TILT TRAIN

All Aboard the Tilt Train

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country we traverse. We pay respect to Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge their spiritual connection to the lands and waterways and ask their ancestors to watch over us as we tread lightly on Country.

Embrace the comfort and convenience of a journey aboard the sleek and speedy Tilt Train –transporting you to some of Queensland’s most iconic destinations. 

With regular services between Brisbane, Bundaberg and Rockhampton, we invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy some of the state’s most stunning scenery as the Tilt Train glides parallel to the Queensland coast. With sustainability and affordability at heart, the Tilt Train offers the perfect way to visit friends and family or enjoy a holiday without the stress, strain and fatigue of hitting the highway. 

Climb aboard and be effortlessly transported to a host of exciting destinations. Pay a visit to the historic city of Rockhampton, where the hats, utes and boots are big – and the bulls are even bigger. Here you can sink your teeth into a succulent steak, visit a rodeo, and experience the warm country hospitality of Australia’s Beef Capital. A little further south, the thriving industrial port city of Gladstone gives way to the sugar cane fields and golden beaches of Bundaberg, where rare turtles clamber ashore each summer, paddock-to-plate experiences entice your tastebuds, and the sweet scent of locally made, award-winning soft drinks and rum linger in the air. Take a trip back in time to Maryborough - one of Queensland’s oldest provincial cities, or catch a RailBus connection to Hervey Bay – the world’s whale-watching capital and one of the access points for K'gari. Traverse the picturesque Mary Valley to the lush hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, fringed by sun-soaked beaches of squeaky sand. Then glide past the magnificent Glasshouse Mountains as you ease your way into Brisbane, the cosmopolitan capital of Queensland, with its endless array of world-class events and attractions. 

Holidays no longer need to wait until you arrive at your destination. Aboard the Tilt Train, the joy is in the journey! 

The Onboard Experience

Leave the car behind and let us do the driving while you enjoy the spaciousness and comfort of the train. 

Each Tilt Train service features six carriages labelled A to F, arranged in alphabetical order starting from the front of the train. Carriage A offers a mix of Business Seats and Accessible Seats and Spaces and an Accessible toilet, plus seating suited to those travelling with assistance animals. Carriages B through F feature Economy seats plus seating suited to those travelling with assistance animals. All carriages feature overhead storage for carry-on luggage, a drink fountain with filtered water, a unisex toilet with baby change table and luggage racks. A checked luggage service is also available. 

Both Business and Economy carriages offer comfortable, reclining seats facing the direction of travel, a fold-out table and a footrest (for most seats). Economy seats are comfortable and with more capacity, they are easy to book ensuring you get to your chosen destination. Business seats allow a little extra room to spread out and relax, in a carriage with fewer travellers. You also receive a complimentary juice or water shortly after boarding. 

Serveries are conveniently located at the front of carriages B and E, serving a selection of food and drinks for your enjoyment. Some services have both serveries in operation while some will have just one. The onboard team will advise on the day. Satisfy your appetite with sandwiches, salads or homestyle meals while you take in panoramic views out your window. Or curl up with a cuppa, sweet treat and your favourite book as you ease your way into holiday mode. Later in the day, chill out with a beer or wine and savoury snack to celebrate great adventures. The Tilt Train also offers an in-seat trolley service for refreshments on most services. 

Download your favourite programs, podcasts or playlists ahead of your journey and binge on your favourite entertainment. 

Riding the Rails - Fun Facts

Over 25 years ago, Tilt Trains revolutionised passenger rail services in Queensland. 

As the 21st century approached, Queensland Rail recognised the need to introduce newer, faster trains on the Brisbane to Rockhampton line. Although tilt technology had been used for decades abroad, it was a first for Australia, ushering in a new era in rail travel. In 1994, Walkers in Maryborough began designing and manufacturing two electric tilt trains, in conjunction with a consortium including Hitachi. The trains were completed in 1997 and were tested for 12 months before being introduced into service in November 1998. 

These Tilt Train services made some of the fastest timetabled runs in Australia over distance, travelling at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour on scheduled services. In fact, the Tilt Train holds the record as the fastest train in Australia, capable of reaching speeds of up to 210 kilometres per hour in a controlled test run. This innovative new technology shaved around two hours off travel time between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Today, the speeds along the journey vary and the 639-kilometre trip takes around eight hours.  

The service is aptly named after the tilt technology which allows the trains to travel at higher speeds and delivers a smoother ride. As the train approaches a curve, compressed air cylinders move carriages into a tilt position, so it leans into the curve, allowing it to maintain higher speeds and provide greater passenger comfort. Don’t worry – you’ll barely feel the tilt as you glide along the track. 

Did you know that Queensland Rail has five tilt trains in service? Surprisingly, the electric tilt trains were built first and continue to service the Brisbane to Bundaberg and Brisbane to Rockhampton line. In 2003, we added three diesel tilt trains to run between Brisbane and Cairns – a service now known as the Spirit of Queensland. 

