The Ghan is the Australian passenger train named after the Afghan cameleers who helped explore and transport goods across the interior.
The service runs between Adelaide and Darwin through the centre of Australia, with journeys covering about 2,979 kilometres. Its name is shortened from “The Afghan Express,” a reference to the cameleers brought to Australia from Afghanistan and nearby regions.
The modern route reached Darwin in 2004, when the final northern section of the railway opened. Before that, trains ran between Adelaide and Alice Springs, while earlier transport links depended heavily on camel teams.
The train is often confused with the Indian Pacific, another famous Australian long-distance service. The Indian Pacific crosses the continent east to west, whereas The Ghan travels north to south.