Four principal rail corridors radiate from the capital connecting Sydney with coastal and interior points including parts of two adjacent states and the Australian Capital Territory. Three XPT high-speed routes include Northcoast to Brisbane, Central West through the Blue Mountains, and South services to Melbourne; Xplorer service extends to Canberra and the West. Alpinexpress coach connections to Snowy Mountains recreation areas are available year-round from Canberra..

"Coastal Blue" main line service traces Queensland's northeast coast from Brisbane to Rockhampton and Cairns with high-speed Tilt Train and Sunlander/Queenslander services. Primary branch lines include "Outback Red" trains from Brisbane to Longreach and to Charleville and from Townsville to Mt. Ida. "Tropical North" shortlines extend to Kuranda and connect Normanton with Croydon.

Victoria's state-owned long-distance railway concentrates on in-state routes relying on GSR and CountryLink for more distant connections. The railway is popular for long-distance commutes and day-trips. Five broad-based services fan out to a multitude of Victorian destinations from Melbourne's bustling Spencer Street station on the City Loop. Commuters and visitors throng South West to Warmambool and the Shipwreck Coast; through Western goldfields to Ararat via Ballarat; north through the Macedon Ranges and past Bendigo... or through Nagambie Lakes to Shepparton and Albury; and east through Gippsland to Bairnsdale (coach continuing to Canberra and the Sapphire Coast).

This railway's Perth-centric services include the speedy "Australind" tp Bunbury, the scenic ""Prospector" to Kargoolie and "Avon-Link" dedicated commuter trains serving the Avon Valley and Merredin.

North Island's Overlander connects Auckland and Wellington with complementary Capital Connection trains enhancing service north of the Capital; South Island services from Christchurch include TranzCoastal to Picton (with Ferry link to Wellington) and TranzAlpine, the most famous of New Zealand's scenic train rides.