Tassie’s West Coast Wilderness Railway is Australia’s most magical train journey - Travel Australia

Apr 10, 2026

Where steam trains and spellbinding scenery collide.

Not all train journeys are created equal. Some are solely for the purpose of getting from A to B, and you certainly don’t want to spend any unnecessary extra time on them (here’s looking at you, Sydney Trains). But then there are those on which you wish the tracks were endless. The Ghan is Australia’s most iconic train, and arguably the best when it comes to luxury, but there’s another Aussie train that is truly magical in its own right. Cue Tasmania’s West Coast Wilderness Railway.

West Coast Wilderness Railway. weaves its way through forests..

Looking as if it’s been plucked from the Wizarding World’s Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, when the West Coast Wilderness Railway pulls up you’ll be forgiven for thinking they sell Chocolate Frogs or Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans aboard. We can promise the food aboard this train is much better.

Running between Queenstown to Strahan, the tracks weave through the rainforest and traverse the deep chasm of the King River Gorge across five different journeys along Tasmania’s west coast. Each journey will see guests ride in vintage rail cars aboard a heritage steam or diesel train.

West Coast Wilderness Railway's vintage rail cars. — West Coast Wilderness Railway’s vintage rail cars.

The Rinadeena, Rack & Rainforest journey is perfect for the history buffs. The steam train heads deep into the rainforest where you travel through the historic mining town of Queenstown, on to Rinadeena ascending along the famous Abt rack railway.

For the foodies, the Moving Feast on the Cryptic Express journey sees one of Tassie’s most prominent restaurants, The Agrarian Kitchen, serve up an on-train lunch aboard a heritage Drewery diesel train. Board at Regatta Point Station then settles into the Premium Carriage for a meal curated by executive chef, Rodney Dunn. The four course menu will unfold over almost two hours as the rainforest, river and rugged terrain of the west coast unfolds outside your window.

Those with kids in tow will want to opt for the Lynchford Express. A shorter journey with just one stop in the former gold town, Lynchford, travellers will get to ride a heritage steam train which descends into the forest before stopping at Lynchford Station.

Real locomotive lovers should book the Rinadeena Footplate experience. Guests will be able to join the Driver and Fireman aboard an original Abt steam locomotive, ascending the 1:16 gradient under the power of the Abt rack and pinion system to Rinadeena Saddle and back again.

Whichever journey you choose, you’ll weave your way through dramatic landscapes while you ride in moving pieces of history. Simply enchanting.

For more information or to book, visit wcwr.com.au