ACCLAIMED SCENIC RAIL JOURNEYS

New Zealand Rail, owner of KiwiRail, heavily promotes its three train trips to tourists as “Scenic Journeys”. One is located in the North Island with the other two traversing the spectacular scenery of the South Island. These three services are the only ‘long haul’ train trips currently operating in New Zealand.

NORTHERN EXPLORER

KiwiRail promotes the train connecting Auckland to Wellington as the Northern Explorer. The 634km (305 miles) trip has 7 stops.  Although the locomotive and general rolling stock are not as modern as European trains, specially built carriages with comfortable swivel chairs and panoramic side and roof windows have been added to each train to allow travelers plenty of room to view the countryside and photograph the images they have come to gaze at. GPS triggered commentaries keep each passenger informed about the various attractions as they are passed. An open air viewing carriage that allows the various aromas of the New Zealand country side to be personally experienced, is an ingenious concept added to the South Island trains. read more