Australia
THE SUNLANDER
Travelling north past the Glass House Mountains on The Sunlander.
Indulge in The Golden Era of Grand Train Travel. When you travel on "The Sunlander", you will be treated to a first class cruise on wheels. For 32 wonderful hours, you can relax in style and explore the beauty of Queensland from your window. It is without doubt, a journey that you will long remember.
There's a view from every window! When you make the journey on board "The Sunlander" you will be captivated by the diversity of Queensland. Your cruise will take the scenic coastal route from bustling Brisbane to the tropical north, showing you the many attractions of this surprisingly diverse, tropical paradise. You will discover the amazing colours from the rainforest to the reef. The people and the land are an ever-changing face passing before you.
THE JOURNEY
As The Sunlander leaves Brisbane, it's hard to take your eyes away from the scenery. Suburbia gives way to bushland with tall gum trees interspersed by bracken and ferns. They in turn make way for the pineapple plantations that scrawl across the land in every direction.
Just before Nambour, you notice the Glasshouse Mountains. You couldn't miss them with their oddlyshaped peaks formed from long extinct volcanoes. You're alert, looking for new things, new sights; but the rhythmic movement of the train is soothing so you nestle deeper into your first class seat.
The train heads north. Past Gympie, the birthplace of the Queensland gold rush of 1867, past Maryborough and into the vast ocean of cane plantations that lead up to Bundaberg. You're feeling hungry and head for dinner in the Coral Cay Restaurant. A group of fellow travellers wave and ask you to join their table. Soon you're feasting on a Whitsunday seafood platter and sharing travel stories under an inky black sky dotted by stars. Following the contours of the land, The Sunlander snakes its way north.
The Tropic of Capricorn is somewhere up there, cutting through the landscape. But only on the map. Call it a finely tuned sense of orderliness or call it coincidence, but there's a highway that almost follows the Tropic of Capricorn from the coast inland to Longreach. A visible signpost for an invisible line.
Your sleeper is beckoning, cosy. Under a blanket of a thousand stars you drift off into sleep. You wake to the first rays of sunlight.
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THE SUNLANDER
Comfort, flexibility and a great social atmosphere have made The Sunlander one of Australia's great journeys, weaving its way along Australia's incredible north-eastern coastline several times a week. It's a relaxing journey that runs between Queensland's tropical capital, Brisbane, and laid back Cairns, where the Great Barrier Reef meets the timeless Daintree wilderness.
The Sunlander offers plenty of accommodation choices, and whichever way you choose to travel, you're guaranteed the same wonderful view and Sunlander-style of hospitality.
FEATURES:
Travelling Options
Queenslander Class
For the indulgent traveller searching for that all inclusive experience, Queenslander Class is the perfect option. Please refer to the Queenslander Class section for further information.
The Sunlander
The remainder of The Sunlander is ideal for the budget conscious traveller, offering single, twin and triple berth sleeping compartments and seats, all with access to tasty meals and refreshing drinks.
Club Car
The perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy a social drink in the comfortable surrounds.
Buffet Car
Offers a variety of takeaway meals and light refreshments, bar service, tea and coffee.
ROUTE:
The Sunlander travels along the northeast coast of Australia from Brisbane to Cairns (and vice-versa), with set down/pick ups at nominated stations along the way.
SCHEDULE:
Services will operate Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from Brisbane to Cairns with Queenslander Class available on the Thursday and Sunday service. Services will operate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday ex Cairns with Queenslander Class available on the Tuesday & Saturday service. The departure and arrival times for these trains will not change.
PRICE:
Please request the price for the time you wish to travel.
