Home and Away is gearing up for its explosive 2026 relaunch, and the series isn’t holding anything back. The long-running Australian drama has officially confirmed its return date—and with it, one of the most intense and high-stakes storylines the show has attempted in years. Viewers are about to be thrown straight into a catastrophic train derailment, a sweeping survival arc, and the jaw-dropping comeback of fan-favorite duo Brax and Ricky, whose return has been teased for months.
The new season bursts back onto screens on Monday, January 19th, 2026, airing at 7:00 p.m. on 7 and 7Plus. Rather than easing fans back into the world of Summer Bay, the show picks up at the exact, terrifying moment where the 2025 finale ended. The party train headed toward a Broken Hill music festival had plunged off its rails inside a secluded tunnel, leaving mangled carriages, trapped passengers, and terrified viewers who were forced to wait months to learn what happened next.
When the curtain rises again in 2026, the wreckage is still fresh and filled with danger. Emergency crews have already begun the desperate fight to pull survivors from the shattered compartments, but the clock is relentlessly ticking. The tunnel’s structural stability grows worse by the minute; debris continues to fall, smoke thickens the air, and several beloved characters are fighting for every breath.
Inside the ruined train are Justin, McKenzie, Remy, Abigail, Dana, Sunny, Lacey, Joe, and Eddie—many of them injured, disoriented, or pinned beneath collapsed metal. With air rapidly thinning and the threat of additional collapses looming, the situation becomes a heart-pounding race against time.
Meanwhile, outside the tunnel, David, Cash, Levi, and Tarn lead the rescue efforts. Their attempts to reach the victims are increasingly dangerous, and each decision could mean life or death. For Tarn in particular, the crisis becomes deeply personal. Ignoring orders and acting on pure instinct, he dives into the unstable wreckage alone, risking his own life against all protocol. Show insiders hint that this rebellious move will unleash far-reaching consequences throughout the season, shaping Tarn’s character arc in unpredictable ways.
As the rescue unfolds, the series prepares to drop another major bombshell: the long-awaited return of Daryl “Brax” Braxton and Ricky Sharp. Their reappearance happens during a major Western Australia story arc filmed in partnership with Tourism WA, making it one of the most ambitious production sequences the show has undertaken in years. For die-hard fans who have waited nearly a decade since their last appearance in 2016, anticipation has reached a fever pitch.
Actor Steve Peacocke recently admitted that jumping back into Brax’s iconic role brought a blend of nerves and excitement. After so much time away, stepping back into the character wasn’t simple, he shared, but the timing—and the storyline—made the decision feel right. Their return sets the stage for long-buried questions finally being answered: Where did Brax and Ricky disappear to? Why have they stayed away for so long? And what secrets will their reentry into Summer Bay stir up?
The combination of catastrophic danger, emotional reunions, and long-delayed answers signals that Home and Away is entering its 39th year with a bold and cinematic approach. The creators seem determined to deliver a season opener that rivals some of the most memorable disaster arcs in the show’s history. With survival uncertain for many of the trapped favorites, viewers can expect heartbreak, triumph, and shocking twists as the premiere unfolds.
This upcoming chapter is already being called one of the most gripping and ambitious launches the soap has ever crafted. Between the deadly train crash, the race to save familiar faces, and the electrifying return of two of the show’s most iconic characters, 2026 promises to shake Summer Bay to its core.