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TranzAlpine Train: Scenic South Island Adventure
4.8
465 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
- On-board WiFi
- 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
- Bottled water and light snacks
- Pickup and drop-off from selected Central Christchurch Hotels
- On-board WiFi
- 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
- Bottled water and light snacks
- 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
(465 Ratings)
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Bbiigg-yy
Jan 25, 2026
A Great Way to See the Mountains - It was a full day out and even with the weather not great the train journey was fun and the trip back with several stops was lovely. Special mention to our guide Anuj who made the day an excellent one. Awesome views.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alex_b
Jan 25, 2026
Great tour! - Great experience, the train ride was fun. Exploring Arthur's Pass and Devils Punchbowl walk was very interesting, but we really like walking around the Castle Hill.
Anuj was a wonderful guide and took very good care of everybody and providing a lot I f interesting information.
We definitely recommend this tour!
Review provided by Viator
Helen_h
Jan 22, 2026
Great day out. Our guide... - Great day out. Our guide was really helpful and knowledgeable. He did a great job explaining about the train journey and Arthur's Pass national park.
Review provided by Viator
Soniya_d
Jan 20, 2026
Guide/Driver Anuj was... - Guide/Driver Anuj was very helpful, warm, patient, informative & friendly.
Got ample time to soak in all the sights.
Review provided by Viator
Rominafr8628ym
Jan 18, 2026
Absolutely Wonderful Experience! - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If I could leave 10 stars, I absolutely would!
I booked the TransAlpine Tour for NZD 400, and I honestly don’t even know where to begin with my compliments.
Starting with the booking experience: I started considering this experience very last minute and reached out via WhatsApp without really expecting a response. To my surprise, Parul replied very quickly and answered all of my questions with patiently. My location wasn’t ideal for the pickup times, but she immediately helped me find a solution by suggesting an Uber to the railway station, which I could make work. Even though I felt a bit bad messaging on a Saturday, she was incredibly welcoming and supportive even with my booking late at night .
Now to the tour itself — absolutely spectacular!
The stops were very well selected and we were able to enjoy some incredible scenery.
Our guide for the day was Anuj, and after reading all the positive reviews about him, I can absolutely say that they are well deserved.
He is amazing: polite, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable. I absolutely loved his commentary. ❤️
He even made the effort to remember everyone’s names, which is something I’ve honestly never experienced on a tour before.
Although lunch was not included, Anuj surprised us with chocolate and even snacks placed on our seats, so when we returned from our walks it felt like Christmas morning ❤️😄.
I genuinely cannot speak highly enough of the entire experience. I would recommend this tour to anyone without hesitation and would happily do it all over again.
Thank you so much for such an amazing experience ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yunmay_c
Jan 17, 2026
Excellent tour - highly recommended - Wonderful, our guide Anuj was excellent. It was very well priced for a premium small group experience. Water, snacks, umbrellas all provided for. Quick timely response during the booking process as well.
Review provided by Viator
Alice_b
Jan 15, 2026
Beautiful trip to Authors Pass. - The 3 hr train ride to Authors Pass offered spectacular views. We met friendly, like minded travelers. A couple of the memorable hikes to the Devils Punchbowl Falls and Limestone boulders took a bit of hiking but they can also be enjoyed from the car park.
The tour was well paced with well timed breaks to interesting spots. Our driver/guide was attentive and informative without droning on. We truly felt the whole experience was worth the time and money.
Review provided by Viator
Kerry_t
Jan 12, 2026
Wonderful day out - It’s a wonderful day out. The train is comfy, clean and well organised with great service. The bus is fun with Arjun, who is an all-round terrific guide. He looks after everyone very well. The Southern Alps are incredible and the bus tour is really enjoyable. Even if the weather is bad, it’s still a great trip. Be sure to pack for wet weather though!
Review provided by Viator
Sue_v
Jan 12, 2026
A fantastic day out in a... - A fantastic day out great train ride through a completely unspoilt landscape, huge mountains, raging waterfalls and breathtaking views, our guide Anoush made the day special with his amazing knowledge of the area, a day to remember, thankyou
Review provided by Viator
Linnybear
Jan 25, 2026
Memorable trip to Castle Hill - Our day began on a ride aboard the Transalpine train. From Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass we enjoyed the scenery from the comfort of our window seats.
Anuj, our guide was extremely informative and attentive to us his passengers. An experienced driver with attention to detail Anuj proved to be able to return us to Christchurch on time.
The highlight of this day was without a doubt, the limestones at Castle Hill. We were told that the Dalai Lama upon visiting this spot stated that it was a spiritual place….we concur for to see the beauty and serenity of this place is magical.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
