'Indian Pacific': 2025 major timetable change

[railfan99]

The 'Indian Pacific' across Australia (east to west or vice versa) has since the 2016 abolition of the sitting cars become (at least in the local currency) significantly more expensive.

This hasn't deterred patronage. For 2024, this weekly train Adelaide-Perth-Sydney-Adelaide is already heavily booked.

It's the only train across the Nullarbor's vastness, which includes the longest straight section of track worldwide.

From 2025, it's having a major timetable change.

This presumably isn't occurring in 2024 as tour suppliers have to have significant notice of any changes, as do travel agents given clients book on the understanding times won't alter.

Given the need to book ahead if you wanted to secure a sleeping berth in either Platinum (super expensive) or Gold (the original twinettes and roomettes, expensive - 'roomettes' are for one person with a longitudinal berth, the other is for two with in Gold, two transverse berths, one above the other), it may be useful to know the timetable change.

Westbound from Sydney, it has been slightly accelerated with a 1420 hours Wednesday departure (presently 1355) and a 1300 hours arrival in Perth (presently 1500). There is a lot of slack in the timetable, especially between Adelaide and Perth.

The overnight stay in Perth (Western Australia, not Scotland!) is being abolished with a Saturday afternoon departure from this growing and attractive, though very isolated, city to commence.

The much criticised very late night Kalgoorlie, WA tour (where passengers complain they see nothing from their road coach) is altered to an 0600 hours Sunday morning arrival in 'Kal'. Very early but at least it'll be daylight in the goldfields.

One no longer arrives in Adelaide, South Australia at the early time of 0720 hours on Mondays, with the change meaning an afternoon arrival in Adelaide (although the incomplete timetable talks of a 'Barossa experience' at 1525 hours - Barossa Valley north of Adelaide is a major wine growing region).

There may also be much more time allowed in Broken Hill eastbound towards Sydney than is currently the case westbound towards Adelaide and Perth.

However under the new schedule the 'IP' has every chance of continually running late, at least when it departs Perth.

Here are the new times:

The Indian Pacific 2026 Timetable

www.journeybeyondrail.com.au

Compare it to the 2024 timetable (which is unchanged from 2023's):

The Indian Pacific 2024 Timetable - Journey Beyond Rail

www.journeybeyondrail.com.au

If you travel in say 2025, never book an international flight arrival or departure for the same day. Please always leave a buffer.

 

[Elwyn]

I travelled on the Indian Pacific last week (leaving Perth on 19th Nov 23). It ran to time to Kalgoorlie but we were held outside the station for about 90 minutes to allow a late running scheduled Perth – Kalgoorlie passenger train to enter the station first. Even though the scheduled train was an hour late and the platform was evidently free, we were told the other train had absolute priority. As a result by the time we got into Kalgoorlie it was too late to do the mining experience and no-one was able to disembark. We learned from Trip advisor and from the train staff this was a regular problem. So re-timing the train may help with that.

Train carries mail and supplies for a few remote areas in the Nullarbor desert, and stops a few times in the middle of nowhere to deliver those.

Train then ran to Cook (current population 4) where we had about 3 hours to tour the “ghost town” in the desert created when the railway closed down their base there in the 1970s. A problem rewatering one of the coaches meant an hour’s delay and so we arrived in Adelaide about an hour late at 08.30. There’s a choice of 3 different excursions in Adelaide, all of which include breakfast (something they didn’t make clear and many passengers had already eaten on the train). The late arrival meant the tours were curtailed a bit, though still worth doing. You can’t stay on the train at Adelaide whilst it’s being serviced.

On train entertainment included a singer and later a drag queen who did bingo and was very amusing.

Train stopped briefly at Broken Hill to change crew and to let the drag queen off (he’s a civil servant and lives there, we learned). Then ran to Mount Victoria (arrival on time) where 75% of the passengers disembarked for optional coach tours of the Blue Mountains (choice of 3) after which they were taken to Sydney railway station in their coaches. The remaining 25% (including me) remained on board.

Outside Sydney the train has to be split into 3 sections as it is too long to fit into any single platform. This procedure (which is presumably a weekly routine) took ages and we were over an hour late by the time we arrived. No announcements and a lot of grumbling. After pulling into the station we weren’t allowed to disembark. After about 30 minutes our section then reversed back to allow the loco to run round. Then we were shunted forward again. Again no announcements. A dreadful shambles which had everyone complaining bitterly. Train was due to go back out again to Perth 1 hour later and outbound passengers were queuing to get on, even though some of the cabins hadn’t been serviced. Didn’t look good. (Staff told us there is only the one train and it does Perth to Sydney and back every week. Presumably there is some rolling arrangement for maintenance but it’s clearly on the move most of the time. Staff are based in Adelaide and do 1 week on and 1 week off).

Food was very good, and all drinks are included, as are the excursions. Staff were pretty helpful and scenery fascinating. Well worth doing but expect a few delays and minor problems. Perhaps the revised timetable may help.

