Train Routes

To discover the real essence of Australia, train travel is the way to go. There’s no more relaxing or scenic way to enjoy the trip between Adelaide and Melbourne, Australia’s southern capitals, than on “The Overland”.
This historic train pioneered inter-capital rail travel way back in 1887, its name inspired by the historic “Overlanders” who traveled the route on horseback. A century on and the newly refurbished “Overland” is about relaxation, serene comfort, enjoying superb meals and being pampered by courteous and attentive staff.
Throughout this daytime interstate journey you can soak up a diverse range of landscapes from rugged scrubland to fields of golden crops, over vast open plains and through gently rolling hills dotted with vineyards and wheat fields.
The early part of the journey from Adelaide involves a climb through the Adelaide Hills to Mount Lofty with stunning views of the city and St Vincent’s Gulf. The building of this section of the railway provided a major challenge for engineers in the 19th century.
The first major town along the way is Murray Bridge and this provides a great photo opportunity as the train crosses Australia’s largest river, the Murray. This major waterway stretches over 1250km from its source in the Australian Alps to the Southern Ocean, just south of Murray Bridge. It is a major tourist attraction, provides 70% of Adelaide’s water and is the economic lifeline for numerous orchards and vineyards along its banks.
At Bordertown, the train crosses into Victoria and journeys through scenic undulating hills supporting wheat and sheep farms. In the distance to the south you may notice the spectacular Grampian Mountains. No visit to Victoria would be complete without exploring this majestic landscape. The main town of Hall’s Gap can be used as a base for bushwalking or visiting a number of the breathtaking scenic lookouts. Further south is another “must see” for visitors to Victoria – the world famous Great Ocean Road.
The major city on the journey to Melbourne is Geelong, Victoria’s second biggest city. It is also a major tourism venue and a convenient base for travel on the Great Ocean Road or to the eastern side of Port Philip Bay.
Just over 10 hours after leaving Adelaide, The Overland glides smoothly into Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. This terminus in Spencer St, is right in the heart of the city and the convenient late afternoon arrival gives you time to freshen up at your accommodation, ready to enjoy the vibrant night life and trendy restaurants in Australia’s second largest city.
The Overland is operated by Great Southern Rail and runs a daylight service between Adelaide and Melbourne in both directions three times a week. Guests have the choice of 2 levels of service; Red Service or Red Premium Service. Both provide a high standard of comfort, while Red Premium provides more services including quality meals delivered to your seat and more personal space. The licensed Caf’e Carriage provides the chance to meet your fellow travelers and socialize in a comfortable environment.
This train is an important link for travelers from Melbourne to join other major Australian train services In Adelaide. “The Ghan” provides a spectacular outback journey to Darwin, stopping at places of interest along the way including Alice Springs (the centre for visits to Ayers Rock or Uluru and King’s Canyon) and Katherine for visits to the scenic Katherine Gorge).
The other major train stopping at Adelaide is the world famous “Indian Pacific”. You have the choice of boarding the train for its 2 day journey west to Perth on the Indian Ocean or traveling to Sydney on the east coast.

