KiwiRail has unveiled a range of exciting new rail tourism offerings focusing on domestic and international visitors travelling throughout regional New Zealand, according to Tracey Goodall, General Manager of Great Journeys New Zealand and Commuter Rail at KiwiRail.
The new offerings include ten short break packages and multi-day tours KiwiRail will run and operate. The short breaks will allow travellers to guide themselves on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific, and TranzAlpine trains with experiences across Auckland, Taumarunui, Wellington, Marlborough, Kaikōura and on the West Coast.
A selection of 12 fully guided tours will also be available – the longest stretching from Auckland to Queenstown.
Whether people want to travel independently and take in the scenery from Auckland to Wellington, Picton to Christchurch or Christchurch to Greymouth, they can book a standard scenic train journey.
The packages and tours are a convenient and easy way for both domestic and international tourists to discover New Zealand, knowing that their accommodation, transfers and visitor experiences are taken care of. It gives people more travel choices – offering something new for Kiwis while catering to the international tourism market.
"The shorter break packages will explore the regions and get people off the beaten track – such as a rail cart experience in Taumarunui and a night in the 'independent republic' of Whangamōmona; as well as wine tasting in Marlborough; whale, dolphin and albatross encounters in Kaikōura; or a trip to the Punakaiki Rocks and Hokitika Gorge on the West Coast."
"The longer, multi-day, fully-guided tours are small group focused and will come in two styles. Classic tours are designed for the traveller who likes more free time and can add optional extras. They range from six days to 15 days in length. Our Signature tours are designed for the traveller who wants a complete experience exploring New Zealand's grandeur. They range from six to 17 days in length. Both tour types bring numerous tourism experiences together, complete with a guide who will accompany and support the group throughout their journey. There will be set departure dates each year."
Both packages and tours will see money going into regional economies – from tourism operators to local transport businesses, accommodation providers and restaurants. KiwiRail hopes this will help boost regional tourism during the peak summer tourism season after navigating a COVID-19 landscape in the past few years.
Northern Explorer (Auckland – Wellington) will resume running from 25 September 2022 and Coastal Pacific (Picton – Christchurch) from 29 September 2022. TranzAlpine (Christchurch - Greymouth) re-started in January 2022.
Packages will kick off later this year, and tours in early 2023.
Scenic trains are open for bookings, with packages and tours available for booking online later this year.
