There are a number of ways to travel between Melbourne and Adelaide. The quickest way is to fly taking a mere one hour and 20 minutes. Then you can drive yourself or hop on a bus along the highway linking the two cities. Or driving the slower and more scenic way along the Great Ocean Road. And then you have the Overland Train which I recently caught. And to be honest, I think catching the Overland Train between Melbourne and Adelaide is my favourite way to travel between the two cities – and this is why.

Facts & Figures of the Overland Train

• The Overland Train is run by Journey Beyond. It has been running between Melbourne and Adelaide for over 130 years. It was in 1887 The Overland began as the Intercolonial Express when in January 1887 the Victorian and South Australian rail lines were joined at the state border.
• It takes 10.5 hours to travel the 828 km between Adelaide and Melbourne
• There are 7 carriages with a locomotive 
• There are 8 stops on the journey (not including Adelaide and Melbourne)
• Every train run by Journey Beyond has a unique symbol. The symbol on The Overland is of an emu. Emus are known for their speed and grace as they run through the wide open lands of Australia, as does The Overland
• It departs Adelaide Sundays and Thursdays and Melbourne Mondays and Fridays (I was on a Friday journey)
• The journey is a day journey (no overnight journeys)
• There are two services – Red Service (Standard) and Red Premium – I travelled on the Red Standard Service. Visit the website to discover the differences in services.
• I took the Overland Train from Melbourne to Adelaide during the day and paid for the trip myself and booked my ticket via Journey Beyond. 

Check-in is Easy

From the moment I arrived at Melbourne’s Southern Cross Train Station I felt welcomed. The check in process was easy. I dropped my bag off at the baggage check-in desk at the station and given a ticket which got me through security. When I got to the platform I was greeted with two attendants. They checked my name off and gave me a note which had my carriage and seat number. Then I waited on the platform with the other passengers waiting to board.  

Boarding the Overland Train

Boarding was an easy process. My boarding pass stated the carriage I was travelling in and my seat number. And they were both easy to find. We boarded at around 7:30 for an 8:05 departure.

Inside the Overland Train

One of the reasons I enjoyed travelling on the Overland Train was the comfort. My seat in particular was comfortable and there was lots of legroom and allowed me to recline. I also loved the large windows that I sat next to to gaze out and see the Victorian and then South Australian countryside unfold. Unfortunately, as it was summer time the landscape was very dry. And the train stations en-route had a lot of character. We couldn’t get out at the train stations to stretch our legs because we only stopped to let people on or off. I did enjoy listening to the person on the intercom provide a brief history of the town we stopped in – that was a nice touch. 

The other thing I really liked about the Overland Train is that you can get up and walk around. Well, walk up and down the aisle and visit the cafe carriage. The cafe carriage was a big surprise to me. I wasn’t expected the array of great foods to buy. I had taken some snacks with me on the train, but I really enjoyed the food on offer. Nor was I expecting I could sit at a proper table, enjoy my food and play games. As the cafe was busy when I visited, I shared a table with another person. We got chatting and played a game of scrabble.

And to let you in on a secret which I presume they do on all trips: If the food in the cafe isn’t sold during the journey, about an hour before arriving at Adelaide (or Melbourne) they sell the food at a cheaper price, or give it away for free, otherwise, it would just be thrown away – well they did on my trip. I was lucky enough to get a pie and a sandwich which I ate later.

plenty of flat, dry land

Murray Bridge

Arriving at the Other End

Arriving in Adelaide was an easy process. The train pulled in to the Adelaide Parklands Terminal also known as Keswick Terminal as it is in Keswick and we were allowed to disembark. After collecting my luggage it was in to Adelaide for a great week. 

What to Pack for Onboard The Overland Train

You can take hand luggage of up to 10kg on to the train for the trip. Some suggested items to pack include:

• snacks for the journey if you don’t want to buy anything from the cafe.
• entertainment – this could be music or watching videos on an electronic device.

The Overland Train Trip

Overall I enjoyed this interstate train trip however, it was long and a little bumpy from the movement of the train. If offered the choice, I would definitely travel by Overland Train between Adelaide and Melbourne again. It is particularly a great option if you don’t have your own transport to travel Australia and are looking for some alternative Australia transport options.

If needing accommodation in either Melbourne or Adelaide my go to is Booking.com.