Almost Nobody Rides This Aussie Train Anymore So I Did
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Date: 2025-08-02
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Comments and reviews: 20
noel_philips
No your not Noel not ever a third of the south of Australia, there is a completely different one that does the other 2/3. It was a quicker and nicer trip when it went direct, the best bit about it now is that Geelong station isn't that far from the new Spirit of Tasmania ferry so you can get on the train travel to Geelong taxi/uber to the the SofT and sleep overnight on the ferry and get up in Devoport two states in one day. True story, at least as I heard it, there was a old partially guy called Keith and be couldn't lip read a bit but not well. A friend turned to he and and asked Hey Keith what happening Kieth said No that's my name not the towns so to piss Keith off they named it after him. You know the statements, Be Good, if you can't be good, be good at it, and if you're not good at it, don't name it after me. More specifically the SA Gov, newly Liberal at the time decided to follow their federal counterparts and say if can't support yourself we're not going to. Forcing the Victorian Government to support it for the first time in ages. and as it is the only trip, not by road, that supports the towns beyond Aarat it's about time Victoria supported it a bit more, considering it was the Victorian Government that rerouted it through Geelong to begin with. Sorry South Aussie here. Seems that since the Victorian Govenrment has started supporting it again the food in Red service look much better. I'm a flyer now two hours from pushback and I can be in my hotel room, but I have done both Pre and post 1995 journey, when I last did the post 1995 it was over two hours late and I missed a half of a football match. It was better as an overnight, got on it after dinner and off before breakfast.
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No your not Noel not ever a third of the south of Australia, there is a completely different one that does the other 2/3. It was a quicker and nicer trip when it went direct, the best bit about it now is that Geelong station isn't that far from the new Spirit of Tasmania ferry so you can get on the train travel to Geelong taxi/uber to the the SofT and sleep overnight on the ferry and get up in Devoport two states in one day. True story, at least as I heard it, there was a old partially guy called Keith and be couldn't lip read a bit but not well. A friend turned to he and and asked Hey Keith what happening Kieth said No that's my name not the towns so to piss Keith off they named it after him. You know the statements, Be Good, if you can't be good, be good at it, and if you're not good at it, don't name it after me. More specifically the SA Gov, newly Liberal at the time decided to follow their federal counterparts and say if can't support yourself we're not going to. Forcing the Victorian Government to support it for the first time in ages. and as it is the only trip, not by road, that supports the towns beyond Aarat it's about time Victoria supported it a bit more, considering it was the Victorian Government that rerouted it through Geelong to begin with. Sorry South Aussie here. Seems that since the Victorian Govenrment has started supporting it again the food in Red service look much better. I'm a flyer now two hours from pushback and I can be in my hotel room, but I have done both Pre and post 1995 journey, when I last did the post 1995 it was over two hours late and I missed a half of a football match. It was better as an overnight, got on it after dinner and off before breakfast.
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CumulusGranitis
1st rode The Overlander in 1976, when it was jokingly called The Over Due by Aussies (as you discovered 1st hand, but it always departed on time. It was a pleasant overnight trip in the comfy 3 facing 3 compartment seating in Economy seating. (like the economy compartment seating in the Hogswart train in Harry Potter. If you lucky you could end up with an empty compartment and have a nice 6 foot seat to stretch out on.
It was always a real treat to get off The Overlander at either end and just walk across to your suburban train connection on the neighbouring platform to complete your journey.
You can still do that at Melbourne's Spencer Street Stn (now Southern Cross Station, but at the Adelaide end, you have to take a taxi down the Inter City train terminus.
I last rode it in 1999 when it had become a Day Trip train, dipping down to Geelong after leaving Ballerat instead of the old Direct routing. But it was very scenic and much to see of the Aussie outback travelling by day.
Thank you for the memories Noel.
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1st rode The Overlander in 1976, when it was jokingly called The Over Due by Aussies (as you discovered 1st hand, but it always departed on time. It was a pleasant overnight trip in the comfy 3 facing 3 compartment seating in Economy seating. (like the economy compartment seating in the Hogswart train in Harry Potter. If you lucky you could end up with an empty compartment and have a nice 6 foot seat to stretch out on.
