Rail journey · South Island
TranzAlpine
Coast to coast across New Zealand's South Island in under five hours: the Waimakariri gorge, the Southern Alps at Arthur's Pass, and the rainforest of the West Coast.
TranzAlpine · Kabelleger · CC BY 4.0
Typical time4 h 50 min
Route length139 miles
FromChristchurch
ToGreymouth
The ride
What you'll see
01
Arthur's Pass and the Southern Alps
02
Waimakariri River gorge
03
Coastal rainforest finish on the West Coast
04
Panoramic carriage windows
The route
Station by station
- Christchurch
- Springfield
- Arthur's Pass
- Greymouth
Route sketch · station coordinates · not to scale
Before you go
Good to know
01
Reserve seats — the train runs a limited number of services daily.
02
Through coaches connect from Greymouth to Franz Josef and Hokitika.
03
A one-way rail plus coach return is a popular way to see more.
Typical times and distances are for guidance only — check the operator's timetable before you travel.
Photography credits
- TranzAlpine — Kabelleger · CC BY 4.0
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