The view from the TranzAlpine train...

Christchurch to Greymouth on the scenic TranzAlpine train...

It's perhaps the most scenic train ride in New Zealand, and one of the most scenic train trips anywhere in the world.  The TranzAlpine, run by New Zealand train operator Kiwi Rail, runs once daily between Christchurch, Arthur's Pass and Greymouth on the South Island's west coast, through the amazing misty mountain scenery of the Southern Alps.  The journey takes 4½ hours, and if you like you can go there and back in a day with an hour in Greymouth.  Or take the TranzAlpine one-way, and connect with buses down the west coast to Franz Josef Glacier.  Although I rate the North Island's Northern Explorer (formerly Overlander) from Auckland to Wellington as a far more historic and epic route, and in many ways almost equally scenic, you certainly won't regret buying a ticket for the TranzAlpine!  This page explains the TranzAlpine's timetable, fares, how to buy the cheapest tickets, and what there is to see on the journey.

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Tranz-Alpine train times & fares...

The TranzAlpine is the most successful of all the Kiwi Rail (formerly Tranz Scenic) passenger train services, as it's very popular with tour groups because of the spectacular scenery through the Southern Alps between Christchurch and the South Island's west coast at Greymouth.  It's a fantastic trip that lives up to its reputation, though in many ways the TranzAlpine is not as epic or historic as the Auckland-Wellington Northern Explorer.

The TranzAlpine runs daily.  One-class seating, cafe-bar & open air viewing platform.  The journey is 223.8km.

* Super-Saver = limited availability, no refunds, no changes.  Smart-Saver = limited availability, $20 for any changes which can only be made more than 48 hours or more before departure.  These cheap fares disappear from the Kiwi Rail Scenic Journeys website when it is viewed from a computer outside NZ, so either book by phone from the Christchurch i-SITE visitor centre on +64 3 379 9629 or use the Tor Browser workaround explained below to buy these fares online.

Children aged 2-14 travel at reduced fare,  Infants under 2 travel free.  New Zealand railpass information.

How to buy tickets online...

You can buy tickets for the TranzAlpine online at www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz with self-print ticketing, but be warned, Kiwi Rail have set up their website to detect your computer's IP address and suppress the cheaper Super-Saver and Smart-Saver fares if your computer is located outside New Zealand.  In other words, from a UK-based PC all you see is $189, from an NZ-based PC you'll see the complete and correct fare range, $119, $159 and $189 (assuming the cheaper fares are available, of course).  To buy a cheaper Super-Saver or Smart-Saver fare you have three choices:  You can make an international phone call to Kiwi Rail Scenic Journeys telesales on + 64 4 495 0775, as all fares are available by phone, potentially saving money even allowing for the cost the call.  Or you can wait till you reach NZ, and book online in an internet cafe using an NZ-based computer, when all the cheap fares will show up.  Or if you're moderately computer-savvy, you can use the following workaround to book Super-Saver and Smart-Saver tickets online from outside New Zealand:

How to buy Smart-Saver or Super-Saver tickets online from outside NZ:  (1) Download the Tor Project's special Tor-enabled Firefox browser from the Tor Project's download page and install it following their instructions.  (2)  Open the Tor browser, which also opens the 'Vidalia' control panel.  (3) On the Vidalia control panel, click 'settings' then 'advanced' then 'edit current Torrc'.  (4) In the Torrc text file that appears, simply type a new line ' ExitNodes {nz} ' (without the quote marks, of course!).  Save these settings and reopen the Tor browser.  You are now browsing through a random relay of servers, exiting the relay with an NZ IP address.  The connection naturally works a bit slower than your normal internet connection, but it does work!  (5) Now go to www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz and book your tickets.  You should now see the full range of fares (if available).  Feedback would be appreciated!

Or book by phone, call 0800 872 467 (in NZ) or  00 64 4 495 0775 (from outside NZ)...

From outside New Zealand, call Kiwi Rail's Scenic Journeys passenger division on + 64 4 495 0775, remembering that NZ is 13 hours ahead of the UK in the UK's winter, 11 hours in summer - you should be able to buy the full range of fares including Super-Saver and Smart-Saver.  When you're in NZ, call them on their free-phone number, 0800 TRAINS (0800 872 467).

What's it like on board the Tranz-Alpine?  New carriages now in service!

The TranzAlpine has been relaunched with brand new 'AK' panoramic sightseeing coaches built in Kiwi Rail's Dunedin workshops in New Zealand in 2011-2012.  These have replaced the old rebuilt 1950s carriages used until late 2012. Photos courtesy of James Chuang
Reclining seats, most facing direction of travel, all lining up with huge panoramic windows - note the roof skylights too!.  There's loads of legroom even if you're over six feet tall.  Seats recline to about 40 degrees.  Seats are not allocated at booking, but by the train manager before departure.  However, if you book by phone (or book online then call Kiwi Rail's freephone number when you get to NZ quoting your booking reference) you can make a seating request.  Seats on the right-hand side of the train going to Greymouth probably get the best views, or the left-hand side returning to Christchurch.  Four friends or family travelling together could request one of the few bays of 4 seats facing each other around a table, keen photographers might want to request a seat close to the open-air viewing car.  Requests can't be guaranteed, but it doesn't hurt to ask!  All your heavy baggage is checked in to the baggage van, only hand luggage may be taken into the seating coaches.

Cafe-bar:  In the centre of the train is a counter selling tea, coffee, wine, beer, spirits, snacks & light microwaveable meals at reasonable prices.  I can recommend a cream tea in the afternoon, and a glass of Montana Sauvignon Blanc!  You take your food & drink back to your seat. Bring cash if possible as cards are sometimes not accepted if the credit card machine is out of cellphone range.

Open-air viewing platform:  At one end of the train is a large open-air viewing platform, ideal for seeing and photographing the scenery, with no glass in between you and it.  Children must be accompanied.

Travel tips...

• Free shuttle bus for Tranz Alpine departures from Christchurch:  Heading out from Christchurch to Greymouth, a free Kiwi Rail Scenic Journeys shuttle (shuttle = shared minibus taxi) operates to a set timetable from most hotels and guesthouses in central Christchurch out to the railway station to meet the Tranz-Alpine departure for Greymouth.  There's no need to book, just ask your guesthouse (or freephone and ask Kiwi Rail) what time the shuttle leaves which hotel.  It departs between 07:00 and 07:40, for example, it leaves the Armagh Road at 07:13 to connect with the Tranz-Alpine's 08:15 departure for Greymouth.  Heading back from Greymouth, there is no free shuttle meeting train arrivals in Christchurch, but a fleet of normal shuttles to the city centre will be waiting for the train and cost about NZ$6 per person.

• Make a seating request:  Seats are not allocated at booking, but on departure.  If you book by phone (or book online and then call Kiwi Rail's freephone number when you get to NZ at least the day before travel, quoting your booking reference) you can make a seating request.  Seats on the right-hand side of the train going to Greymouth probably get the best views, or the left-hand side returning to Christchurch.  Keen photographers could also request seats close to the viewing platform.  Families or small groups may prefer a bay of 4 seats around a table to unidirectional seats.  Requests can't be guaranteed, of course, but it doesn't hurt to ask!

A journey on the Tranz-Alpine...

• You should check in at least 20 minutes before departure at Christchurch's passenger railway station.  This small modern rail terminal opened in 1993 in the suburb of Addington, about 3 km (1.5 miles) southwest of Christchurch city centre.  You check-in at the desks in the main entrance hall, where you are allocated your seat numbers.  Heavy baggage must be checked in to the baggage car.  The station stands in the middle of an unremarkable industrial estate, but this whole area was once the massive Addington railway works where many of New Zealand Railways' locomotives and rolling stock were made.  There's little left to show for it now!  Christchurch's original railway station was located on Moorhouse Avenue immediately to the south of the city centre.  Until the recent earthquake, the old station building, completed in 1960 to a design first published in 1938, still existed and was being used as the 'Science Alive' entertainment centre.

• The TranzAlpine leaves Christchurch at 08:15, and within ten minutes the Addington cement works and freight yards give way to small wooden suburban bungalows.  Minutes later the train is crossing flat open farmland, doing 60mph across the Canterbury plain heading relentlessly towards the snow-capped Southern Alps on the horizon.

• The train passes fields of sheep, cattle, and red deer, passes the small commuter town of Darfield, and the first tentative foothills appear.  At around 9am the train calls at Springfield, where fresh muffins are loaded aboard for the cafe-bar...

• At around 09:20 the TranzAlpine starts its climb into the Southern Alps, with views of the stunning Waimakiriri River gorge to the right.

• As it climbs, the train crosses a series of steel girder bridges over deep gorges and through a series of short tunnels.  The highest viaduct is the famous 'Staircase', 73 metres above the river.  The scenery here is spectacular.

• By about 09.40, the train reaches a grassy plateau dotted with hills.  Hills give way to more mountains, liberally hung with mist.

• At 10:15 the TranzAlpine stops at Arthurs Pass station, surrounded by yet more mist-laden mountains, and there's time to get out , stretch your legs and take photographs.

• Almost immediately after leaving Arthurs Pass the train enters the Otira Tunnel.  At 8.6 kilometres (5.3 miles) long, it's one of the longest tunnels in New Zealand.  It was only completed in 1923, allowing direct train travel from east to west across the South Island.  This section of line was once electrified, but now a door closes behind each train, allowing the train to act as a huge piston, forcing the diesel fumes out.

• Just the other side of the tunnel is Otira itself, where the TranzAlpine makes a very brief call.  Otira was a railway town, running the railway that kept the coal flowing from the west coast coalfields to Christchurch and the rest of New Zealand.

• The train now follows a deep valley containing a broad shallow river.  It crosses that river on a low bridge several times.  Ever more mist-laden mountains flank the valley, a wonderful part of the journey.  Watch out for waterfalls...

• At around 12:00 the TranzAlpine passes the site of the Old Brunner Mine, just across the valley on the other side of the Grey River.  This was the site of New Zealand's worst mining disaster in 1896.  An ancient suspension bridge links the railway side of the river with the mine.

