TranzAlpine Train Journey from Greymouth to Christchurch

It was a total waste of time and money train was over 2 hrs late leaving greymouth which meant by the time we going it was getting dark and therefore we saw absolutely nothing but darkness very dissapointed , also we tried to cancel it the day before as we had decided to drive but could not get refund which is disgusting , I would not recommend it to anyone sorry

When we planned our trip to the South Island of New Zealand, this was the first item we picked with good reason. The train trip is a special one - we wished it was a longer journey since the trip seemed even shorter by the 'distraction' of a beautiful three course meal with matching wines. If you are going to do this trip, it is well worth adding this to the experience. We did the trip in March and whilst the scenery was stunning, I would be very tempted to do the trip again later in the year to capture many more snow-covered Alps.

Great way to travel, beautiful scenery & breathtaking views. Well worth the money

Amazing views, great customer service, good commentary but terrible (the vegetarian option was actually disgusting). Take food on with you don’t pay for a meal!!

Riding the train from Graymouth to Christchurch was a relaxing way to end our trip. The food was delicious and the wait staff was great.

Experiencing one of the most scenic train rides in the world is already memorable but what made our ride with Tranzalpine extra special was having the staff: Ani, Bella, Carolyn, and Emma. They were so attentive, thoughtful, and caring throughout the entire 5-hour train ride. Their pacing and attention to detail with bringing out the food and drinks in a safe and calm manner were truly impressive! We marveled at the beautiful sights while enjoying a delicious multi-course meal made with locally grown products. Ani and her team took the time to converse with every guest and when they learned that we were visiting Aotearoa New Zealand to celebrate our mom and sister’s birthday, they took the time during their busy shift to personally sign a commemorative booklet for them! Many thanks to Ani and her team as well as the train conductors for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Probably do it in late April or May. We enjoyed the trip. Well looked after by staff. Could buy food on train.

Very relaxing way to travel from Greymouth to Christchurch in comfort with great scenery along the way. You can purchase drinks & snacks on board as well. We left our hire car in Greymouth which works well as the hire companies are at the train station.

Be careful about paying the higher price for Scenic Plus. I did multiple rides both Scenic and Scenic Plus and it’s debatable how much you really get. Scenic Plus is nice because you don’t have passengers constantly walking up and down the aisles bumping you to go to the Cafe car the whole ride. Plenty of food, but how good it is totally depends on the menu that day. All the wine offered is the best part - a glass with every course. You are SUPPOSED to have a reserved Scenic Plus open air viewing carriage. Separated by a rope from regular Scenic passengers. The honor system. Ha! Half of the viewing carriage is regular Scenic passengers and they go right under the rope to use the less crowded Scenic Plus side and block Scenic Plus passenger views at beauty spots and also go into Scenic Plus carriage to use their bathroom. Staff does not supervise or enforce Scenic Plus privileges. There are no signs about this arrangement, just an audio announcement at beginning of ride. We hated the dinner of just a piece of chicken and mushrooms. Nothing else. However dinner on the coastal pacific train was steak, glazed carrots and potatoes which was much better. So it’s a crapshoot. Be ready to be potentially disappointed.

The best experience is ride the train. The people are very organized, and very helpful. The scenery is spectacular; better than other tours. This tour is a must Krishna