3 of the best scenic train rides in New Zealand

09.09.2024 - 15:53 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 6, 2024 • 5 min read

From its beautiful coastline to its spectacular mountains, New Zealand is a place you visit for its scenery – and there’s no better way to gorge on its good looks than by train. Traveling at surface level, you can take in every detail of Aotearoa (the country's Māori language name), stopping off along the way to see more.

The trains are impressive, with a comfortable 2+2 seating layout that has plenty of legroom. Carriages are roughly the same on all three long-distance rail routes; the exception is the TranzAlpine's slightly more luxurious Manuhiri Scenic Plus carriage, which launched in 2024. Trains include a good onboard cafe, as well as an open-sided observation car. The recorded commentary, delivered via headphones, is excellent (though it does include occasional colorful descriptions of historic rail accidents).

The lengthiest of three long-distance rail journeys in New Zealand, this route from Auckland to Wellington takes in diverse landscapes on its 10-hour, 680km (423-mile) course across the North Island.

Before hitting the rails, make time to learn a little about the culture and attractions of Auckland. A good introduction to the nation’s first people is a visit to Auckland Museum, where Māori kapa haka (song and dance) performances are held twice daily. Or take a ferry to enjoy the city’s waterside setting and taste some local produce on a wine tour. When you're ready to leave Auckland, it’s time to catch the Northern Explorer train from the unassuming Strand Station.

Given the length of this journey, it can be a good idea to break it up along the way. (The train line even offers guided tours for this purpose.) Hamilton is the first stop outside Auckland and from here it’s easy to visit the popular Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata. On the outskirts of Hamilton are two other genteel attractions: the lovely Hamilton Gardens, with multiple gardens from different civilizations; and Zealong, New Zealand’s only tea farm, which offers high tea, a tour and a tea ceremony.

Back on the rails, hilly green farming country eventually gives way to the more dramatic terrain of the Central Plateau, which the train reaches by squealing its way up the curving Raurimu Spiral, an 1898 engineering marvel. Another potential break on the journey is National Park Station, where travelers can access Tongariro National Park and its mighty volcanic peaks.

The Northern Explorer ends its long journey by easing along the Kapiti Coast to Wellington, arriving at the most impressive railway station of the trip: a grand 1937 edifice from the golden age of rail travel.

The capital has plenty to offer. In addition to an excellent dining scene – typified by Ortega Fish Shack on the edge of the lively Te Aro