• The train passes Dobson, an old coal-mining town though all the mines are now closed.

• The TranzAlpine reaches Greymouth, a small town even by New Zealand standards, but it's the west coast's main centre.  Even if it was warm and sunny in Christchurch, don't be surprised if you need your umbrella in Greymouth!  Greymouth's wooden station building now houses an extensive gift shop and travel centre.  Buses leave from just outside the station for destinations down the west coast, including Franz Josef Glacier.  If you're returning to Christchurch the same day you have an hour to explore the town or find some food - try the Cafe 124, on the main road just along from the station.  The town clock is on the river bank, originally housed in the tower of the impressive colonial post office.  The post office and its tower were demolished as they were thought to be an earthquake risk, and the clock now stands in its own short wooden tower.  Next to it on the river bank is a sign which warns against eating fish caught next to the nearby sewer outlet.  Welcome to Greymouth!

These photos show the old TranzAlpine train which used rebuilt 1950 coaches until 2012.  You'll now see the same wonderful scenery, but from a far nicer more modern train, see the new train photos above!
After leaving Christchurch the train stops briefly at Springfield in the Canterbury Plain.  The Southern Alps lie dead ahead...		The Waimakiriri Gorge, seen from the TranzAlpine as it starts its steep climb into the Southern Alps...

The Tranz-Alpine train ascends into the Southern Alps over a series of girder bridges and tunnels...		The river is now in a gorge way below the railway...

The train reaches a plateau, crossing and re-crossing a board shallow river...

More scenery in the Southern Alps...		Enjoying a Devonshire cream tea from the cafe-bar.

Yet more beautiful scenery...		Arthur's Pass, just before the Otira Tunnel

After Otira, the TranzAlpine train snakes its way through the Misty Mountains, which live up to their name.  The open-air viewing car allows you to get up close and personal with the outdoors, great for photography...

The train is still alongside a river, now with thick green bush on either bank.  Near Greymouth the TranzAlpine passes the Brunner Mine, site of New Zealand's worst mining disaster in 1896 (above right)...

Journey's end:  The TranzAlpine arrived at Greymouth station on the rainy west coast of NZ's south island.		The town clock at Greymouth.  The sign on the right warns you not to eat fish caught next to the sewer outlet!

New Zealand Scenic Railpass:  Check prices & buy online in UK...

There is an excellent New Zealand Scenic Railpass giving unlimited travel on all Kiwi Rail Scenic trains including the TranzAlpine, and (if you buy the ferry-inclusive version), the Interislander Ferry between Wellington and Picton.  If you're going to travel on all 3 trains from Auckland to Wellington, across on the ferry, down to Christchurch and on to Greymouth, the 7-day pass is cheaper than buying normal tickets.  Note that you still need to make free seat reservations, you cannot just hop on any train without a reservation.  To buy online in the UK, see www.internationalrail.com.  For more information, see www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz.  Once you have a railpass, it's easy to make seat reservations to go with it simply by calling Kiwi Rail Scenic Journeys on 0800 TRAINS (0800 872 467) when you're in New Zealand, or in advance from outside New Zealand by calling 00 64 4 495 0775.

7-night holiday including TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific, InterIslander ferry & Northern Explorer...

Tailor-made holiday specialist Railbookers (www.railbookers.com, in the UK call 020 3327 0761) can arrange holidays around New Zealand using train travel rather than buses or flights.  A 7-night trip from Auckland to Wellington on the Northern Explorer, Wellington to Picton on the inter-island ferry, Picton to Christchurch on the Coastal Pacific, and Christchurch to Greymouth on the 'TranzAlpine' starts at around £719 per person excluding flights.

Make sure you take a good guidebook.  The Lonely Planets and Rough Guides are easily the best out there for the independent traveller.  Both guides provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  You won't regret buying one of these guides..!

Click to buy online at Amazon.co.uk...

Lonely Planet New Zealand    Rough Guide to New Zealand

Find a hotel in Christchurch, Greymouth or anywhere else in New Zealand...

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

Backpacker hostels...

If you're on a tight budget, don't forget the hostels.  For a dorm bed or an ultra-cheap private room in backpacker hostels in most European cities use www.hostelbookers.com.

Travel insurance...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

In the UK, try Columbus Direct or use Confused.com to compare prices & policies from many different insurers.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

    If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low or no ATM fees...

It costs nothing to take out an extra credit card.  If you keep it in a different part of your luggage so you're not left stranded if your wallet gets stolen, this is a form of extra travel insurance in itself.  In addition, some credit cards are significantly better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.  Taking this advice can save you quite a lot on each trip compared to using your normal high-street bank credit card!

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find some huge bills waiting for you.  I've known people run up a £1,000 bill in data charges just by leaving their iPhone connected during a simple trip to Europe.  However, if you buy a global SIM card for your mobile phone from a company such as www.Go-Sim.com you can slash the cost by up to 85% and limit any damage to the amount you have pre-paid.  It cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also works for laptop or PDA data access.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.