Dont Waste Money on Tranz scenic TranzAlpine train - New Zealand
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During my last visit to New Zealand’s South Island I took a trip on the TranzScenic Tranz Alpine train from Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass.
Don’t waste your money on it - do something else instead.
While the township of Arthurs Pass is a good base for trampers with various walks starting there I think catching the TranzAlpine train there isn’t worth it and the full day trip ticket costing $NZ194 Adult fare Christchurch to Greymouth return is a colossal rip off.
Perhaps I feel this strongly because I’ve seen so much better scenery in the more remote parts of South Island because other people on the train were much more excited than me taking photos by the dozen of fairly mundane scenery along the way.
Independent travellers would probably be better off catching a bus to Arthur’s Pass to go tramping and families will find much more value doing other activities like the Fox Glacier Helihike.
View a photo of a handpainted map of Arthur’s Pass inside the Train Station’s waiting room
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Having never seen New Zealand, I would probably be, one of these:
“other people on the train were much more excited than me taking photos by the dozen of fairly mundane scenery along the way.”
However, I hate to feel I’ve wasted my money, so if I ever make it to NZ, I’ll remember not to go on this TranzAlpine train.
I agree with you totally. I am from NZ and travelling by train to Greymouth is very dull. The best parts of the Southern Alps simple can not be seen from the inside of a train. One needs to get out and go hiking to see the amazing scenery. And I agree with your comment about Arthur’s Pass, it is a great base for some good hiking (tramping).
Thanks for the warning! It’s no fun getting hyped up about a vacation and then having it go bad…
I think there needs to be some sense of perspective to this. There are many visitors to NZ (including from as near to us as the other side of the Tasman) who will perhaps never see that aspect of the Southern Alps discussed here by Neerav Bhatt and blair, and who would never expect to.
They are happy to experience the condensed diversity of scenery for which NZ is internationally renowned and the ‘long-distance’ views of the gorges, the mountains (including snow!), and the railway infrastructure that conquered them.
They are also happy to do it from the comfort of a warm/cool comfortable train seat, replete with commentary. One might expect that most of these would view the fare as money well spent, and perhaps the international reputation of this trip as an iconic journey attests to this..?
I would counsel prospective overseas visitors who have a limited time in which to see NZ to seriously consider this train journey as a must-do!
[…] At several $100/person Yes it is expensive but it was definitely worth the cost unlike the money I wasted on the Tranz scenic TranzAlpine train - New Zealand […]
The Transalpline is a great train journey - you simply can’t access the areas or views by a bus - train is the only way, and hiking is very strenuous and not without costs either (not to mention time consuming!) Myself and my family enjoyed the trip immensely from the comfort of our seats and it was a moemrable part of our journey through the south island.
It’s all a matter of what you prefer, but you should be able to get a cheaper ticket if you plan ahead. Running a train through remote scenic highlands doesn’t sound like a low cost endeavour to me.
I booked a ticket over the internet on the tranzscenic from what I thought was the actual homepage of Tranzscenic rail. It turns out I purchased from an agent and payed almost double the actual price. It seems Tranzscenic allow their agents to charge what they like - I would accept an agents mark up of ten or maybe even 20% percent. I did not realize I was purchasing from an agent until I had made payment. The agents site does not give any indication that it is anything but the authentic homepage of Tranzscenic rail. Im very dissapointed to have paid almost double what other people on the train paid and I had a terrible seat. This is the type of scam you would expect when travelling in a third world country.
When I finally have the chance to visit New Zealand I will definitely take your advice and avoid the Tranz Alpine Train. Enjoyed the hand painted map of Arthurs Pass. Thanks for sharing.