Accessibility – Overview

Queensland Rail Travel is committed to providing an accessible, safe and enjoyable rail experience to all Tilt Train passengers. Our dedicated team are welcoming and inclusive and are trained to support customers who may require assistance at any stage of their journey. Please be sure to advise us at the time of booking of any access or support needs you have. Please note that due to workplace health and safety requirements there are some limitations to the assistance our team can provide. Examples of limitations include carrying or lifting items over 7 kilograms, operation of mobility devices and personal care. 

Tilt Train bookings and enquiries can be made online at queenslandrailtravel.com.au, by phoning Queensland Rail Travel on 1800 872 467 (within Australia) or +61 7 3606 6630 (outside Australia), or by emailing enquiries to reservations@qr.com.au. A National Relay Service and Text Messaging Service are also available for customers who are deaf or hearing or speech impaired. For contact details and further information please see the ‘Accessible Travel’ tab at queenslandrailtravel.com.au. 

We offer a range of concessional fares aboard our Tilt Train services, including for pensioners, seniors, veterans and students. We also allow a carer to travel for free on our services when accompanying a customer with a disability who requires their assistance. For bookings that include a carer, choose an accessible travel option when booking online, or if you don’t need an accessible seat or space, contact us by phone or in person to make reservations for yourself and your carer.

We accept bookings for Guide, hearing and assistance animals in line with the relevant Acts. Please refer to our webpage ‘Travelling with a guide, hearing or assistance animal’ for full details. Bookings are required for both handlers and assistance animals, and these can be made online, over the phone or in person at a Travel Centre, ticket office or travel agent. 

Comprehensive details about accessibility, including measurements, maps and images are available under the ‘Accessible Travel’ tab at queenslandrailtravel.com.au. Following is an overview of the Tilt Train’s accessibility offerings. 

Accessibility – At the Station

By notifying us of your access and support requirements at the time of booking, our onboard team will be briefed and ready to assist on your arrival. When arriving at the departure station, customers requiring assistance should approach a Queensland Rail Travel team member. At our Brisbane (Roma Street) station, we have a Customer Assistance Meeting Point at Platform 10, located near the top of the stairs and travelator. If you’ve requested assistance, please make your way here at least 30 minutes prior to the departure of your service. 

The Tilt Train allows customers to join or leave the service at several stations enroute. The accessibility of these stations varies. Through our accessibility improvement program, we continue to upgrade our facilities and services to progress towards achieving our vision of providing a world-class accessible rail network for our customers. To learn more about the accessibility of individual stations, please see the station information available under the ‘Accessible Travel’ menu of the Queensland Rail Travel website. 

The height between the platform and train entry at stations varies from 16 to 21 centimetres. The Tilt Train has a retractable step that will fold down to assist customers joining and leaving the service, and ramps with handrails are available at all stations for use by any customer upon request.

Our highly trained and experienced station team can assist with setting up ramps for customers, guiding customers to carriage entrances, and assisting with carrying small hand-held luggage or small mobility aids such as walking frames and canes up to 7 kilograms. Due to health and safety considerations, our team are unable to assist with the operation of mobility devices; moving, lifting or carrying mobility devices, customers or heavy items; or providing personal care. If you require assistance with these matters, or assistance with pushing your mobility device up and down boarding ramps, we strongly recommend arranging a carer or companion to travel with you. Remember, carers travel free of charge on board our services. 

Accessibility – On Board

The Rockhampton and Bundaberg Tilt Trains have a range of accessible features and facilities on board. These include accessible travel options, accessible spaces for mobility devices, spaces for assistance animals and accessible bathrooms. 

Our onboard team have received specialised training to assist blind and low vision travellers who would like guidance to or from their seat, accessible space, or toilet facility entrances. Customers who are blind or have low vision will also likely appreciate the Tilt Trains’ contrasting colour scheme, high visibility handrails and grab handles, and braille and raised text signage throughout the carriage and on overhead lockers to help you identify your seat. Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing can benefit from onboard hearing loops.

Most types of wheelchairs or mobility scooters can be accommodated on Tilt Train services. However, size restrictions do apply. In general, these dimension limits are 680 millimetres wide by 1200 millimetres long. Customers who require accessible seating or accessible spaces for mobility devices will be seated in Carriage A, closest to the front of the train. This carriage also features an accessible unisex toilet with braille signage and raised text at the back left of the carriage. Customers travelling with assistance animals will be allocated seating at the front of Carriage A or B, with floor space to comfortably accommodate your assistance animal. Make arrangements at the start of the journey with the onboard team about opportunities along the journey to toilet your assistance animal. The stops are short on the Tilt Train, however, there may be opportunities around Gympie, Maryborough and Bundaberg, where the stops are slightly longer.

Customers with reduced mobility may request the use of a compact, collapsable onboard wheelchair to assist with manoeuvring up and down the aisles. However, due to safety reasons, they cannot be used to transfer between carriages or on ramps when joining or leaving the train. The onboard team can set up and push this onboard wheelchair for customers, or they can provide instructions for use to a capable carer if applicable.

Customers with accessibility requirements can request assistance from our team who will be happy to deliver refreshments to you in your seat. Please advise at the time of booking and speak to our team on your day of travel to confirm. An accessible menu for the Tilt Train service is available at queenslandrailtravel.com.au. 

We hope you have the chance to travel with us aboard the Tilt Train soon!