New Zealand · TRAIN EXPERIENCES
The 15 best train journeys you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Ride the Northern Explorer from Wellington to Auckland through volcanic peaks, coast, farmland, and the Raurimu Spiral with onboard catering.
“Great experience throughout. Comfortable way to see a lot of then Island. Staff were very attentive.”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, then return by minibus for waterfalls, alpine walks, Lake Pearson, and Castle Hill.
“It was a fabulous day out. Our guide AJ was wonderful and explained everything perfectly. We would definitely recommend this tour.”
Review the Coastal Pacific from Picton to Christchurch, with Kaikoura coast views, open-air carriage tips, timing, food, and value advice.
“Comfortable seats with beautiful views. Coastal views amazing. Good food and snacks. Very nice workers onboard. Downside, just this run were AC made it too cold and the train was 20+ minutes late which meant it was dark when we arrived. Also to know, the outdoor viewing car had no seating so I’d standing is an issue don’t go out there.”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Christchurch to Greymouth through the Southern Alps, with open-air viewing, café service, and GPS audio commentary.
“Great train ride to greymouth, just wished we had more time there. The scenery was beautiful. All in all the t was a good day!”
Ride the TranzAlpine to Arthur’s Pass, walk through alpine forest, see Cave Stream and Castle Hill, then return to Christchurch by minivan.
“As a kiwi I highly recommend Canterbury Trails and the Trans alpine rail trip Joko was amazing and made us all feel safe and very informative Catering for all of our needs Amazing”
Ride the TranzAlpine to Arthur’s Pass, hike to waterfalls, meet kea, and return via Lake Pearson and Castle Hill for $245.
“Excellent day trip, the hike to devils punchbowl does require moderate fitness and proper shoes (which I wasnt aware of). Our guide was wonderful! The whole tour is well organised and the train is definitely worthwhile.”
Ride New Zealand’s Northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington through Waikato, Tongariro National Park, the Raurimu Spiral, and Kapiti Coast.
“Comfortable ride, thank goodness , as it’s a long journey. Excellent service. Friendly staff. Good food. On time. Lovely scenery. Good commentary, when points of interest are coming up. Handy viewing car.”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, hike to waterfalls, cross the Southern Alps, and visit a working sheep farm.
“This was a terrific tour and our tour guide, Carmen, was EXCEPTIONAL! She had the trip planned down to the minute with every detail thought through such that we had no worries at all. Carmen was/is warm, personable, knowledgeable and very energetic - a true pleasure to be around. We traveled via train to Arthur's Pass and back to Christchurch via van with plenty of scenic and interesting stops along the way to include a 300 step climb to a view of a beautiful waterfall. To say the scenery was breath-taking would be an understatement. This is a great tour to get you outside the city of Christchurch. I 100%…”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Greymouth to Christchurch through Arthur’s Pass, with Southern Alps views, open-air decks, and onboard commentary.
“It was a lovely experience, very different. The beautiful views after Arthur’s Pass are extraordinary! Truly memorable”
Review the Coastal Pacific from Christchurch to Picton, with Kaikoura seals, ocean views, open-air cars, onboard commentary, and practical tips.
“The train ride was wonderful! Got to see the dolphins dancing and playing in the sea. The views from the train were breathtaking.”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Springfield to Arthur’s Pass, hike among waterfalls and mountains, enjoy a picnic, and return to Christchurch by car.
“Our guide Craig was incredible!! So knowledgeable about the history of the countryside and made our trip so special with his flexible relaxed style!”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Arthur’s Pass, hike to Devil’s Punchbowl Falls, and explore Castle Hill on a full-day tour from Christchurch.
“This was a fantastic tour, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Phil, our guide, was very knowledgeable, had a great sense of humour and was great at answering random questions when asked. The stops were all very scenic, we were lucky enough to have lots of snow on the mountains and it snowed while we were there too. Absolutely beautiful scenery, the right balance of time on transport and getting out and walking. We had a good amount of time to hike at Arthur's pass which was very much appreciated. The TranzAlpine train back was also worth doing though may be better later in the year as it became dark on the…”
Ride the TranzAlpine from Christchurch to Greymouth, then explore Hokitika Gorge and the West Coast before arriving in Franz Josef.
“Absolutely fantastic tour! The itinerary was a perfect balance of sight seeing and stops to break up the day. The train was a definite highlight for us, and not to be missed. Shoutout to Joel who was a fantastic tour guide, very engaging and friendly :)”
Review of the Arthur’s Pass small-group tour from Christchurch, with Castle Hill, alpine stops, lunch, and an optional TranzAlpine train ride.
“We went to castle hills, see the hills and did some exploring. Tour guide Ingi was fantastic. It is a bit pricey, it is better if Arthur s Pass is added.”
Ride the Coastal Pacific to Kaikoura, watch for sperm whales, see fur seals, and visit a North Canterbury winery on this long day from Christchurch.
“We took the train to Kaikoura, nice view with the awesome open air carriage to take some nice photo. Manage to catch the whale after several try. We prefer train ride over the sightseeing van but the van ride offers nice commentary from the lovely tour guide. Kaikoura worth a stay if you have time.”
Pick an island, a lake or a cave.
