The Cryptic Express

This journey is a fully seated on train experience, there are no remote station stops included.

Step onboard our heritage Drewry diesel train at Regatta Point Station in Strahan and travel inland along the edge of Macquarie Harbour and the banks of the King River. As the train eases away from the harbour, our onboard guides share stories of the railway, the river, and the people who have lived and worked along this line. 

As one of our express journeys on offer, during this shorter adventure you will pass through the township of Lowana, pausing for the crew to relocate the locomotive for ease of transport before following the King River upstream, where river flats give way to dense temperate rainforest. Travelling through a quieter stretch of railway, where the changing landscape can be taken in from your carriage windows or, in Premium Class, from the open balcony. 

The train pauses between Lowana and Teepookana, at around the 28km peg on the line, and were not too long ago lost in the overgrown rainforest. When rain flows on the west, water spills through the forest beside the line, a reminder of how closely the railway follows the contours of the land and the challenges it brought for those who built it.

Throughout the journey, onboard commentary brings the landscape and history to life. A honey tasting is included for all guests, featuring local honey from endemic Tasmanian flora, shared as part of the storytelling experience. 

This short return journey offers a relaxed and accessible introduction to the West Coast’s rivers, rainforest, and railway heritage, and although doesn’t have as much to offer as our larger hero journey, Rinadeena, Rack and Rainforest, The Cryptic Express is popular as our most affordable tour available.

When you return to Strahan, take some time to explore Regatta Point Station. Visit the museum room to discover original artefacts and firsthand accounts from those who once lived along the line, and enjoy something to eat or drink at Tracks on Point Café.