 

[railfan99]

Outside Sydney the train has to be split into 3 sections as it is too long to fit into any single platform. This procedure (which is presumably a weekly routine) took ages and we were over an hour late by the time we arrived. No announcements and a lot of grumbling. After pulling into the station we weren’t allowed to disembark.

In Victoria (the southern mainland state) the obsession is the same: passengers are normally not allowed on board if even just loco(s) are running round.

Most other countries to which I've travelled by rail have rail operators who couldn't care less. Another Australian "safety" obsession.

Be aware some weeks when the 'IP' is late it will terminate at either Lithgow, Rydal (small station) or Bathurst. Last week it didn't reach Sydney. A minimal refund is offered by Hornblower, the USA latterly owner that's actively trying to offload the Journey Beyond business (which extends beyond rail) for the A$600 million that it paid a year or two ago. So far no reports of a sale.

Did you enjoy seeing double stacked well wagons operating across the Nullarbor, and how there's now three different intermodal rail operators Melbourne or Sydney/Parkes to Perth: Pacific National and newbie Aurizon (containers and/or in PN's case steel) and SCT (pallitised in box/louvre wagons, but only from Parkes and Melbourne not Sydney)?

 

[Elwyn]

Your mention of a refund for stopping short reminded me that we got offered about AUS$150 for our missed excursion at Kalgoorlie. Looks as though that’s a fairly regular feature!

The freight trains were impressive. Reminded me of those in Canada and the US. Some double stacked as you say, and often very long. Using the Indian Pacific, crossing the Nullabor you get a real sense of how remote WA is in relation to the rest of the country. Those freight trains have got to be a very efficient way of moving stuff to and from WA.

 

[railfan99]

The freight trains were impressive. Reminded me of those in Canada and the US. Some double stacked as you say, and often very long. Using the Indian Pacific, crossing the Nullabor you get a real sense of how remote WA is in relation to the rest of the country. Those freight trains have got to be a very efficient way of moving stuff to and from WA.

Perth is the most isolated capital city worldwide.

Last I read, rail had a 57 per cent share of freight across the Nullarbor (note spelling).

Since then, coastal shipping (always foreign-owned ships with foreign crews, typically Filipino, mainland Chinese or Indian) has been decimated as container lines face big delays to and from Oz. Road is the biggest competitor but allegedly costs A$6000 for a full container by rail from Sydney to Perth v about A$18000 by road. More freight originates in Melbourne rather than Sydney: although the two cities are neck and neck for population (with Melbourne gaining), latter has more manufacturing. Heaps of foodstuffs plus other goods are transported across the Nullarbor. Supermarkets rely on the railway!

Freights are shorter than in Canada or especially USA, as there's an 1800 metre maximum length east-west in Australia (1500 metres north-south Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney). But UK freights tend to be maximum 650m.

 

[Tester]

Perth is the most isolated capital city worldwide.

Last I read, rail had a 57 per cent share of freight across the Nullarbor (note spelling).

Since then, coastal shipping (always foreign-owned ships with foreign crews, typically Filipino, mainland Chinese or Indian) has been decimated as container lines face big delays to and from Oz. Road is the biggest competitor but allegedly costs A$6000 for a full container by rail from Sydney to Perth v about A$18000 by road. More freight originates in Melbourne rather than Sydney: although the two cities are neck and neck for population (with Melbourne gaining), latter has more manufacturing. Heaps of foodstuffs plus other goods are transported across the Nullarbor. Supermarkets rely on the railway!

Freights are shorter than in Canada or especially USA, as there's an 1800 metre maximum length east-west in Australia (1500 metres north-south Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney). But UK freights tend to be maximum 650m.

Drifting off topic, but one of the more amazing jobs I have done was across the Nullarbor. A day at each of the 50 odd crossing loops between Tarcoola and Kalgoorlie, spread over five months in 2006. It is seriously remote!

 

[SLTRegular]

Just a note that the IP now splits in Clyde Nsw not at Sydney terminals due to the trial of 34 Carriage trains.

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

In Victoria (the southern mainland state) the obsession is the same: passengers are normally not allowed on board if even just loco(s) are running round.

The sole exception is Ballarat for when they combine the Ararat and Maryborough trains. Passengers can stay on board the train when they couple the units up.

V/line's rule allegedly came in back in the 90s after a loco shunted too hard into a consist and injured a passenger.

 

[railfan99]

Just a note that the IP now splits in Clyde Nsw not at Sydney terminals due to the trial of 34 Carriage trains.

Yes, with a multi-page document setting out splitting and shunting procedures prepared by Journey Beyond (trading name for owner Hornblower of the USA) but reissued or claimed by NSW's Department of Transport.

The train operates in three divisions between Clyde Yard and Sydney's Central station, and does the same on the down (i.e. departing Sydney).