The Indian Pacific is the only direct transcontinental train journey in the world and the 4,352-kilometer route between Sydney and Perth takes 65-hours -- three full days and three nights. The train, passes through some of the country’s most remote towns and regions such as the Blue Mountains, Broken Hill, the Nullarbor Plain, Kalgoorlie and Cook -- a town with a population of four.

The Ghan - Few train journeys have a sense of romance to match The Ghan, a transcontinental adventure that trundles a staggering 2,979-kilometers north from Adelaide to the barren outback, to the continent's north.

Named after the Afghan cameleers who managed the "ships of the desert" in the outback’s cattle stations and settlements, this is a luxury train journey for the bucket list. And it’s an epic one at that: it takes a colossal 46 hours to travel between Darwin and Adelaide via Katherine and Alice Springs, with whistle-stop tours available in each town.

The Spirit of the Outback - Nothing quite stirs the imagination like setting off to explore the Australian outback aboard the legendary Spirit of the Outback.

The 1,325-kilometer journey chugs along the Queensland coast from Brisbane before heading inland to the wide, open plains of Longreach. The 24-hour rail trek is a photographer’s dream of vast horizons, while the towns are quintessentially Aussie. They include Winton, the birthplace of the country’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda.

The train hauls 15 carriages with comfortable sleeping berths.