Travel blog

The best time to take a New Zealand rail tour depends on your preferences. Each season offers a unique experience. Planning early helps you secure your ideal departure and travel conditions.

New Zealand rail travel is ideal for over 50s, offering a comfortable, well-paced, and fully organised way to experience the country’s landscapes without the stress of driving.

A Signature rail tour is designed to go beyond simply visiting destinations. Experience New Zealand in a deeper, more connected way through landscapes, culture, and guided insight.

To plan a New Zealand rail tour for 2026/27, book in advance, choose the right tour style, and consider seasonal timing to secure the best experience and availability.

Flying may save time - but it often means missing what makes New Zealand special.
Rail and guided touring offer a different kind of premium travel.

Slow travel in New Zealand is best experienced through scenic rail tours, where a relaxed pace, immersive landscapes, and organised journeys allow you to enjoy more without rushing.

The most relaxing way to explore New Zealand is on a scenic rail tour, where you can see remote landscapes at a slower pace while everything is organised for you.

The best way to see New Zealand? By taking a scenic rail tour of course. See snow-capped peaks rise above quiet valleys, geothermal heartlands pulse with energy, and rivers carving deep paths.

There are journeys that stay with us long after we arrive. The Southerner is one of them.

At Great Journeys New Zealand, we believe the journey should be just as rewarding as the destination – and even better when it’s gentler on the environment.

L’affare coffee is now riding with us, bringing legendary Kiwi coffee to every corner of the country, one scenic journey at a time.

Condé Nast Traveler readers’ have voted the Great Journeys New Zealand TranzAlpine train as one of the world’s best train journeys.