It was always a real treat to get off The Overlander at either end and just walk across to your suburban train connection on the neighbouring platform to complete your journey.
You can still do that at Melbourne's Spencer Street Stn (now Southern Cross Station, but at the Adelaide end, you have to take a taxi down the Inter City train terminus.
I last rode it in 1999 when it had become a Day Trip train, dipping down to Geelong after leaving Ballerat instead of the old Direct routing. But it was very scenic and much to see of the Aussie outback travelling by day.
Thank you for the memories Noel.
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roberthunter6927
There was NO Noel Phillips Loo Review, which was absolutely shocking! :-) The good thing about trains is you can walk around to stretch your legs. One thing about the Aussie landscape is that it is an acquired taste. At first glance it can be fairly dull, but then you realize a LOT of variation of colors and textures. It is nuanced, but it is there. You also get an appreciation of the SCALE of the place that you never would by air.
Crossing the Nullarbor Plain [Adelaide west to Perth] would probably appeal even less.
There is also the Ghan, which goes from Adelaide to Darwin [via Alice Springs] might be even less to your taste, nearly 3000 kms, and most of it drab in many people's eyes, but some parts are really interesting. Three days and nights though, so you have to be really into trains.
Never been to Texas, but I imagine some of it is drab too. I suppose all the guns liven things up a bit.
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There was NO Noel Phillips Loo Review, which was absolutely shocking! :-) The good thing about trains is you can walk around to stretch your legs. One thing about the Aussie landscape is that it is an acquired taste. At first glance it can be fairly dull, but then you realize a LOT of variation of colors and textures. It is nuanced, but it is there. You also get an appreciation of the SCALE of the place that you never would by air.
Crossing the Nullarbor Plain [Adelaide west to Perth] would probably appeal even less.
There is also the Ghan, which goes from Adelaide to Darwin [via Alice Springs] might be even less to your taste, nearly 3000 kms, and most of it drab in many people's eyes, but some parts are really interesting. Three days and nights though, so you have to be really into trains.
Never been to Texas, but I imagine some of it is drab too. I suppose all the guns liven things up a bit.
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BakaTaco
12: 25 - Oh Noel, Noel, Noel. You were doing pretty well with the pronunciations, but then you called GEE-long Geh-long. Hahaha
Not to worry, Aussie town names are confusing a lot of the time. They are either British inspired, named after someone, or Aboriginal Australian inspired. The latter of which can be hard to pronounce.
I loved this video, mate. I recently did a roadtrip around the Dimboola area, and let me tell you. Driving down straight roads with little change in environment does get to you, you're right! It was beautiful, but imagine living there It must get really mundane. Still, the scenery is cool, and when it does change, or a town appears, it's very welcome.
Going through by train does let you see a lot of the towns, and those towns are what makes the countryside appealing, if you ask me. That, and the scenery!
Edit: I take it back, you pronounced it correctly afterwards.
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12: 25 - Oh Noel, Noel, Noel. You were doing pretty well with the pronunciations, but then you called GEE-long Geh-long. Hahaha
Not to worry, Aussie town names are confusing a lot of the time. They are either British inspired, named after someone, or Aboriginal Australian inspired. The latter of which can be hard to pronounce.
I loved this video, mate. I recently did a roadtrip around the Dimboola area, and let me tell you. Driving down straight roads with little change in environment does get to you, you're right! It was beautiful, but imagine living there It must get really mundane. Still, the scenery is cool, and when it does change, or a town appears, it's very welcome.
Going through by train does let you see a lot of the towns, and those towns are what makes the countryside appealing, if you ask me. That, and the scenery!
Edit: I take it back, you pronounced it correctly afterwards.
