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TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine is part of the great journeys of New Zealand network. It takes passengers across the Canterbury Plains, through gorges, tussock land, braided rivers, mountains, and forest.
Coast to coast through Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana The Southern Alps
The TranzAlpine travels between Ōtautahi Christchurch and Māwhera Greymouth. There are 223kms of track, 15 tunnels, and over four viaducts.
The journey begins by crossing the Canterbury Plains. Across the plains you arrive at Springfield. For many years, Springfield was the end of the line. Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana The