Focus On Views That Will Leave You Spellbound
his is perhaps the main reason to take this trip. If you drive, you have to focus on the road. One irony in New Zealand is drivers are not patient! Don’t plan on being able to drive slowly and take in all the landscape and jump out for photos. Instead, take the train. You can stare out the window the entire time. What awaits you are mountains, gorges, rivers, and spectacular trees and land.
The entire ride you’ll repeatedly lose your breath gasping at the views. It seems impossible that there can be so much beauty in a relatively short train ride. Prepare yourself — if you fall asleep you’ll miss some of the best views in New Zealand. Seriously, try not to fall asleep because even a cat nap means missing out on something you might never see again.
Outdoor Open-Air Views
Each train car has such high glass windows, you won’t miss a thing if you stay in your seat the whole time. If that’s not enough encouragement, there’s one more bonus and it’s worth the ride just for this — there’s an open-air car on every train. If you want the best photos, this is where to be.
Frankly, there’s no place more stunning to stand, even with other people around, than in the open-air car. It’s magical to see the scenery passing by with the wind wrapping itself around you, creating a sensory experience that truly brings the scene to life. Before New Zealand, I’d never experienced train travel like this, and it’s the 51st country I’ve visited in my life.
Choose A Luxury Experience
Even the “normal” class seats are comfortable and spacious. It’s easy to recline, or sit up and eat at your assigned seat. However, if you prefer luxury, upgrade your ticket to Scenic Class. It’s being updated for 2022 and looks like it will include all new food service. Sign me up!
Café Car
If you take the train all the way from Christchurch to Greymouth, the ride is roughly 5 hours long. You’ll definitely want some food at some point. You can either bring your own, or, visit the cafe car which offers a good selection of breakfast and lunch snacks, meals, and sandwiches, as well as coffee and tea. You won’t go hungry! If you’re worried about falling asleep, this is where to get your coffee to help you avoid that travesty.
Gateway To The West Coast
When you get off the train in Greymouth, you’re at the perfect spot to explore the west coast of New Zealand’s south island. Greymouth has a history as a gold-mining town. Nearby, you can explore the Shantytown recreated to give you context about the history of the area. You can even pan for your own gold searching while you’re there.
Two of my favorite New Zealand towns are close to Greymouth — Hokitika and Punakaiki. Hokitika is known for its Pounamu stone, and a great place to buy some if that’s in your plans. They also have a much lesser known, and rarer stone, called Aotea (not to be confused with Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand). It’s a blend of three minerals found in only one place in the world, the Makaawhio River, south of Hokitika. It’s known as a healing stone, and changes color, depending on the person who wears it. You’ll have to buy one to experience its magic.
Punakaiki is known for its pancake rocks, as well as being a wonderfully relaxing place to spend a day or two. There’s one cafe and one bar, and nothing else but water and hiking. It’s truly the perfect spot to chill out and forget anything that may be stressful in your life. From Punakaiki, you can head up to Nelson and get to Abel Tasman and beyond, all via the Great Coast Road rated one of the top 10 coastal drives in the world.
Arrive early for your TranzAlpine journey. You’ll want time to check in and bring your luggage to the storage car prior to boarding the train. This train trip is a popular tourist activity, and it allows you the option to get off, and spend time at Arthur’s Pass and Moana, and stay overnight. Lodging is expensive, and there’s not much of it. Book as early as possible, especially for the accommodation, or you’ll be out of luck.
From Greymouth, you can rent a car or take the Intercity south to Hokitika, or north to Punakaiki. Make sure to research bus schedules in advance since they’re not frequent. Day trips aren’t cheap, especially if you’re traveling with kids. You should research whether it’s less expensive to rent a car or to use the Intercity bus network and tour companies in Greymouth and Hokitika.
Pro Tips: The train operates all year. Remember, if you’re coming from the U.S., seasons in New Zealand are reversed — summer is from December–February, and winter is June–August.
Source: https://t24hs.com