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rodericksmith8218
It should never have been privatised. Great Southern regarded it as a booby prize when getting what it really wanted, and did its utmost to destroy it. The timetable is useless: two trips a week, at times which don't make it useful for anything. My fond hope is that VLine buys it back, and runs a proper service: either a daily day train and overnight train (as with XPT to Sydney, or three trains per day to Horsham, with bus connection to Adelaide from the morning and midday trains; and bus connection from Adelaide into the midday and late-afternoon trains to Melbourne (an achievable compromise.
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It should never have been privatised. Great Southern regarded it as a booby prize when getting what it really wanted, and did its utmost to destroy it. The timetable is useless: two trips a week, at times which don't make it useful for anything. My fond hope is that VLine buys it back, and runs a proper service: either a daily day train and overnight train (as with XPT to Sydney, or three trains per day to Horsham, with bus connection to Adelaide from the morning and midday trains; and bus connection from Adelaide into the midday and late-afternoon trains to Melbourne (an achievable compromise.
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ianslingsby3415
Thanks, Noel, for showing our wonderful rail network. I live in Geelong Vic and was originally from Leicester, i think like yourself. Great to travel. i have just got back from 2 week trip to US. I must say the train seems more appealing than TSA and the chaos in US airports. By far my worst visit enforced layovers due to weather. Waiting for Atc flight plans, lack of crews and a stuck air bridge on a A380 at LAX, never again I say but, guess what I will do it all again because we all have the need to travel on planes and trains. Keep up the excellent work. Cheers, Ian.
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Thanks, Noel, for showing our wonderful rail network. I live in Geelong Vic and was originally from Leicester, i think like yourself. Great to travel. i have just got back from 2 week trip to US. I must say the train seems more appealing than TSA and the chaos in US airports. By far my worst visit enforced layovers due to weather. Waiting for Atc flight plans, lack of crews and a stuck air bridge on a A380 at LAX, never again I say but, guess what I will do it all again because we all have the need to travel on planes and trains. Keep up the excellent work. Cheers, Ian.
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MrThuggery
Hey Noel. I used to be stationed at Dimboola (Dimmy) when I was a trainee loco driver in those days (Early 80's) We would run the Overland at night from Dimmy to Serviceton where we used to change over with the SA crews (Driver and fireman - (A fireman was a Trainee Driver. Now they go right through to SA and I believe change crews back to Dimmy on the return to Melb. Love the vids man. Fun fact: Serviceton used to have prisoner cells underneath the station. A famous bushranger was held there all those years ago by the name of Daniel Mad dog Morgan!
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Hey Noel. I used to be stationed at Dimboola (Dimmy) when I was a trainee loco driver in those days (Early 80's) We would run the Overland at night from Dimmy to Serviceton where we used to change over with the SA crews (Driver and fireman - (A fireman was a Trainee Driver. Now they go right through to SA and I believe change crews back to Dimmy on the return to Melb. Love the vids man. Fun fact: Serviceton used to have prisoner cells underneath the station. A famous bushranger was held there all those years ago by the name of Daniel Mad dog Morgan!
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AndrewCeeOz
I've taken the trip in the opposite direction and it was so interesting to travel through the industrial western side of Melbourne that can only be seen by Adelaide train passengers. Travelling through the Adelaide hills was great, but the rest of in between was not very scenic. Parklands Station is a disgrace, without a bus to meet the train to get to the city, and reluctant taxi/Uber drivers. As old as it is, the train is quite comfortable. Our train collided with a trailer attached to a Kombi van, which made our arrival into Adelaide quite late.
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I've taken the trip in the opposite direction and it was so interesting to travel through the industrial western side of Melbourne that can only be seen by Adelaide train passengers. Travelling through the Adelaide hills was great, but the rest of in between was not very scenic. Parklands Station is a disgrace, without a bus to meet the train to get to the city, and reluctant taxi/Uber drivers. As old as it is, the train is quite comfortable. Our train collided with a trailer attached to a Kombi van, which made our arrival into Adelaide quite late.
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charlotteandmee
Noel, I really enjoyed this video but, the landscape was underwhelming (same. same. same, but the train interior was quite nice, the food looked good and well presented and your commentary was, as usual, good. All in all, quite a good video and enjoyable to watch. By the way, I love anything to do with trains, having grown up in Belgium just after WW2 when most travel was trains. I have travelled extensively all over the world but now on my 80th birthday, I live quietly in Florida. But thanks for the video. Philippe in Bradenton, FK.
