Uphill climb for Indian Pacific
The world-famous train linking Australia’s east and west coasts via the Nullarbor Plain is trimming services to cope with competition from low-cost airlines and the cruise ship market.
Great Southern Railway, which operates the Indian Pacific between Perth and Sydney via Adelaide, is to drop one service a week from March 28, two months earlier than it usually scales back for the low season.
The Ghan, linking Darwin and Adelaide via Alice Springs, will from April 4 also only operate one service a week.
GSR interim general manager Russell Westmoreland told RailPage Australia that staff cuts could not be ruled out.
“This is a commercial decision, like we saw Qantas have to do last year,” he said. “We know it will have an impact on guests, but it is what we need to do for the survival of the industry.”
The biggest threat is cruise ships, he said. “With most ships flying under international flags, operators pay staff wages based on offshore awards in different currencies.â€
Tourism group Australia’s Golden Outback chief executive Jack Eerbeek said GSR could ensure its future by freshening up its product and catering for an army of retiring baby boomers.
“While the Indian Pacific has been well maintained, there is nothing new, like an observation deck, or a double-decker train cabin,” he said. “Some of these new things could rekindle some interest in the product.”
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
AirlineRatings reveals world's safest airline rankings for 2026
Vietnam warns airlines of possible flight reductions amid jet fuel shortages
Fliggy opens AI-powered travel bookings and developer tools