 mi) | Deep Time: The Oldest Living Culture | Right side |
| 2763 km (1717 mi) | Pine Creek: The Gold at the End | Left side |
How the app works on this route
- Stories are triggered by GPS as you reach each place, so nothing depends on a signal or a timetable.
- Every story has a version for each direction of travel, and the narration says which side to look.
- Download the journey once at home; everything then works offline, including photos and the route map.
- The first three stories are free to listen to in the app before you buy.
- Narration keeps playing with the phone locked, so you can watch the window instead of the screen.
Questions about the The Ghan
- Which side of the The Ghan should I sit on?
- Toward Darwin: 2 on the right, 3 on the left, 55 on either side. The app tells you which way to look for every story as it plays, so either seat works; the full list for both directions is in the window guide.
- Does the audio guide work without signal?
- Yes. Download the The Ghan once at home and every story, photo and map works offline for the whole ride. Stories are triggered by GPS, which needs no signal.
- Does it work in both directions?
- Yes. Every story has a version for each direction of travel, and "left" and "right" are given relative to the way your train is moving.
- Can I try it before buying?
- Yes. The first three stories of the The Ghan are free to listen to in the app, with their photos. The full journey is a one-time $4.99 purchase, or the Rail Journeys Pass ($29.99, one-time) covers every journey, including future ones, for life.
Sources
Route distance (2,979 km): the operator's published figure — journeybeyondrail.com.au. Stops and sights: the app's own route data, as rendered in the window guide.