America has always been in love with passenger rail. Now more than ever train travel on is a viable alternative way to travel. The nation’s premier National Passenger Rail Service will get you safely to your destination. Trains have always been an exciting way to see the country. Especially in these turbulent times of high gas prices it just makes plain sense to use this mode of transportation. The train company’s sole purpose is to provide their passengers with a very safe and quite enjoyable travel experience by rail.
If you are planning to travel for an extended period of time you can bring along your laptop or your favorite best seller to pass away the time. You can simply just relax and enjoy the moment if your prefer, the decision is yours to make.
There are many additional advantages to train travel. Experienced travelers by rail will tell you that they enjoy the convenience and the hassle-free way to travel. As far as daily commuting is concerned, with rail service you will in most cases arrive at a downtown location. This virtually eliminates the hassle of having to waste more time transferring to get there like you would have to with other forms of transportation.
Moreover, riding on the train means that you can roam around the train, meet new people, and have a meal, see America as you have never seen her before, or even enjoy a nice cocktail if you choose. The bottom line is that you have many favorable options when you decide to travel by rail.
Children will also enjoy the train travel experience and will have many memorable moments to share upon their return home. And you as a parent will be able to relax knowing that your children are right there with you enjoying the trip by rail. You can keep them busy by bringing coloring books, computer games, or mp players and toys etc.
Did you know also that you can take ride on the Auto-train and bring your car with you onboard as well? There is excellent daily service from Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida. When you arrive at the Florida location you will have your very own personal vehicle that eliminates the need to rent an automobile. You will be impressed with the pampering service on board the train that you will receive by the train attendants. It is one of train company’s most successful routes. Take a trip and you will quickly learn why?
Whether you are a seasoned business traveler on the Acela Express riding between Boston and Washington or traveling to the west coast on the Capitol Corridor service enroute on your very first cross travel trip you will definitely enjoy the service and beautiful scenery. While you are traveling cross country you can even enjoy the dining car and experience freshly prepared meals while you are onboard.
If you are planning a vacation you can opt to book one of the train vacation plans. It doesn’t really matter whether you are planning to take a long trip or just an impulsive ride. Rail travel is the most enjoyable way to see America. You can travel to the hundreds of cities that they serve like Boston, New Orleans, Chicago or California.
Reservations are required for all First Class, Business, and sleeper services.
You owe it to yourself and your family to give rail travel a try the very next time you have a need to travel. All-Aboard!

Want to get married in a unique venue that almost feels like you’re stepping back in time? Consider getting married or having your wedding reception aboard a train! Trains take us back to a romantic, slower-paced era, so it’s a perfect, yet unique venue for tying the knot.

Which trains might you consider for your wedding?Skunk Train – Mendocino Coast, California

Traveling at 29 miles per hour, the Skunk Train takes you and your wedding guests on the same northern California coastal “Redwood Route” that it has traveled since 1885. Leaving from the train station at Fort Bragg or Willits, California, the train takes your wedding party to either the Camp Mendocino Dining Hall, or the Northspur outdoor reception site, a remote outdoor site set amongst the towering redwoods, for a truly unforgettable wedding adventure.

The Skunk Train staff works with many local entertainers, so you have the option of providing live entertainment for your guests while aboard the train. Local entertainment includes the Skunk Train’s famed “Trainsinger,” as well as jazz bands, big bands, and rock bands. And, for great wedding photos, nothing beats the open observation train cars. Of course, the train pulls covered cars as well.

For those unfamiliar with the Mendocino area, it is truly breathtaking, punctuated by meadows, towering redwood forests and rocky cliffs. For more information about weddings aboard the Skunk Train, call 530-666-6781. Napa Valley Wine Train – Napa Valley, California

Napa Valley, California is known as a great wine producing region of California, so it’s only natural that any wedding taking place in the Napa Valley includes wine. If you’re a wine buff, gourmet diner and train enthusiast, you may want to consider a wedding or reception aboard The Napa Valley Wine Train, a three-hour round-trip rail and gourmet dining adventure from the town of Napa to St. Helena. While on board, your guests can be treated to views of vineyards and wineries from restored train cars dating back to 1915-1947. Wineries you will pass by include such fine labels as Trefethen, Clos du Val, Cardinale, Domaine Chandon, Neibaum/Coppola and Grgich Hills.

You have your choice of three dining car experiences: the Vista Dome is a glass-domed rail car which can seat groups up to 56; the Silverado Grill is a casual dining car with sliding windows, which can seat groups up to 54; one of the Gourmet Express Pullman dining cars from 1915 – 1917. If you have a large wedding party you can charter the Gourmet Express, Vista Dome and Silverado Grill for up to 370 people. For Group information, call 707-253-0920. Roaring Camp Railroad – Felton, California

Yet one more California wedding rail adventure, the Roaring Camp Railroads operates out of Felton, California, which is just north of Santa Cruz. The Roaring Camp Railroad offers wedding events at their camp, as well as Cathedral Grove, located on Bear Mountain, which is accessible by a vintage steam train. While at the Cathedral Grove site, couples exchange their vows underneath ancient, towering redwoods. For more information regarding wedding parties, call 831-335-4484.Sugar Cane Train – Maui

We’re leaving California now and heading to Maui, a favorite wedding spot for couples around the world. Maui, of course, is famous for its beaches. But, if you’re a train buff you’re also in luck, as Maui is also home to the Sugar Cane Train which can transport your wedding party along a six-mile scenic journey between Lahaina and Kaanapali. You can call toll free at 800-499-2307 for more information.Spirit of Washington – Renton, Washington