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Noel, I really enjoyed this video but, the landscape was underwhelming (same. same. same, but the train interior was quite nice, the food looked good and well presented and your commentary was, as usual, good. All in all, quite a good video and enjoyable to watch. By the way, I love anything to do with trains, having grown up in Belgium just after WW2 when most travel was trains. I have travelled extensively all over the world but now on my 80th birthday, I live quietly in Florida. But thanks for the video. Philippe in Bradenton, FK.
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robruk3806
I would love to take the Overland, despite the long day. I traveled a similarly long day, taking a train from New York's Penn Station to Toronto, Canada. Wouldn't you know it, we were delayed nearly an hour just outside of Buffalo, New York because vandals had put rocks on the tracks and one of them exploded under the steel wheels and severed a hydraulic line. You get a international border crossing thrown in, with customs smiling all the way. Maybe you should try that train ride, Noel.
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I would love to take the Overland, despite the long day. I traveled a similarly long day, taking a train from New York's Penn Station to Toronto, Canada. Wouldn't you know it, we were delayed nearly an hour just outside of Buffalo, New York because vandals had put rocks on the tracks and one of them exploded under the steel wheels and severed a hydraulic line. You get a international border crossing thrown in, with customs smiling all the way. Maybe you should try that train ride, Noel.
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ianstanton7726
I love your stuff and the journeys you do, but this one drove me mad. As we know it was a trip on the Overland train from Adelaide to Melbourne of about 10-11 hours. I would plead with you to start thinking in advance of what you are going to say or at least have a script or similar. In the space of 16 minutes you mentioned the word Adelaide 14 times, Melbourne 21 times, 10/11 hours 15 times, train 25 times and Overland 14 times. Jeez. It just desperately needs some different words.
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I love your stuff and the journeys you do, but this one drove me mad. As we know it was a trip on the Overland train from Adelaide to Melbourne of about 10-11 hours. I would plead with you to start thinking in advance of what you are going to say or at least have a script or similar. In the space of 16 minutes you mentioned the word Adelaide 14 times, Melbourne 21 times, 10/11 hours 15 times, train 25 times and Overland 14 times. Jeez. It just desperately needs some different words.
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MatthewWhite-i3z
Ahhh, the joys of hearing Australian place names pronounced by people from overseas.
7: 40 Murray Bridge/Murray River: Murray is pronounced the same was as the surname of the famous actor, Bill.
12: 25 Geelong = Gee, that's a Long way away! It's a soft G, as in Giraffe, not a hard G as in Give.
The town of Nhill is far more famous, at least amongst my family, for the excellent pinball museum found there.
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Ahhh, the joys of hearing Australian place names pronounced by people from overseas.
7: 40 Murray Bridge/Murray River: Murray is pronounced the same was as the surname of the famous actor, Bill.
12: 25 Geelong = Gee, that's a Long way away! It's a soft G, as in Giraffe, not a hard G as in Give.
The town of Nhill is far more famous, at least amongst my family, for the excellent pinball museum found there.
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gb9867radish
Hi Noel! I'm a nervous flyer. I used to not mind it but over the years have grown nervous from experiencing lots of turbulence and increased crashes in the news. I wanted to ask if you ever get nervous while flying, what was your bumpiest experience, and how do you keep calm while flying on more obscure airlines I really want to get over this fear so I can enjoy travelling. Thank you: )
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Hi Noel! I'm a nervous flyer. I used to not mind it but over the years have grown nervous from experiencing lots of turbulence and increased crashes in the news. I wanted to ask if you ever get nervous while flying, what was your bumpiest experience, and how do you keep calm while flying on more obscure airlines I really want to get over this fear so I can enjoy travelling. Thank you: )
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Aussiepete1962
We have done the Overlander train a couple of times Noel and loved it although yes it is more expensive that flying between Adelaide and Melbourne but it offers way more leg room, a more comfortable seat and better food ( we used the better Red Class seats ).
