eamus

We are flying from AYQ (Uluru) to ASP on QF1940, in order to get to The Ghan. The flight is due to land at 11:10am and check in for the train is by 11:45. I am sure that is tight but (hopefully) do-able. Getting from ASP to the station is stumping me, though. There are 5 of us, likely with 5 suitcases. I suspect that we will need two taxis, but has anyone done that transfer and have some suggestions or recommendations on how to be efficient?

Many thanks, in advance.

nux

You're not leaving much margin for error. The aircraft operating QF1940 originates that morning in CNS as QF1851 and has a short turnaround at AYQ.

Go carryon only if you can and perhaps pre-order a minibus/taxis from Alice Springs Taxis as otherwise there may be a wait for a taxi.

Amelorn

As someone who did the Indian Pacific and the Ghan back-to-back a couple of years ago, please give yourself a decent margin for error. I heard enough complaining from those who were buggered by schedule mishaps to make me a cautious fellow.

Exec_Plat

out of curiosity... what happens if the flight is 30 minute late and you miss the train? What would you have to do?

kcupp95

Wave goodbye to a lot of money.

I take it you're taking the train to Adelaide and not Darwin? The next stop is 800km away - you would need to fly to Adelaide.

The airport is 14km away from the train station - which only leaves you 15 minutes to get off the plane, collect your bags and get into a taxi assuming everything is on time. You should be able to get a "maxi-taxi" that will fit all of you.

I would like at flying to Alice Springs the night beforehand.

worldiswide

I second the get there the night before. We took the Ghan earlier this year.. very enjoyable Darwin to Adelaide and arrived in Darwin the night before to be sure, after we went through the permutations you are surely thinking about.

You could contact the ghan and see if they have transfer arrangemenys you can purchase from them, but it doesn't mean they will wait for you.

There is no stop between Alice Springs and Adelaide on the train, it's meals and overnight travel before arriving in Adelaide Not that there is that much to see in Alice Springs, and you won't be back, but the Telegraph station area is interesting as well as royal flying doctor service, and Anzac hill and it is a unique place for a day.

Adelaide is a very nice town underrated in my opinion so I hope you plan on a stop there. Lots to do, easy to get around, good food, museums, the seashore at Gleneg. .

eamus

Thanks to all. I feel like such a moron for booking this looking at the train departure time as opposed to the check-in time. Be that as it may, I am trying to come up with solutions and have, as suggested, reached out to the rail operator.

The backup "plan" would be to fly to Adelaide on QF722. Certainly that would cost some - potentially serious - money. I am working out whether to book QF722 on flex fares and cancel them if the connection is made. Doing that would cost me the service fees, but another way to look at it is insurance against my own stupidity. If we did miss the train and took the plane, the train fare is non-refundable, but my credit card carries trip interruption insurance that may cover the train fare, assuming they categorized it as a missed "cruise or tour departure" which it kind of is. Booking Saver fares would be cheaper, but you can't cancel day-of (which is the only time I would know if we made the train).

The other backup plan is to go AYQ-ASP the day before, and I am trying to work that one out, too. I gather it is a solid 5-6 hour drive?

Exec_Plat

As Ive been looking at trip insurance, the REASON for the delay has to be covered. So if an air carrier is just 45 minutes late that will (usually) not cover.

Usually the cause of the delay needs to be significant- like weather, mechanical, accident strike AND has to cause a certain period of delay- like 3 hrs, 6 hrs, 12 hrs... sometimes 'complete cessation', etc, etc

You might consider NTAS.com.au and see what they'd charge to fly you. For 5 people it might be cost effective

Edit: What IS the train departure time? 11:45 for check in... you might have been too close anyway.

worldiswide

I would second the insurance only pays for covered reasons and the delay would need to be more than the hour you mention.

Don't be too hard on yourself.. travel planning is complicated and Australia is a big country and getting around can be a jigsaw puzzle.

kcupp95

There's plenty of bus transfers available.
6 hour drive depending.

I would look at doing the flight the day beforehand - there looks to be quite a few little museums in Alice Springs that you could explore.

eamus

After much discussion with my wife (who was not excited about the train trip anyway...) we have purchased flexible fares ASP-ADL to give ourselves a backup plan. We have prepaid activities at AYQ and small enough children that going to ASP the day or night before was going to cost even more.

FWIW, the Ghan people say that the actual cut-off time is 30 mins before departure (basically the same as airlines - they stop accepting baggage at that point), not the one hour they advertise on their website.

QF1940 is early on a fairly consistent basis, but it only needs to be late once to be a problem. The nonstop to ADL QF722 leaves at 1:30pm, which is 2:20 after the scheduled arrival of QF1940. Hopefully that gives enough cushion for all but the most extraordinary delay, at which point trip insurance can help. One other note is that booking the flights on AA.com (albeit the QF flight number and an 081 ticket number) saved a little money. On the Qantas site the flex fare was A$450, but on aa.com the same fare was US$302. My receipt shows the fare as A$376.12 then converted to a USD equivalent of US$280, plus fees and taxes. Using that same exchange rate I think booking on aa.com saved me ~US$160 since there are 5 of us. Same fare conditions including cancellation and the fee to get a refund is the same.

I will post here in 3 weeks or so and let you know how we go on, to complete the thread for others who might be thinking of making the same connection.

Tocsin

eamus - good luck and thanks for thinking to update the thread!

DW and I are doing Uluru, ASP and the Ghan (to Darwin) in September, so though I couldn't provide any advice for your situation, would love to hear how you get on

worldiswide

A couple of thoughts for the OP and the last poster.

Having done the ghan from Darwin to Adelaide I think the more interesting part of the ride is from Darwin to Alice Springs. Katherine Gorge was very nice and an interesting excursion. You then have dinner and ride until Alice Springs where there is a nice excursion. It's a straight shot to Adelaide and you don't leave the train.

OP, what accommodation do you have for your family? How young are your children. Have they done 24 hour train travel before While we enjoyed the train, it is full of grey nomads ..we are a little younger than that, the youngest person on the train was a 30 something daughter accompanying her widowed father. The cabins are small, and the meals a little on the formal side for family dining. Just trying to set expectations and not sure what you expected or were told. Lots of people stay in the bar car during the day, but I'm not sure most guests would appreciate small children. My two cents

Exec_Plat

Comment for the OP:

Private flight AYQ to ASP in the morning would be AUD$2250

twin engine plane

Just FYI

Tocsin

Thanks for the info, worldiswide - our original plan was Darwin to Alice on the Ghan as part of a larger Western Australia/ Northern Territory/ Timor Sea trip, but have recently been informed by the company of changes. So now its DRW-ASP-AYQ by aircraft, back to Alice by road and the Ghan to Darwin. Good to hear that Katherine Gorge is nice!