Starting in August 1929, "The Ghan" first ran on the Central Australian Railway. This was a narrow-gauge railway that went to Alice Springs. In 1957, the standard gauge Stirling North to Marree line opened, so the train only ran north of Marree. In October 1980 a new standard gauge line was built to the west of the original line. This was later extended north from Alice Springs to Darwin, opening in January 2004.