Savannahlander

---

title: "Savannahlander" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["named-passenger-trains-of-queensland", "far-north-queensland", "railway-services-introduced-in-1995", "1995-establishments-in-australia", "tourist-railways-in-queensland"] description: "Australian passenger train service" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannahlander" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Australian passenger train service ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rail service"]

Field	Value
name	Savannahlander
image	The_Savannahlander_RM_2028_at_Mutchilba.jpg
caption	The Savannahlander stopped at Mutchilba to pick up the staff, 2020
type	Passenger train
predecessor	Forsayth Mixed
first	3 April 1995
operator	Cairns Kuranda Steam Pty Ltd.
formeroperator	Queensland Rail
start	Cairns
end	Forsayth
distance	424km
journeytime	Four days
frequency	Weekly
line_used	Tablelands railway, Etheridge Railway
stock	2000 Class Railmotors
owners	Queensland Rail
inline	yes
title	Savannahlander
legend	no
collapsible	no
map	KBHFa~~Cairns
::

|box_width = |name = Savannahlander |logo = |logo_width = |image = The_Savannahlander_RM_2028_at_Mutchilba.jpg |image_size = |caption = The Savannahlander stopped at Mutchilba to pick up the staff, 2020 |type = Passenger train |status = |locale = |predecessor = Forsayth Mixed |first =3 April 1995 |last = |successor = |operator = Cairns Kuranda Steam Pty Ltd. |formeroperator =Queensland Rail |ridership = |start = Cairns |stops = |end = Forsayth |distance =424km |journeytime =Four days |frequency = Weekly |trainnumber = |line_used = Tablelands railway, Etheridge Railway |class = |access = |seating = |catering = |entertainment = |baggage = |otherfacilities = |stock =2000 Class Railmotors |gauge = |speed = |owners = Queensland Rail |routenumber = |map = |inline = yes |title = Savannahlander |legend = no |collapsible = no |map = KBHFaCairns HSTBarron Falls BHFKuranda BHFMareeba HSTDimbulah HSTAlmaden BHFMount Surprise HSTEinasleigh KBHFe~~Forsayth

The Savannahlander is an Australian passenger train service, primarily serving tourists, that operates in Far North Queensland. It travels on the Tablelands railway line (including the former Etheridge railway line) from the coastal city of Cairns to Forsayth.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Stoney_creek_falls.jpg" caption="The ''Savannahlander'' at Stoney Creek Falls, April 2005" alt=""] ::

The service was introduced by Queensland Rail on 3 April 1995 to replace the Forsayth Mixed (marketed as the "Last Great Train Ride"). At the same time, the line from Mareeba to Mount Surprise was closed. The Savannahlander service was initially run with a 2000 class railmotor set that had been refurbished at the Townsville Workshops. It originally ran on the Mount Surprise to Forsayth section of the Etheridge line. However, in September 1998, after an upgrade of the line for sugar syrup trains from Cairns to Arriga, and limited restoration of the rest of the line, the service began travelling from Cairns to Forsayth.

In 2004, it was decided to contract the service out to a private operator, Cairns Kuranda Steam Pty Ltd. While primarily a passenger service between Cairns and Forsayth, the train can be chartered by large groups.

On 27 March 2019, a car collided with the Savannahlander at a level crossing in the city of Cairns. The driver of the car failed to give way at the crossing and was injured in the crash.

Since 2022, damage to the railway line and its bridges due to floods and bushfires has resulted in some sections of the route being provided by coach travel instead of rail travel.

Route and timetable

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Savannahlander.jpg" caption="The ''Savannahlander'' at [[Lappa Junction]], April 2006" alt=""] ::

Running for 39 weeks in the year, The Savannahlander departs Cairns railway station () at 06:30 Wednesday mornings and travels up the scenic Kuranda Range past the Barron Falls () to Kuranda (). It then travels to the south-west on the Chillagoe-Mungana branch line. The train travels through the towns of Mareeba () and Dimbulah () before passing through Lappa Junction () and arriving in Almaden () where it stays for the night.

On Thursday mornings, the Savannahlander continues south-west on the Etheridge Railway. It passes through Mount Surprise () and Einasleigh () before terminating at Forsayth railway station (). On Fridays, the train departs Forsayth for Mount Surprise. The train then departs for Cairns on Saturday mornings.

Rolling stock

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Savannahlander_crossing_an_old_bridge_-panoramio(3).jpg" caption="Crossing a wooden trestle bridge on the Tablelands Line, June 2013"] ::

The Savannahlander comprises three former two-car Queensland Railways 2000 class rail motors. Two (2026 and 2028) are "PD" (Passenger / Driving) cars. They were built for Queensland Rail in 1963, and have the classic 1960s-era streamlined front ends. Originally, they were fitted with 160 hp Rolls-Royce diesel engines.

The third (2053) is a 2051-class rail motor, built in 1971, known as a "PLDT" (Passenger & Luggage / Driving / Trailing) car. It has access doors at each end, rather than a streamlined front, which allowed it to be placed in the middle of other sets, so that sets of three or four cars could be formed. Only four of that style of car were built, and they were originally fitted with an AEC engine. It was re-engined in 2005, along with the other Savannahlander units.

All units were re-engined with 250 hp Cummins diesel engines. As well as the new engines, the units were fitted with new Allison gearboxes.

References

References

1. Thomas, A.. (July 2004). "The Savannahlander - Forsayth to Cairns". [[Australian Railway History]].
2. "Savannahlander Launched", ''Railway Digest'', May 1995, p. 15
3. Queensland Transport - Long distance passenger transport service contracts
4. "The Savannahlander". Tourism Queensland.
5. Mason, Grace. (27 March 2019). "Train Driver's Shock at Crash". Nationwide News Pty Ltd.
6. (2025-06-23). "Major repairs needed to keep 'iconic' outback tourist train on track". ABC News.
7. Carruthers, Peter. (22 June 2025). "Outback route cut short by unsafe rail bridges".
8. [http://www.savannahlander.com.au/general-information/savannahlander-itinerary/ Savannahlander Itinerary] {{Webarchive. link. (28 July 2013 Savannahlander)
9. [http://www.savannahlander.com.au/general-information/rollingstock/ Rollingstock] {{Webarchive. link. (24 January 2014 Savannahlander)
10. "History".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::