The Spirit of Washington operates out of Renton, Washington, which is southeast of Seattle, and has the distinction of traveling over the historic Wilburton Trestle, which is the longest wooden trestle in the Northwest at 975 feet long and 102 feet high. Should you choose a wedding or reception on the Spirit of Washington, you will be treating yourself and your guests to great dining, as well as a scenic ride along Lake Washington, over the Wilburton Trestle, and into one of Washington’s best wine growing regions, with a winery stopover at Columbia Winery. Call 800-876-7245 for more information on wedding parties on the Spirit of Washington.Grand Canyon Railway – Williams, Arizona

If you haven’t been to the Grand Canyon, you absolutely must. And if you’ve already been, go again, this time by train. You embark The Grand Canyon Railway at their depot in Williams, Arizona for the 2-hour, 15-minute train trip to the Grand Canyon, all the while being entertained by cowboy characters and strolling musicians. This unique wedding venue is definitely one to consider if you have children in your wedding party.

You have the option of chartering a car on the train for your wedding party, and have the choice of five classes of train service, rim tours, entertainment and food options. Prices start at $2,000 for seating of 88 people in coach class, and $7,500 for a seating of 65 people in luxury parlor car. Call 1-800-843-8723 for information on group seating.

If you want a unique wedding venue your guests will talk about for years to come, you definitely should consider train travel. It’s romantic, relaxing, and nostalgic, and suitable for guests of all ages.

Most cities in Europe have tours to see the main monuments, landmarks and points of interest and Paris is no exception, with different excursions and tour operators that are a great way of getting to see the main sights.

With most tours only lasting an average of one hour this can be a pleasant trip for all members of the family, no matter what their age, and with documentaries supplied in different languages, you can even find out some very interesting facts along the way.

Within Paris there are two bus firms that provide these tours and also a hop on and hop off service, so for the one payment you can utilise the buses as many times as you like during the day.

Les Car Rouges was the original tour bus firm in Paris, which are the red buses that provide one specific route with pick up and drop off points around the city, and although varying according to the time of year, arrive at these stops on an average of every 15 to 30 minutes. 

The second tour operator has four different routes around Paris, which will get you to see a lot more of the different tourist attractions.  Called l’Open Tour Buses they are very easy to spot in their yellow and green colour, yet are slightly more expensive for a pass.  But because they have more varied destinations from one side of the city to another, you can hop on and off different buses to go on different routes, which will get you covering far more of the incredible monuments and landmarks that Paris has to offer.

You can purchase tickets in advance, via selected outlets or in some cases from the bus drivers themselves and both of these tour operators have an open deck at the top of the bus, which is a great place to view the sights on a pleasant day and audio guides in different languages for additional information on the famous sights.

The Batobus service is another great way of getting around Paris and runs along the River Seine, although you would have to be mobile in aspects of negotiating stairs and steep inclines at the banks of the River Seine.  It has specific drop off and pick up points and by purchasing a ticket you can go right round the route or do as with the buses on a hop on and hop off aspect using the ticket throughout the day.  Some places the Batobus takes you are the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre and other famous places situated along the Seine.

However, if you are an energetic and an environmentally friendly type of person, then you may wish to consider using a bicycle to get around Paris, and if you do not have your own cycle with you, then the city has a great system in place called the Velib plus cycle lanes amounting to around 350 kilometres. 

You can hire a bike with the Vélib’ Self-Service Bike Scheme, with pick up and drop off points all over the city of Paris only around 300 metres apart.  There is an initial set up charge and only a small fee when you use your cycle, but the first 30 minutes of every ride are completely free and you can choose the duration of your ticket from one day, five day, even a yearly pass.  

Unfortunately, you do have to be over fourteen years of age to take advantage of this service, but it is definitely a great way of keeping fit and a pleasant alternative from the metro, so you actually get to see the sights on route and you can obtain these passes online or at any of the Velib Service Points.

Even when you have children with you, travelling around Paris can be fun, and although the rush hour times are always going to be hectic, taking the more touristy type options can be a lot more fun for everyone and you get to see a lot more of Paris from above ground!