Celebrate South Island culture with our regionally inspired dining experience
Explore the flavours of our land as it glides by your window with our delectable TranzAlpine Scenic Plus dining experience on board our award winning premium carriage.
While you ease back and enjoy the views, we'll be serving you a seasonal menu inspired by the mountains and rivers of our world-famous TranzAlpine train journey.
Filled with freshly picked ingredients from the paddocks you pass, our TranzAlpine Scenic Plus experience gives you a true taste of the Canterbury and West Coast regions.
So, if you are looking for the ultimate local New Zealand experience, then feast your eyes upon this.
Simply choose your TranzAlpine journey and then select a Scenic Plus fare to book your dining experience.
While you can board and disembark at intermediate stations, we highly recommend booking a full journey to enjoy the dining experience from start to finish.
◉ = Included in Scenic Plus fare
| Inclusive drinks and dining service throughout the journey | ◉ |
| Exclusive kitchen carriage preparing hot & cold meals | ◉ |
| Paddock to Plate regionally inspired food menu | ◉ |
| Paired drinks menu | ◉ |
| Specialist Table Service & Storytelling | ◉ |
| Specialist barista coffee service | ◉ |
| Exclusive Scenic Plus carriage | ◉ |
| Panoramic windows, spacious carriage, and comfy table or paired seating | ◉ |
| Open-air Viewing Carriage | ◉ |
| Priority Check in & Boarding | ◉ |
| Luggage Check In & Drop off | ◉ |
| Personal service | ◉ |
Imagine rolling through the Canterbury Plains aboard the TranzAlpine, enjoying a breakfast of Eggs Benedict on potato-herb rosti and free-range bacon?
Or watching Lake Brunner glide by your window while savouring South Island smoked salmon and charcuterie plate with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc?
Perhaps cruising through Cass with an Otago Pinot Noir while enjoying slow braised Canterbury lamb, a wine jus and local seasonal vegetables is more your style?
Well, these are just a few of the delicious dishes we'll be serving aboard this season.
Spectacular scenery is the accompaniment for our dining experience, and there is plenty to feast upon aboard our world-famous TranzAlpine train journey.
Ascending the heights of the Southern Alps, you'll be left breathless by the mountain vistas that unfurl before your eyes.
As you travel between coasts, the courses of your dining experience will be garnished with the endless views of this magical journey.
Ascending the Southern Alps leads you weaving through cliff-lined river gorges and deep ravines, which leads to some astonishing views and engineering masterpieces.
Look out for horseshoe bends, brilliant blue ice-fed waters, narrow bridges, and the mighty Staircase Viaduct that rises 80m over a rocky ravine.
Flowing from the heart of the Southern Alps to the Pacific Coast is the braided Waimakariri River.
Carving through the mountains over millennia, this vast river has created the perfect route for the TranzAlpine train to ascend into the Southern Alps.
From the edge of the Canterbury Plains to its zenith at Arthur's Pass, the TranzAlpine train meanders alongside the pristine blue waters of this idyllic river.
Bewitching scenes of mountain peaks, vast plains, and fresh water lakes accompany your journey through Cass and Cragieburn high country, home to many wild New Zealand ingredients.
In winter, this region is frequently blanketed with pure white snow, and between late autumn and early summer the mountain peaks glisten with snow.
This is one of the great highlights of the TranzAlpine journey.
Rugged coastlines, soaring mountains, and glacial lakes; these are the famous formations of the West Coast region.
But the scintillating scenery starts the moment you pass beneath the Great Divide and flow down the lush river valleys that course to the sea.
Idyllic rural countryside and the immaculate Lake Brunner fills the plains between mountains and sea, providing plenty of scenery to feast upon as you wind your way to Greymouth aboard the TranzAlpine train.
Step outside and breathe in the mountain atmosphere from the exclusive TranzAlpine Scenic Plus Open-air viewing carriage.
Whether you are looking to capture the ultimate photo without obstructions or reflections or simply want to experience the great outdoors whilst cruising through the Southern Alps, you'll have an exclusive viewing carriage to enjoy!
Our TranzAlpine Scenic Plus dining experience is available aboard all TranzAlpine train services.
The TranzAlpine train travels daily until the May 5th, 2025, when it will reduce to four-day a week service (Thursday through Sunday). The TranzAlpine will return to 7 day service from July 14 2025.
View our TranzAlpine stations page to find out more about each of our stations.
Get directions, parking information, and check-in requirements for each of our TranzAlpine Railway Stations, from Christchurch to Greymouth.
Get an extended taste of New Zealand by travelling on our other Scenic Plus services:
Our TranzAlpine Scenic Plus dining experience is included with the following tours and packages:
Book your TranzAlpine Scenic Plus train tickets online now or over the phone.
0800 872 467 Monday to Sunday: 8am - 5pm
