See also: Across Australia by train

Private operator Journey Beyond (known as Great Southern Rail up to 2019) is the primary operator of interstate trains in Australia, including both transcontinental lines. Their trains are slower than driving yourself, but relatively luxurious and more expensive than flying, meaning that they are primarily geared towards those who have a lot of time and money on their hands for a leisurely journey of luxury across the country.

• The Ghan operates between Adelaide and Darwin via Alice Springs. Only operates between March and November.
• The Indian Pacific runs between Sydney and Perth via Adelaide, and is Australia's longest passenger rail service, as well as the only passenger train service crossing the vast and remote Nullarbor Plain. Private carriages are available for hire on this route, if you are willing to pay a steep premium for the privilege.
• The Overland operates between Adelaide and Melbourne. It is subsidised by the Victorian and South Australian state governments, so tickets tend to be cheaper than on Journey Beyond's other services.
• The Great Southern runs between Adelaide and Brisbane. Only operates one train a week in the summer months between December and February, taking a long circuitous route along the coasts of Victoria and New South Wales. In Brisbane, the Great Southern begins and terminates at a freight terminal in the suburb of Acacia Ridge, not the main Roma Street Station that other long-distance trains use.

With the exception of The Overland, all the other trains have adopted an all-sleeper configuration, with on-board showers and all meals being included in the fare. No sleeper cars are available on The Overland, as the journey is covered within a day during daylight hours. Meals are also not included in the ticket price on The Overland, which does not have a restaurant car, though food may be purchased in the cafe car. Motorail service (bringing your car on the train with you) is available for those travelling from Adelaide to Perth and vice-versa on The Indian Pacific, and for those travelling from Adelaide to Darwin and vice-versa on The Ghan.

Other long-distance services are provided by the state government operators, with networks that radiate out of the four largest state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

• Transport NSW operates a long-distance rail network out of its hub at Central Railway Station in Sydney. NSW Trainlink operates interstate services to Brisbane/Casino, Melbourne, Canberra, and regional services to Armidale, Moree, Dubbo, Griffith and Broken Hill. The overnight trains to Brisbane and Melbourne feature sleeper carriages with on-board bathrooms, but the daytime trains have an all-seater configuration. These trains require advance reservations. Intercity trains serve the cities and regions close to Sydney, including the Central Coast, Hunter (up to Scone and Dungog), Blue Mountains, Illawarra, Southern Highlands (up to Goulburn) and northern Shoalhaven (down to Bomaderry), forming an extensive intercity/commuter rail system (on the Opal network) that costs no more than the standard public transit fare in Sydney ($9.84 for one train trip, as of 2023).
• V/Line operates rail services to country Victoria from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne. Due to state government subsidies, long-distance rail travel in Victoria is the cheapest in the nation. Any journey by V/Line, no matter how long, will cost no more than a standard daily public transport fare in Melbourne ($10 as of 2023).
• Queensland Rail operates most rail services to country Queensland from Roma Street Station in Brisbane, as well as the Inlander from Townsville to Mount Isa. The Spirit of the Outback from Brisbane to Longreach via Rockhampton features sleeper carriages and a restaurant car, while its flagship Spirit of Queensland service form Brisbane to Cairns features a "RailBed" service with fully reclining seats akin to airline long-haul business class, and meals served to your seat. Both the Sprit of the Outback and Spirit of Queensland feature on-board showers, and include meals in the ticket price for sleeper passengers.
• Transwa operates most services from East Perth Railway Station in Perth to various country towns in the south of Western Australia, with the Australind service to Bunbury operated out of Perth Railway Station.

There are no passenger rail services at all in Tasmania, with its network being used exclusively for freight transport. The Northern Territory is only served by The Ghan between Adelaide and Darwin via Alice Springs, and passengers may use it to travel between Alice Springs and Darwin. South Australia does not have a dedicated regional rail network, but the country towns of Murray Bridge and Bordertown are served by The Overland on its journey between Adelaide and the border with Victoria. The Overland also serves the country towns of Stawell, Horsham, Dimboola and Nhill in western Victoria that are not served by V/Line trains, which only go as far west as Ararat.

• The Sydney Tramway Museum operates some heritage trams used in Sydney prior to the 1970s from Loftus to the old Royal National Park station (back when taking trains to national parks were a thing).
• Perhaps the most iconic heritage railway in New South Wales, the Zig Zag Railway in Zig Zag not only operates as a heritage railway, but it's also one of the top draws of the Blue Mountains. Much of the railway follows the older railway corridor to Lithgow before it was bypassed by the Ten Tunnels Deviation.
• The NSW Rail Museum in Thirlmere runs heritage services on the now-disused Picton–Mittagong Loop Line on steam trains. As of 2024, only the section between Picton and Buxton have been restored, with restorations to the railway further south of Buxton to Colo Vale underway.

• Kuranda Scenic Railway runs sightseeing trains from Cairns to Kuranda using vintage carriages through the scenic Atherton Tablelands.
• The Savannahlander runs trains between Cairns and Forsayth using vintage 1950s railmotors.
• The Gulflander runs trains between Croydon and Normanton, using vintage 1950s railmotors.

• SteamRanger Heritage Railway operates steam locomotives between Goolwa and Victor Harbor, with some services operating beyond Goolwa to Strathalbyn and Mount Barker for special occasions. The line used to extend beyond Mount Barker all the way to Adelaide, but services to Adelaide were terminated in 1984, and the line was physically cut off when the Adelaide-Melbourne line was converted to standard gauge in 1995.
• Pichi Richi Railway operates steam locomotives between Port Augusta and Quorn in the Flinders Ranges, along a short segment of the old pre-1937 Sydney-Perth route.

• The Don River Railway in Don (near Devonport) is an old heritage railway from the freeway interchange near Forth, running next to the Don River before making its way to the Don Junction railway station.
• West Coast Wilderness Railway is a scenic railway passing through the wilderness between Strahan and Queenstown

• Puffing Billy Railway is a scenic tourist railway that runs from Belgrave to Gembrook with an old steam train, It is one of Australia's most popular tourist railways, especially for kids
• Victorian Goldfields Railway is a heritage railway that operates from the town of Castlemaine to Maldon on Wednesdays and Sundays
• Yarra Valley Railway operates from Healesville to Yarra Glen on Sundays on restored sections of track that once held the railway from Melbourne to Healesville
• Mornington Railway operates from Moorooduc to Mornington with heritage trains

• Hotham Valley Railway out of Dwellingup to Etmilyn along a short stretch of the former Pinjarra to Narrogin railway line.