The Northern Explorer (Auckland-Wellington) will resume from 25 September and the Coastal Pacific (Picton-Christchurch) from 29 September. The two services were hibernated in December 2021, when the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 saw passenger numbers dwindle.
TranzAlpine, (Christchurch-Greymouth) re-started in January and will also offer package and tour options from early October.
‘We’ll be providing new visitor experiences on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine – with the addition of self-guided tours and set and customised packages, which will allow people to get off the trains for a day or two to experience more of what the regions have to offer.
‘We are also adding a range of high-quality, multi-day guided tours, built around our scenic trains. There is a growing international market for this kind of high-quality, rail-cruising experience and this will be a first for KiwiRail.’
