8-Day New Zealand Scenic Rail Tour from Auckland to Christchurch

8 Days Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

Explore New Zealand's beautiful landscapes on a scenic rail and ferry journey from lively Auckland to Christchurch, travelling through Wellington and Picton alo...

Duration: 8 Days · Tour type: Shared · Activity level: Easy · Accommodation: Included · Standard · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: Yes · Cities: Auckland, Christchurch, Picton, Wellington, Greymouth · Languages: English

Know before you go: Weather can impact the operations of this tour. Bad weather and maintenance can cause train and ferry cancellations. If this happens, we will do everything possible to get you safely to your next stop. This is why we recommend having travel insurance in case of any of these eventualities.; You can extend the tour to Queenstown, Dunedin, and Fiordland.

About Auckland

New Zealand

Auckland

In the most electric metropolis on New Zealand’s North Island, Everest Global Hub’s Auckland guides are eager to show off their city of soaring skyscrapers, buzzing harboursides, old Maori sites and boho Ponsonby.

Explore Auckland New Zealand All destinations

What's Included

Accommodation in Auckland, Wellington (2 nights), Picton, and Christchurch (2 nights)
Northern Explorer, TranzAlpine, and Coastal Pacific tickets (standard scenic seats)
Breakfast for six mornings
First drink and all nibbles at the meet-and-greet event in Auckland
First coffee and bakery item, wine, and cheese on the Northern Explorer train
Half-day food, beverage, and scenic tour in Wellington with Food and Spice Odyssey
Interisland ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton
Meal in Picton as part of the group dinner
Scenic cruise in the Marlborough Sounds with mussels and salmon
Wine and cheese on the Coastal Pacific train
Christchurch Tramway tickets
First coffee or tea and scone or muffin on the TranzAlpine train
All transportation from hotels to stations and from Greymouth to Christchurch (or vice versa if needed)
Tour host/guide(s) and driver

Not Included

Breakfast when departing Auckland on the Northern Explorer
All dinners and lunches except the evening meal in Picton
Arrival airport transfers
Additional meals or snacks on the trains and ferry

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Auckland and Welcome Meet-and-Greet

Arrive in Auckland City and make your way to our hotel for the first night of the tour. Meet and greet at 1800 at the hotel. This is a great opportunity to meet your host(s) for the tour and fellow travellers. Your first drink and all nibbles will be included. Dinner afterwards at your own leisure (dinner not included).
2

Day 02

Northern Explorer Journey from Auckland to Wellington

We will start early this morning, leaving the hotel to transfer to the Strand Railway Station in Auckland, where we will board the Northern Explorer for our journey to Wellington. Your first tea or coffee and scone of the journey are included. We will enjoy wine and cheese this evening before arriving in Wellington. Transfer from Wellington Railway Station to the hotel. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are not included.
3

Day 03

Wellington Food, Beverage, and Scenic Touring

This morning, we will be greeted by Jon and his team from Food and Spice Odyssey, who will host us for a food, beverage, and scenic tour of Wellington. This is such a cool and exclusive way of seeing Wellington city and its surroundings while enjoying food and drink stops around the city with flavours from around the world. Enjoy this leisurely day.
4

Day 04

Ferry Crossing to Picton and Group Dinner

Enjoy a relaxing start to the day in Wellington before hopping on the Interisland ferry to Picton. The ferry crossing takes 3.5 hours and offers great views of Wellington Harbour on departure, as well as the Marlborough Sounds before arriving in Picton. Picton is a beautiful harbour town and the main centre of the Marlborough Sounds. A transfer will be waiting to take us from the ferry terminal to the hotel. This evening is our group dinner. We will start with a drink at a local Irish bar before walking up the hill to the local restaurant. The meal is included, and drinks are additional.
5

Day 05

Marlborough Sounds Cruise and Coastal Pacific to Christchurch

This morning, we meet for a walk to the waterfront before boarding a private cruise vessel for a scenic cruise around the Marlborough Sounds. Mussels, salmon, and a glass of wine are included. The cruise lasts two hours and includes an opportunity to feed fish in a marine reserve. After the cruise, you will have time to grab lunch before making your way to the railway station to board the Coastal Pacific train south along the Pacific coast to Christchurch. A transfer will be waiting for us at Christchurch Railway Station, taking us to the hotel where we will stay for two nights.
6

Day 06

Relax and Explore Christchurch

Today is a day to relax and enjoy New Zealand's Garden City. You will have tickets for the heritage trams to tour around the central city, and the rest of the day is free to do whatever you like. A visit to the International Antarctic Centre can be arranged. You can catch up with any friends or enjoy hopping on and off the trams throughout the day. Visit the Riverside Market.
7

Day 07

TranzAlpine Scenic Rail Journey and West Coast Return

Today is the day for one of the world's top scenic rail journeys, the Tranz Alpine. Transfer from the hotel to the Christchurch railway station before heading west over the Canterbury Plains, High Country, Southern Alps, and the rugged West Coast. The train ends in Greymouth. You will have time in Greymouth to have lunch before returning to Christchurch in a private van. The scenery on the road is slightly different from that on the train. Depending on the weather, we have a couple of scenic stops on the way back. There is a chance we will operate this day in reverse, with the drive to the West Coast first and the train back to Christchurch. This is operated on an on-demand basis and subject to availability. On return to Christchurch, this is the end of our tour.
8

Day 08

Departure and Airport Transfer

We will take you to the airport in plenty of time.