Before your journey
We look forward to welcoming you on board! Here are some of our guests frequently asked questions.
Parking is available at select railway stations including the Christchurch Railway Station. Parking is first come first serve and is the owner's risk.
For all other stations, please see your booking confirmation or contact us at 0800 277 482 or [email protected].
You can find the address you require on the individual station page. To find your station, visit this link, locate the station required and scroll down on the page to locate the map. The map includes the address to your desired location.
Check-in is at least 20 minutes prior to departure time. The Christchurch railway station which is the departing location of the Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine journeys is open from 6:00 am.
We want you to enjoy your journey without concerns over flight times. Therefore we would recommend you allow for an overnight stop before connecting to flights or other travel connections. Great Journeys New Zealand does not accept liability for any missed connections due to late train arrivals.
For arrival/departure updates for the day of travel, please call our arrivals/departures number on 0800 277 482.
Northern Explorer: View the timetable here
Coastal Pacific: View the timetable here
TranzAlpine: View the timetable here
Covid-19 Travel Questions
What we are doing to protect our customers and staff from Covid-19.
You do not need to be vaccinated to travel on the TranzAlpine, Northern Explorer, or Coastal Pacific trains.
Our onboard crew test themselves whenever they have symptoms relating to Covid-19, and we will continue to maintain strict measures to ensure our trains are safe and clean.
To date, there have been no confirmed cases of passengers catching Covid-19 while aboard our trains. We take great pride in keeping all of our services clean, and we also have much greater spaciousness and an HVAC (air conditioning) system on board, which most other transport services do not.
Our Scenic train fares are all fully flexible and refundable, so if you are unable to travel for any reason then you can delay your travel or get a full refund. There are no penalty charges for changing or refunding, however your credit card fees are non-refundable, and if you are looking to change to a more expensive journey then you'll need to pay the difference.
Booking Enquiries
- Select the train journey you would like to book, e.g. TranzAlpine
- Using the 'Book your journey' tool, enter the full journey you want to do, e.g. Christchurch to Greymouth, 18th February, 2 travellers.
- On the next page which comes up with all the fare types, you will now see an 'Add a Stop' button, click on this.
- Put in where you would like to stop, e.g. Arthur's Pass and the date you wish to leave Arthur's Pass, e.g. 19th February.
- Click the 'add a stop' button again to confirm this stop.
- Repeat steps 3,4,5 if you would like to add more than one stop.
- Select confirm and continue and carry on with your booking.
For seating requests, kindly include your preferred seat in the 'Additional Notes' field when booking your TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific or Northern Explorer train journey online.
If your booking is already complete, you can still request a specific seat by emailing [email protected]. Please include your reference number and seating preference in the email, and ensure it is sent at least 72 hours before your journey.
It's important to note that while we strive to accommodate all seating requests, we cannot guarantee them due to factors like the size of your party, accessibility requirements, and the train's capacity.
Purchase a gift voucher by contacting us on 0800 872 467 or emailing the team at [email protected].
You can cancel or change your booking by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 0800 872 467 calling with your booking reference number.
You can make a group booking by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 0800 872 467.
Please ensure you include the journey you wish to take (i.e. Christchurch to Greymouth one way/return), the date of travel and how many will be taking the journey. Once we receive this information, we will provide you with a group quote.
Please take the following steps on our website.
Or you can email us at [email protected] or call us on 0800 872 476.
*Please note this function is available on standard view. Stop-overs are not available when booking the Scenic Plus dining experience.
Please read our Terms and Conditions here.
14 years and under is a child (an infant is 2 years and under).
Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Travel insurance not only protects you in the event of a medical emergency, but most insurance providers also offer practical assistance in the event of emergency travel plans such as booking last-minute flights and hotels, delayed or lost luggage tracking assistance and of course peace of mind. Travel insurance is always a wise decision.
Throughout your journey
We have a range of delicious and nutritious food onboard. View the full menu here.
Yes, food and non-alcoholic drinks can be brought onboard; however, feel free to enjoy our licensed cafe on all our journeys.
Our journeys are smoke-free including the open-air viewing carriage.
Our friendly train manager will advise if there is an opportunity to ‘stretch your legs' on your journey.
Professionally trained service animals that are assisting customers with disabilities are permitted onboard.
Our Scenic Class carriages are designed to make everyone feel comfortable. So if you are travelling on our Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific or TranzAlpine trains with a wheelchair, powerchair or mobility scooter, then you can sit in one of our specially designed wheelchair spaces in the spacious and convenient Scenic Cafe carriage.
Luggage Queries
- 1 x Large checked bag or suitcase
- maximum weight of 23kgs
- maximum volume* of 158 linear cm (62”)
- 1 x Cabin bag
- wheeled and/or hard-sided suitcases must be Checked in (cannot be taken aboard)
- maximum weight of 7kgs
- maximum volume* for the cabin bag is 118 linear cm (46.5”)
- 1 x Small bag or handbag
- for taking important personal items aboard, including any fragile or perishable items, money, jewellery, and valuables
- 1 x Small infant bag
- if you have an infant with you, you may bring an additional small bag for the journey
- please note: infants do not get any luggage allowance
- 2 x Large checked bag or suitcase
- maximum weight of 23kgs
- maximum volume* of 158 linear cm (62”)
- 1 x Cabin bag
- wheeled and/or hard-sided suitcases must be Checked in (cannot be taken aboard)
- maximum weight of 7kgs
- maximum volume* for the cabin bag is 118 linear cm (46.5”)
- 1 x Small bag or handbag
- for taking important personal items aboard, including any fragile or perishable items, money, jewellery, and valuables
- 1 x Small infant bag
- if you have an infant with you, you may bring an additional small bag for the journey
- please note: infants do not get any luggage allowance
- if you have an infant with you, you may bring an additional small bag for the journey
- please note: infants do not get any luggage allowance
Each Scenic Class passenger fare includes the following allowance:
Each Scenic Plus passenger fare includes the following allowance:
1 x Small infant bag
For more information about luggage for your infant, visit our check-in and luggage information page.
Include your bicycle or excess luggage at the time of booking under the ‘extras’ page.
You can also email us at [email protected] or call our helpful team on 0800 872 467 with your booking reference number to add it to your booking.
Learn more about additional luggage on our check-in and luggage page.
Gift Vouchers
Yes, our gift vouchers are a great way to gift an experience. Gift vouchers can be applied to all three scenic train journeys as well as our short breaks & packages as well as our guided rail tours.
As the purchaser, you will receive a confirmation email from our dedicated reservations team, ensuring that your transaction is complete and your purchase is confirmed. Simultaneously, the recipient of the gift will also receive an email, and within that email, there will be an attachment containing the gift voucher. This attachment will allow the recipient to easily access and use their gift voucher for their desired journey.
Gift vouchers for our scenic train experiences are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
Our gift vouchers are flexible, allowing you to choose a date and time that suits your schedule. However, availability may vary, so it's best to book in advance.
To redeem your gift voucher, contact our reservations team on 0800 872 467 or email [email protected]. Simply provide the voucher reference number, and they will assist you in booking your scenic train experience.
You can check the remaining balance on your gift voucher by calling our team on 0800 872 467 or emailing [email protected].
Gift vouchers can be combined with other discounts and promotions.