Train & Rail Tours in New Zealand

Board the TranzAlpine train from Franz Josef to Christchurch, traveling through the Southern Alps via tunnels and viaducts with views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, and beech forests. Take a cruise across Cook Strait from Wellington to Picton through winding arms and inlets, linking the North and South Islands. Ride the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue dinner.

This 15-day rail adventure takes you on three of New Zealand's best train rides, starting with the Northern Explorer from Auckland to Tongariro National Park, then the Coastal Pacific through Marlborough wine country to Kaikōura, and finally the famous TranzAlpine crossing the Southern Alps from Christchurch to the West Coast.

Ride the TranzAlpine Train from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass, the South Island's highest railway station, as you pass through snow-capped Southern Alps and deep gorges. Take a cruise through Milford Sound in Fjordland National Park with lunch included while you glide past waterfalls and tall peaks. Check out the glow-worm grotto at Waitomo Caves and stay at places like Crowne Plaza Auckland and Scenic Franz Josef Hotel near Franz Josef Glacier.

You'll ride five of New Zealand's best trains including the Northern Explorer from Hamilton to Wellington through Tongariro National Park, the Coastal Pacific from Picton to Christchurch where you can spot seals along the coast, and the TranzAlpine Express crossing Arthur's Pass from Greymouth with mountain views.

Travel across New Zealand on three iconic train routes: the Northern Explorer through Tongariro National Park's volcanic landscapes, the Coastal Pacific along the Kaikōura Coastline with sunbathing fur seals, and the TranzAlpine through the Southern Alps and Canterbury Plains. Cross the Cook Strait aboard the Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton, sailing through the Marlborough Sounds. Stay 9 nights in central hotels including VR Auckland Hotel, Astelia Hotel in Wellington, and Carnmore Hotel in Christchurch, with time to check out the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and Hagley Park.