Being strapped for free time doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a short break that refuels and restores your soul in less than 24 hours, as editor Lisa Potter discovers.
Not all getaways require months of planning with intricate itinerary scheduling, endless decision making and fact checking that the restaurant you’ve booked does actually exist and isn’t AI generated.
This is the changing face of modern travel, where online research has become the norm. The sheer array of choices can be overwhelming, which is the last thing those looking for a brief encounter want to experience.
I’m one of many who is guilty of spending more time overthinking the options for a brief escape, than actually committing and enjoying the break. So, the opportunity for a completely hassle free and all-inclusive adventure, requiring zero planning from my side (other than pressing Book Now online) was something of a brain relief.
It turns out that 12 hours on the majestic TranzAlpine feels like the equivalent of a long weekend adventure – touring some of New Zealand’s most glorious landscapes (without having to map read, drive, or stop for refuelling or traffic); enjoying paddock-to-plate dining with exquisitely prepared meals and wine pairings; feeling the sharply invigorating alpine air soaring alongside rivers and lakes; meeting fellow travellers all equally as positive about the experience; and being treated to truly first-class service from a team who genuinely seemed to love every moment of their job.
Whilst well prepared for the spectacular postcard-perfect scenery and rugged landscapes, what I didn’t expect was 5-star service across every moment of the trip.
The TranzAlpine has been on my must-do list for a while now and the option of the Scenic Plus experience proved too enticing to resist any longer.
Suffice to say it was well worth the wait. Since returning from my Christchurch-Greymouth-Christchurch trip, I’ve bombarded friends and families with encouragement to plan their own Great Journeys New Zealand holiday (including me of course), ranging from daytrips and overnighters to longer 15-day tours where you can enjoy the great trifecta – the Northern Explorer, TranzAlpine and Coastal Pacific (sign me up).
If you’re not yet familiar, each of the three Great Journeys New Zealand trains includes a single Scenic Plus carriage. Alongside a separate kitchen carriage and dedicated hosting team, the Scenic Plus carriage caters for a maximum of 42 passengers with personalised service and a host of extras throughout. It also includes an open-air viewing carriage, where passengers can literally step outside to soak in the views (and weather) thanks to the open side design. As often happens in the South Island, we were treated to four seasons in one day – a crisp winter morning, glorious sunny noon (with the visual spectacle of a hot air balloon perfectly poised in front of the Southern Alps), then sleety autumn drizzle followed by a fresh spring rainbow.
The unexpected combination of the planned and unplanned is mesmerising. So much so that our Scenic Plus hostess Toni McDaid shared that although she’d been living and working in Rotorua, after her first time travelling on the TranzAlpine, she decided then and there she wanted to do it every day! Fast forward a couple of years and she’s now based in Christchurch, spending most of her working week ensuring everyone on the TranzAlpine experiences the best possible version of the trip.
Whether opting for the TranzAlpine, Northern Explorer (next on my list) or Coastal Pacific (restarts from 1 September), the common denominator to experiencing the luxe version of these trips is undoubtedly opting for the Scenic Plus experience.
Sensational Spaces
While first impressions of the Scenic Plus carriage are of a surprisingly modern and sleek space, it’s not until you start to soak in the finer details that the fullness of this meaningful experience is realised.
Meticulously designed, it’s easy to see why crafting the interiors was a project three years in the making.
The overarching theme explores and acknowledges history and tradition, informed by a Māori worldview. The spine of the carriage ceiling depicts the backbone of the Toroa (albatross), specially designed by New Zealand-based artist Ephraim Russell. This is the centrepiece of the overall vision, holding together the shared journey visitors take.
You’ll notice numerous birds also adorning the interior, each one representing each of the manuhiri (visitors/passengers), while a detailed ‘eye of the bird’ sculpture acts as the guardian for those travelling on the train.
Comfortable seating alcoves offer a two by two facing formation, with the engraved table able to fold upwards for additional space in between providing a refined restaurant-style dining experience.
The combination of thoughtful details captures the essence of the uniqueness of this world class experience. It’s not just me who thinks so – one of our fellow passengers travelled the Canadian Rockies last year by train and admitted that the TranzAlpine was every bit as impressive, with the Scenic Plus service pushing it up even another notch.
From the moment you step onboard the Scenic Plus carriage (at the front of the train), it’s first class all the way. Having had to endure endless plane trips squeezed for space and privacy, Scenic Plus was a welcome and unexpected experience, in every regard. Airline brands could learn a thing or two from Great Journeys New Zealand.
Impeccably uniformed hosts have perfected the art of ensuring your every whim is catered for, whilst also allowing you to enjoy the journey. There are moments where they share interesting historical and cultural snippets relevant to locations along the way, but they’re informal and enjoyably inclusive.
There’s also an infotainment app which can be downloaded so you can enjoy more in-depth information about the land you’re travelling through, as well as personal stories and GPS-triggered details (train speed, altitude, exact location, etc).
On the day I travelled, we were joined by a British couple on the last days of their month-long New Zealand adventure, a couple from Wellington enjoying a long weekend, and a fellow Waikato traveller like me, enjoying a break away from the demands of a busy career. His weekend getaway was also shaped around the Christchurch-Greymouth-Christchurch TranzAlpine trip.
Whie other guests departed at Greymouth for more southern adventures, we were joined on the return trip by new guests – equally enthralled with the offering.
Alpine Dining
Widely regarded as one of the world’s great train journeys, the TranzAlpine covers 223 kilometres one-way, taking just under five hours to travel from Christchurch to Greymouth, rolling through stations at Darfield, Springfield, Arthur’s Pass and Moana.
Travelling coast-to-coast, spectacular scenery is at the heart of this experience, along with the opportunity to sit back, relax in comfort and enjoy the changing landscape, from the patchwork paddocks of the Canterbury Plains to the braided channels of the Waimakariri River.
The TranzAlpine soars over the 82m high Staircase Viaduct (best viewed from the open-air viewing carriage for a real wow moment), dives beneath the Main Divide within the 8km-long Otira Tunnel (dug by hand over 15 years at a rate of 1.5 metres a day!), and meanders through lush valleys, around pristine lakes and along the rugged west coast.
It also includes unexpected delights such as the tiny red Cass Station, featured in the famous 1936 work (voted New Zealand’s most iconic painting) by New Zealand artist Rita Angus, and the realisation that you’re higher than Auckland’s Sky Tower while passing through Springfield, which sits at 391 metres above sea level.
It’s also potentially the only opportunity you’ll ever have to enjoy such a carefully curated menu with ingredients (and wine) grown on the very land you’re passing by. Bringing new meaning to the term Paddock to Plate, it adds another layer to the near constant stream of delicious meals, from South Island cheese rolls served with green tomato relish, to New Zealand braised beef cheeks, bush honey cheesecake, classic Kiwi pavlova and so much more.
Each course is paired with drinks to compliment the meal and surprisingly good barista coffee is also available throughout the trip as part of the inclusive experience.
Each of the three rail journeys has its own individual menu, with ingredients sourced from its region. For example, on the Coastal Pacific Journey, options include a Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and a tasting platter of Greenshell Mussels, harvested locally from the exquisite Marlborough waters. While on the TranzAlpine, the exclusive menu offers slow-braised Canterbury Lamb Shoulder and wine from the family-run Melton Estate, which is located just outside of Christchurch.
There’s a reason that international visitors as well as locals wax lyrical about Great Journeys New Zealand. The reputation for a quality experience is well earned and I’ve joined the lifelong fan club.
