A look at 35 trips that highlight some of the most interesting, scenic and rewarding railway journeys in Australia and New Zealand.
Cockle train and coastline
They include the renowned long-distance journeys, such as The Indian Pacific in Australia that takes travellers on a three-day trip from Perth to Sydney or The Northern Explorer in New Zealand’s North Island that stretches from Wellington to Auckland, as well as those that traverse stunning scenery, such as New Zealand’s TranzAlpine train or the Spirit of the Outback in Australia.
Glenbrook Vintage Railway
There are also routes on which restored steam locomotives operate and other lines included for the wonder of their engineering.
Trains are a great way to travel in these countries, taking you at ground level past superb scenery that often cannot be seen by any other means of transport. David Bowden’s entertaining text describes the route, the major features of interest along the way and any special technical details about the locomotive or the track.
Kuranda Scenic Railway at Kuranda Station
David Bowden is a freelance journalist based in Malaysia, specializing in travel and the environment. While Australian, he’s been living in Asia longer than he can remember, but returns frequently to his home country and has a particular enthusiasm for the revived railways there. He is the author of Enchanting Australia, Enchanting Bali & Lombok, Enchanting Borneo, Enchanting Indonesia, Enchanting Langkawi, Enchanting Malaysia, Enchanting Singapore and Enchanting Vietnam, all published by John Beaufoy Publishing.
