Great Journeys New Zealand launches new rail journeys

Great Journeys New Zealand, the tourism division of KiwiRail, is now offering new short break packages and multi-day guided rail tours for North American visitors across its TranzAlpine, Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific train services, available for booking now for travel beginning January 13, 2023.

Each tour option and package offer scenic rides throughout New Zealand’s diverse landscape, pre-booked accommodation, food and beverage options and activities. A tour director guides travelers throughout the journeys, sharing stories and enhancing learning opportunities.

“Our travelers can sit back, relax and explore the regions from a different perspective,” said KiwiRail’s General Manager of Great Journeys New Zealand and Commuter Rail Tracey Goodall. “The fully guided tours offer an experience like no other with the ease of knowing travelers are taken care of and will create unique memories.”

The new journeys are designed to promote discovery, with multi-day stops to allow for extra immersion opportunities. Experiences include sipping wine in the Marlborough wine region; encountering whales, dolphins and albatross in Kaikoura; a night’s stay in the ‘independent republic’ of Whangamomona and a visit to the scenic Punakaiki Rocks and Hokitika Gorge along the West Coast.

The Classic Style Tour ranges from 6 to 15 days in length and begins at NZD$2,999 per person and focuses on New Zealand’s larger cities and heartland experiences. The Signature Style Tour, on the other hand, ranges from 6 to 17 days in length and begins at NZD$4,499 per person and includes higher levels of accommodations and different cultural activities, including a Signature Farewell Dinner at Walter Peak.

Great Journeys New Zealand also offers shorter journeys ranging from two to five days long as an added experience for travelers who might not want to spend their entire stay in New Zealand aboard a rail journey.