All you need is the time to travel that distance by the train, to our way of thinking it is business class by rail.
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We have done the Overlander train a couple of times Noel and loved it although yes it is more expensive that flying between Adelaide and Melbourne but it offers way more leg room, a more comfortable seat and better food ( we used the better Red Class seats ).
All you need is the time to travel that distance by the train, to our way of thinking it is business class by rail.
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arthurwatts1680
Caught the overnight train from Adelaide to Melbourne in late '87 and it was probably the best. Ights sleep I would have for the next 12 weeks. Recruit training is a brief slice of my life that I would prefer to forget but I was elated to be able to fly back to Adelaide for the break we were granted after 4 weeks of being shouted at. Didn't realise how good I had it
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Caught the overnight train from Adelaide to Melbourne in late '87 and it was probably the best. Ights sleep I would have for the next 12 weeks. Recruit training is a brief slice of my life that I would prefer to forget but I was elated to be able to fly back to Adelaide for the break we were granted after 4 weeks of being shouted at. Didn't realise how good I had it
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MaxineBlueMtns
I went on the Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne around 1980. It was a night time trip in economy and it was a nightmare. No sleep due to a passenger playing the guitar all night, and the guard walking through every fifteen minutes and slamming the door. If I travelled that way again, I’d drive, so that I could visit Mt Gambier and other interesting spots.
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I went on the Overland from Adelaide to Melbourne around 1980. It was a night time trip in economy and it was a nightmare. No sleep due to a passenger playing the guitar all night, and the guard walking through every fifteen minutes and slamming the door. If I travelled that way again, I’d drive, so that I could visit Mt Gambier and other interesting spots.
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rus0004
Two things:
1) The overland used to be an overnight train, which is a much better way to have a long-distance train. You can negate the travel time by sleeping most of the trip, arrive in the morning and go about your day.
2) Yes. The area between Melbourne and Geelong was where the majority of Mad Max 1 was filmed. It hasn't changed a lot since 1979.
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Two things:
1) The overland used to be an overnight train, which is a much better way to have a long-distance train. You can negate the travel time by sleeping most of the trip, arrive in the morning and go about your day.
2) Yes. The area between Melbourne and Geelong was where the majority of Mad Max 1 was filmed. It hasn't changed a lot since 1979.
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troodon1096
Wait, it's both slower AND costs more money than a plane I can't imagine why so few people use it anymore, truly a mystery.
Am I crazy in thinking that if it takes 11 times longer, at the very least it should be cheaper I ask the same question about Amtrak in the US and people just act like there's something wrong with me for asking.
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Wait, it's both slower AND costs more money than a plane I can't imagine why so few people use it anymore, truly a mystery.
Am I crazy in thinking that if it takes 11 times longer, at the very least it should be cheaper I ask the same question about Amtrak in the US and people just act like there's something wrong with me for asking.
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paulhumphreys9615
For someone who has travelled on a lot of trains, I'm surprised you haven't figured out why the passenger rail service in AU rural regions is struggling to survive. at least you know now!
And yes we have petitioned for high speed rail numerous times but to date the government ignores the obvious solution like a hole in the head
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For someone who has travelled on a lot of trains, I'm surprised you haven't figured out why the passenger rail service in AU rural regions is struggling to survive. at least you know now!
And yes we have petitioned for high speed rail numerous times but to date the government ignores the obvious solution like a hole in the head
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NeilHarvey-z8d
I did this trtp with a friend about 2 years ago but in the opposite direction. I enjoyed the trip, but I don't know how I would feel about travelling for 11 hours on my own. The trip isn't particularly beautiful. West Victoria is just wheat fields and it can get monotonous. The food on board was excellent and service was very good.
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I did this trtp with a friend about 2 years ago but in the opposite direction. I enjoyed the trip, but I don't know how I would feel about travelling for 11 hours on my own. The trip isn't particularly beautiful. West Victoria is just wheat fields and it can get monotonous. The food on board was excellent and service was very good.
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