The Overland

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As our nation's first inter-capital passenger train, The Overland still services guests from Melbourne to Adelaide (and vice versa) today. It runs twice weekly and stops at eight regional towns along the way.



The daylight journey takes approximately 10 hours, provided there aren't any unanticipated events. Unfortunately, on one of my journeys, mechanical failure was encountered causing a five-hour delay. Although frustrating, all other aspects of the travel experience were rather positive.



Seats are comfortable, reclining slightly, and have heaps of legroom. A reading light can be found above each seat, however, I did not think it was really necessary. A powerpoint to charge handheld devices might come in much more handy instead. There's a licensed cafe onboard where snacks, meals and beverages are available for purchase. In premium service, you'll enjoy in-seat dining and a trolley service with breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea all included. Luggage allowances are very generous - 40kg for standard and 60kg for premium. This is in addition to cabin bags. Above all, the hospitality attendants were professional and friendly.



The train departs Southern Cross Station at 8:05am on Mondays and Fridays. Check-in opens an hour before departure. My travel documents state that photo identification is required but it wasn't asked for when I checked in. Prices start from $145 per person. For more information and bookings, head to www.journeybeyondrail.com.au .

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