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Thinking of a new thing to do in Australia when a travel companion has just cancelled at the last minute and you have already signed up for cheap travel insurance and filed for a week of paid office leave? It shouldn't be hard, think of The Ghan. Taking the The Ghan across the outback and through the heart of the Land Down Under is truly one of the greatest train journeys in the world. The railway ride takes you from one edge of the continent through the outback, and to the other end. Spend three days one-way and enjoy how the landscape changes from mesmerizing subtropic environment into mystifying deserts, and vice versa.

Airlines

Construction of the original Ghan, then known as the Port Augusta to Government Gums Railway, was started in 1878 and was completed in 1929. The new one we now know today was completed in the early 1980s and is situated approximately 160 kilometres west of the old line. This track was constructed to prevent washout due to rain and to shorten the travel time. The Ghan, which now runs twice weekly back and forth Adelaide and Darwin, is the shortened version of the nickname The Afghan Express. The moniker was said to have been given to the express passenger service of the Commonwealth Railways in 1923 by one of its crews. The name is a nod to the Afghan camel drivers who came to the continent in the late 19th century to assist in finding new paths into the country's unexplored interior.

The present Ghan is currently being managed by Great Southern Railway Ltd, a part of the Serco Group. It offers three classes: the Red Kangaroo, the Gold Kangaroo, and the Platinum class. Some Australia travel insurance companies offer discounts on the last two packages. The Platinum section offers view from both sides of the train. It has a spacious double or twin cabin with full size shower. The Gold service, just below Platinum, is a twin cabin with an en suite or single cabin and provides maximum comfort and privacy. Both packages come with all-inclusive meals in the elegant dining car. Morning and afternoon tea, optional in-cabin breakfast, welcome drinks and nibblies, and nightcaps are also available in the first option. The other provides shared amenities, and main meals that include 24 hours tea and coffee.

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