How much does it cost?

From £6,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $9,454 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

Great Rail Journeys operates this as a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish, and most sightseeing is guided by coach.

What meals are included?

Seventeen breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners are included. Many dinners and lunch breaks are left free for independent dining.

When does the tour depart?

Great Rail Journeys lists departures in February 2027, October 2027 and November 2027. Contact the operator to confirm availability and any additional dates.

What is the maximum group size?

Groups are capped at 40 passengers.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Highlights of Australia & New Zealand

22-day escorted tour across Australia and New Zealand by rail, coach, and cruise

Great Rail Journeys operates this 22-day escorted tour spanning Australia and New Zealand, departing from London Heathrow and ending in Auckland. The journey combines major cities, natural landmarks and two heritage rail routes: the Kuranda Scenic Railway through tropical rainforest and gorges, and the TranzAlpine across New Zealand's Southern Alps. Travellers spend four nights in Melbourne exploring the Great Ocean Road, three nights in Cairns with a full day on the Great Barrier Reef and a scenic railway ride, three nights in Sydney including a harbour dinner cruise, four nights in Queenstown with a Milford Sound excursion, and nights in Franz Josef, Christchurch and Auckland. The tour moves by coach, domestic flights, and cruise vessels; rail comprises two travel days. Accommodation is in 4 and 5-star hotels. A UK Tour Manager leads the entire group, and most sightseeing is guided, making it well suited to travellers seeking comfort and structure across two vast countries.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £500 since 4 Jul, to £6,999.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The single supplement is GBP 5,500 (compared to GBP 7,499 for a double), a substantial premium at 73 percent of the per-person fare.
Rail comprises only two days of the 22-day itinerary; most travel is by coach, flight and cruise.
Two of the three departures listed (February 2027, November 2027, October 2027) are more than 12 months away; confirm current availability with Great Rail Journeys.

