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TranzAlpine Train: Scenic South Island Adventure
4.8
355 Ratings
Christchurch
Embark on a breathtaking journey from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass on the TranzAlpine train. Experience stunning landscapes, lush forests, and majestic mountains on this perfect day trip for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Embark on a breathtaking journey from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass on the TranzAlpine train. Experience stunning landscapes, lush forests, and majestic mountains on this perfect day trip for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Christchurch Cathedral - After pick-up from your hotel at 7.30am, your guide will drop you to the train station in Christchurch for one of the greatest train journey’s in the world. Travel on the TranzAlpine train & admire the stunning scenery through panoramic windows & open air viewing decks. Disembark the train at Arthur’s Pass National Park…
- Christchurch Cathedral - After pick-up from your hotel at 7.30am, your guide will drop you to the train station in Christchurch for one of the greatest train journey’s in the world. Travel on the TranzAlpine train & admire the stunning scenery through panoramic windows & open air viewing decks. Disembark the train at Arthur’s Pass National Park where you will meet your guide again.
- Otira Viaduct Lookout - Then drive down to Otira Viaduct which provide impressive views of red flowering rata in summer months & grab the opportunity to spot the inquisitive Kea (alpine parrot) well known for its cheeky nature.
- Devils Punchbowl Walking Track - Your guide will then recommend you some popular walks in the National Park with incredible views.
- Arthur’s Pass National Park Visitor Centre - After your walk enjoy 1 hours free time for lunch at a local cafe & explore the village of Arthur’s Pass.
- Kura Tawhiti Conservation Area - On your return journey, travel by road in a luxurious minivan with a few scenic stops on the way. Take a coffee break & capture stunning mirror images at Lake Person. Then wander through majestic presence of limestone rock formations at Castle Hill Conservation Area. Stretch your legs one last time at Lake Lyndon that regularly freezes in winter months. Return back & drop-off to your location in Christchurch.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- National Park fees
- Transport by air-conditioned late model Minibus
- Fully guided tour except the walks
- TranzAlpine Train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass
- Small group
- Pickup and drop-off from selected Central Christchurch Hotels
- Bottled water
- National Park fees
- Transport by air-conditioned late model Minibus
- Fully guided tour except the walks
- TranzAlpine Train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass
- Small group
- Pickup and drop-off from selected Central Christchurch Hotels
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Lunch
Additional Information
Embark on a scenic expedition on the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, renowned as one of the most picturesque train journeys globally. Soak in the captivating sights of the Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps, the glacier-fed Waimakariri River, verdant beech woodlands and awe-inspiring panoramas. Traverse hiking trails in Arthur’s Pass…
Embark on a scenic expedition on the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, renowned as one of the most picturesque train journeys globally. Soak in the captivating sights of the Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps, the glacier-fed Waimakariri River, verdant beech woodlands and awe-inspiring panoramas. Traverse hiking trails in Arthur’s Pass National Park featuring impressive mountain vistas & untouched waterfalls. Reflect on nature’s beauty at Lake Pearson & meander among the grand limestone formations at Castle Hill. An ideal day excursion for those passionate about nature, hiking & thrilling adventures.
- A small amount of walking is involved.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- Fully guided tour except the walks in the National Park & Castle Hill.
- Bring your phone, USB charger & headphones to enjoy the audio commentary on the TranzAlpine Train.
- Tour may operate in reverse order; where train will be booked from Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch, if morning tickets are sold out.
Location
Christchurch Bus Interchange
Colombo Street
Your guide will pick you from outside FreshChoice Supermarket (located at 71 Lichfield Street) which is across the road from Bus Exchange.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(355 Ratings)
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Heatherh3808
Aug 19, 2025
An excellent trip with rain to start, then sun and snow. - What a great day! We left Christchurch at 8am for an overnight trip to Greymouth then returned to Christchurch the next day on the transalpine. Everything went smoothly and the staff were excellent - couldn't fault them. We had 3 seats and a table in the middle which was useful. The food /coffee we bought from the on board restaurant was good and the staff even refilled my hot water bottle 3 times for my sore back!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leekeng_n
Aug 19, 2025
The itinerary is well... - The itinerary is well planned. The guide cum driver Anuj is knowledgeable, hospitable & very friendly.
Review provided by Viator
Xixi_y
Aug 14, 2025
Amazing experience - Enjoyed the day so much. Guide (Anuj) is very attentive, provides clear instructions and reasonable time for each activity - perfect time management. The views are absolutely incredible.
Review provided by Viator
Sahil_v
Aug 13, 2025
Must do activity if you're in Christchurch - Stunning views from the train. We weren't sure if what we were seeing was actually real. In addition to that our guide (Anuj) knew the lay of the land in and out. Incredibly friendly and brought bags full of snacks for all of us :)
Review provided by Viator
Jeffrey_f
Aug 2, 2025
Great Day! Spectacular Scenery - Great day - VERY well looked after throughout the day with lots of communication and information.
Well worth it and of course the scenery is just spectacular!
Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Nicola_b
Jul 5, 2025
Tranz Alpine to Arthur's Pass - This was the best of both worlds - experiencing the trip to Arthur's Pass by rail and then seeing it by road. Our travel guide was brilliant - he was so knowledgeable about the area and really took the time to explain everything to us. We were provided with water and snacks along the way and he made sure that everyone was having a fantastic experience.
The Tranz Alpine part of the journey was quite magical - the scenery was breathtaking and the train was warm and comfortable. The mini bus from Arthur's Pass was pleasant to travel in and it was great to be able to stop at so many areas and explore. Highlights were the walk to the Devil's Punchbowl Falls and Castle Hill.
You could choose to participate as much as you wanted to in each stop - this trip caters to all ages, abilities and fitness levels.
We thoroughly enjoyed our day on this tour and would happily recommend it to any tourist - local or international.
Review provided by Viator
D9848vqcarolinem
Jun 23, 2025
Great way to spend a day on holiday - Wonderful tour guide who provided snacks and water all day plus great commentary throughout the bus drive. The train views to Arthur’s pass were unbelievable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karin_g
Jun 19, 2025
Beautiful Views and great information - The guide picks you up at selected meeting place then takes you to the train station. He heads off to drive to Arthur's Pass while you ride the train. It was a very nice ride with beautiful views! There is an app for the trainline to listen to information about the places you see along the way. It is a slow drive with the ability to go into an open cart to get better pictures. The guide met us in Arthur's Pass after we departed the train. He drove us to a few more places along the way with time to explore in each area and gave us a lot of information about each place. We went during the beginning of winter and so I can imagine the scenry would look 10x better in spring or summer. It was a very nice way to spend the day.
Review provided by Viator
Lynn_j
Jul 29, 2025
Lovely Train Ride - The train ride is lovely, despite the poor weather we experienced. There are ample opportunities to enjoy the spectacular scenery.
Review provided by Viator
Amel_m
Jul 28, 2025
The trip was really nice,... - The trip was really nice, great landscapes and the tour guide was kind but the trip was not worth the exorbitant price we paid, plus the lunch was not included for the price.
Review provided by Viator
