KiwiRail is the best way to explore New Zealand’s South Island

Wellington, New Zealand, sits astride one of the largest natural harbors in the world. It is a vibrant capital, nestled gently along the undulating landscape which rises from the water to meet the 200 meter ridgelines of Matairangi (also known as Mount Victoria). As breathtaking as it was to observe this scene from the Interislander ferry port, I wondered what I was doing here: I had come to embark on a nearly two-week Great Journeys New Zealand train journey. But that’s where the adventure was to begin: aboard a 1,350-passenger ship, with no train tracks or railcars in sight.

It turns out that KiwiRail, the public rail operator behind Great Journeys New Zealand, had purchased the Interislander ferry service in 2008. As an alternative to tunneling under the Cook Strait, this is a much cheaper method and easier to cross the Cook Strait. maritime gap between the North Island and the South Island. It also offers a much more majestic route: the 90km journey from Wellington to Picton takes passengers through the Marlborough Sounds and is one of the most spectacular crossings I’ve ever seen.

By the time I disembarked, about 3.5 hours later, it had become clear that the trains would only serve as a stepping stone for my 11-day journey; a means to a multitude of stage ends. The rail network would connect me to many other exciting modes of transportation, including ferry, bus, jet boat, steamboat, propeller plane and helicopter.

I’m on a trip organized by Great Journeys, the tourism arm of Kiwi Rail, which offers more than a dozen premium tours linking New Zealand’s five long-distance rail lines with hotel nights and activities on the ground. I opted for the “Spectacular South” route from Wellington to Queenstown, combining two legs of the Coastal Pacific And Tranzalpin routes. The all-inclusive price of $5,500 covers accommodation, excursions and meals.

Although Kiwi Rail isn’t a luxury sleeper train, Great Journeys has just rolled out some new ‘Scenic Plus’ cars this year to give things a boost. The renovated carriages feature panoramic windows, interior decorations such as lighting and furniture designed by Māori artists and an upgraded catering package built around a paddock-to-plate concept, where dishes and Regional drinks are served as the train passes through the areas that produce everything on your plate.