Day by day

Day 1
Overnight flight from London to Melbourne
Meet the Tour Manager and group at London Heathrow and board an overnight flight to Melbourne via Singapore or Hong Kong.
Day 2overnight: Melbourne
Welcome to Australia's second-largest city, Melbourne
Arrive in Melbourne this evening, met by a local guide and transferred to a five-star hotel on South Wharf beside the Yarra River; free evening to dine independently.
Day 3overnight: Melbourne
Getting to know Melbourne
Free morning to explore independently, then an afternoon coach sightseeing tour taking in the Old Treasury, the Royal Exhibition Building, Federation Square, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Skydeck, followed by dinner overlooking the Yarra River.
Day 4overnight: Melbourne
Along Australia's Great Ocean Road
Coach excursion along the Great Ocean Road via Lorne, Apollo Bay and Great Otway National Park, with a lunch stop at a winery in Laver Hill and a view of the Twelve Apostles, before returning to Melbourne.
Day 5overnight: Cairns
To Cairns on the northern coast
Morning flight from Melbourne to Cairns, with an introductory coach tour of the city on arrival and free time at leisure.
Day 6railovernight: Cairns
Exploring Rainforestation & Kuranda Scenic Railway
Visit Rainforestation Nature Park for an Army Duck ride, a Dreamtime Walk and a pamagirri dance performance with barbeque lunch, then ride the heritage Kuranda Scenic Railway through the Barron River Gorge back to Cairns.
Day 7overnight: Cairns
A day on the Great Barrier Reef
Full-day catamaran cruise to the Great Barrier Reef, including Green Island, a pontoon with underwater observatory, buffet lunch, and optional snorkelling or glass-bottom boat viewing.
Day 8overnight: Cairns
Relaxing in tropical Cairns
Free day in Cairns to relax at the hotel, visit the Esplanade Lagoon, or explore the Cairns Art Gallery, Museum or Aquarium.
Day 9overnight: Sydney
Travelling to Sydney
Mid-day flight to Sydney, transferring to a hotel on Darling Harbour for the first of three nights in the city. (For the 20th October departure, the hotel is the Novotel Sydney Darling Square.)
Day 10overnight: Sydney
Sydney's iconic sights
Coach tour of Sydney and its eastern suburbs, including Mrs Macquarie's Chair, The Rocks, Circular Quay and Bondi Beach, followed by an evening dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Day 11overnight: Sydney
A free day in cultural Sydney
Free day to explore Sydney's shopping centres, the Chinese Garden, The Rocks, the Museum of Contemporary Art or the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Day 12overnight: Queenstown
Flying in to Queenstown, New Zealand
Transfer to Sydney's airport for the flight to Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu, South Island, checking into a hotel within walking distance of the city's attractions.
Day 13overnight: Queenstown
Fiordland National Park and cruise on Milford Sound
Full-day coach excursion into Fiordland National Park to Milford Sound for a cruise from Mitre Peak to the Tasman Sea with a picnic lunch, returning via the Eglinton Valley and Homer Tunnel.
Day 14overnight: Queenstown
Queenstown at your own pace
Free day in Queenstown, with options including Queenstown Gardens, boutique shopping, adventure excursions, or a Central Otago wine tour (payable locally).
Day 15overnight: Franz Josef
Franz Josef Glacier via glacial lakes and mountain passes
Scenic coach journey via the Kawarau Valley Gorge, Cromwell, Lake Dunstan, Wanaka and the Haast Mountain Pass to Franz Josef, with a free afternoon and an optional helicopter tour (payable locally).
Day 16railovernight: Christchurch
The TranzAlpine to the Southern Alps
Coach to Hokitika for a visit to the Hokitika Greenstone Factory, then on to Arthur's Pass to board the TranzAlpine train through the Southern Alps to Christchurch.
Day 17overnight: Christchurch
Getting to know Christchurch
Panoramic coach tour of Christchurch, including its rebuilt cathedral and the Botanic Gardens, with punting along the Avon River.
Day 18overnight: Christchurch
Spending a day at leisure in Christchurch
Free day using a complimentary all-day tram pass to explore Cathedral Square, the Botanic Gardens, New Regent Street and the Arts Centre, or the Christchurch Gondola.
Day 19overnight: Auckland
To New Zealand's North Island
Morning flight to Auckland, with a guided coach tour on arrival taking in Bastion Point, Viaduct Harbour, Parnell Village and the Auckland Museum.
Day 20overnight: Auckland
A day to explore Auckland
Free day in Auckland, with options including Viaduct Harbour, Aotea Square, the Auckland Art Gallery, or a ferry excursion to Waiheke Island (payable locally), followed by a farewell dinner at the Auckland Sky Tower.
Day 21
Wrapping up your New Zealand adventure
Relaxed morning in Auckland before an evening flight home via Singapore or Hong Kong, with an overnight flight to London Heathrow.
Day 22
Homeward bound
Arrive back in London, concluding the tour.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 4Coach journey along the Great Ocean Road past the Twelve Apostles, wild forests and the Indian Ocean.
Day 6Kuranda Scenic Railway through the Barron River Gorge in 125-year-old heritage carriages.
Day 7Full day on the Great Barrier Reef, including a visit to Green Island coral cay, snorkelling and glass-bottom boat.
Day 13Cruise through Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, spotting seals and dolphins beneath granite cliffs.
Day 16TranzAlpine train from Greymouth through the Southern Alps to Christchurch, crossing viaducts and river valleys.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
19 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
Royale & Scenic Class rail travel
All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
Flights from London Heathrow to Melbourne, Auckland to London Heathrow (usually departing London in the morning)
All internal flights
17 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
Complimentary all-day tram pass in Christchurch
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £6,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $9,454 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: Great Rail Journeys operates this as a fully escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from start to finish, and most sightseeing is guided by coach.
What meals are included?: Seventeen breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners are included. Many dinners and lunch breaks are left free for independent dining.
When does the tour depart?: Great Rail Journeys lists departures in February 2027, October 2027 and November 2027. Contact the operator to confirm availability and any additional dates.
What is the maximum group size?: Groups are capped at 40 passengers.