Train & Rail Tours in New Zealand

Travel across New Zealand on three famous scenic trains: the Northern Explorer from Auckland to Tongariro National Park, the Coastal Pacific from Marlborough to Christchurch via Kaikōura, and the TranzAlpine through the Southern Alps to the West Coast. See the engineering marvel of the Raurimu Spiral and pass through the 100-year-old Otira Tunnel while gliding past the ice-fed Waimakariri River and UNESCO-listed Tongariro National Park. Check out the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki, walk among ancient Rimu trees on the West Coast Tree Top Walk, and find Franz Josef Glacier in coastal rainforest before finishing in Queenstown.

Board the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Arthur's Pass, the South Island's highest railway station, passing through snow-capped Southern Alps and gorges before continuing to Franz Josef Glacier by coach. Take a cruise through the UNESCO-listed Milford Sound's fjords with lunch included, checking out Te Anau and the beech forests of Eglinton Valley along the way. Cross the Cook Strait by ferry from Wellington, then see Rotorua's geothermal wonders at Te Puia Thermal Reserve with its boiling mud pools and spouting geysers.

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.

Travel across New Zealand on several iconic trains including the Northern Explorer Express from Hamilton to Wellington through Tongariro National Park, the Coastal Pacific from Picton to Christchurch where you can spot seals along the coast, the Taieri Gorge Railway through canyon scenery to Pukerangi, and the TranzAlpine Express over Arthur's Pass. Ride the quirky Driving Creek Railway through Coromandel's rainforest and have a farewell dinner aboard a historic streetcar in Christchurch. See UNESCO-listed Fiordland National Park with a boat cruise through Milford Sound, check out the geothermal features at Te Puia in Rotorua, and visit the glowworm-lit Waitomo Caves during this 18-day rail and road trip.

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.