Zig Zag Railway

The Lithgow Zig Zag was completed in 1869 to bring the main western railway down the steep western escarpment of the Blue Mountains, using a series of reversing zig zags and sandstone viaducts to lose height in a short distance, an engineering solution admired internationally at the time and bypassed by tunnels in 1910. A heritage operation revived part of the line in the 1970s, running steam and diesel trains over the viaducts and through the reversals. Bushfire damage in 2013 and subsequent regulatory work closed it for more than a decade, and services resumed in stages from 2024. Operating days and motive power vary, so timetables need checking.

What you actually see

• The zig zag reversals - trains changing direction to descend the escarpment.
• The sandstone viaducts - the 1869 stone arches carrying the line.
• The heritage trains - restored carriages hauled over the original route.
• The escarpment views - the western Blue Mountains from the line.

When to go

Year-round, but only on operating days, which are limited and seasonal; the service resumed in stages after a long closure and the schedule continues to change. Booking online in advance is necessary, and steam operation is not guaranteed on any given day.

Honest expectations

The railway has been closed more often than open over the past decade, so verifying it is running is essential before driving out. Trips are short. Facilities at the site are basic, and steam locomotives do not operate on total fire ban days.

Nearby

Lithgow lies west; the Blue Mountains towns are east along the Great Western Highway.