Suites are a shift for Australian luxury rail holidays

The unveiling of the Aurora and Australis Suites is a major shift for Australian holidays on rails.

For these luxury suites feature on The Ghan and The Indian Pacific.

And are unlike anything else we’ve seen here.

They have been revealed by Journey Beyond, which offers train travel on these and other long-distance Aussie trains, and will be on their trains from April 2026.

Fares start from $16,790 per person for the Australis Suite and $11,190 per person for the Aurora Suite, for a three-day journey on the Indian Pacific.

Journey Beyond’s executive general manager of marketing, Justine Lally, says: “The new Australis Suite and Aurora Suite set a new benchmark for space, design and service, elevating Australia’s iconic rail journeys and placing them firmly among the world’s leading luxury rail experiences.”

They have decorative timber accents, stone masonry, iron filigree, coved ceilings that reference traditional cornices, and are carefully detailed.

The Australis Suite and Aurora Suite are big for rail carriages, with a separate bedroom that has a custom-sized bed.

+ The Australis Suite is the biggest. It is three times the size of Journey Beyond’s current Platinum cabins.

+ The Aurora Suite has double the space.

The two suite designs come from global firm Woods Bagot. The Art Deco-inspired era of rail elegance with the colours and tones of the Australian landscape.

“Luxury is in the details,” says Journey Beyond’s executive general manager of rail, David Donald. “From personalised butler service and private in-suite dining to a curated in-room bar tailored to each guest’s preferences, every element has been thoughtfully considered.”

The Journey Beyond team is confident the Aurora and Australis Suites position Australia alongside some of the world’s great luxury train experiences.

They come as part of all-inclusive packages with premium dining and free-flowing Champagne Bollinger La Grande Annee throughout the journey.

But it’s important to keep a focus on the experience offered when the trains stop.

And these exclusive off-train experiences are being expanded.

+ Travellers heading north on The Ghan can take a helicopter flight over Nitmiluk National Park. They will fly over all 13 gorges before landing for a private champagne treat in the heart of the outback.

+ The recently announced four-day northbound Ghan itinerary also introduces a dining experience in a heritage woolshed. Food and wine will lean on local produce, and there will be regional storytelling.

With strong demand already and future departures filling fast, the Aurora Australis Suites are set to become one of Australia’s most sought-after travel experiences, offering a new way to see the country, where the journey itself is just as memorable as the destination.

journeybeyondrail.com.au