Journey Beyond will expand its 2025 product offering with the acquisition of Vintage Rail Journeys, which runs regional NSW tours on ex-Southern Aurora classic sleeper carriages, with revised itineraries, pricing and departure dates from July 2024.
Vintage Rail Journeys will increase JBR’s ‘Australia by Train’ portfolio with its three regional NSW train itineraries.
It currently offers the Golden West Rail Tour, Riverina Rail Tour and the North Coast Rail Tour as well as special event trips to Parkes Elvis Festival and the Bathurst 100 aboard its classic sleeper trains.
Founded in 2020 by Simon Mitchell and Danielle Smith with the purchase of 17 ex-Southern Aurora 1962 carriages, the company’s mission was to restore these trains and create unforgettable regional NSW itineraries, running 29 tours for 2,500 guests in five years.
“We didn’t want to see these iconic carriages sitting unused in a railyard. Our vision was to design exceptional tours of regional NSW, offering guests a truly immersive experience and connecting them with the communities and producers along the way,” Mitchell said.
Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent expressed his excitement about this new addition, saying Vintage Rail Journeys offers nostalgia, history, exploration and connection with regional Australia, adding a richer layer to the group’s portfolio of iconic Australian experiences.
“Vintage Rail Journeys perfectly complements our existing world-class rail operations, including The Ghan, Indian Pacific, Great Southern and The Overland,” he said.
“We will be thrilled to welcome guests aboard these restored carriages in 2025 on one of our immersive rail experiences across regional NSW.”
Find out more at journeybeyond.com
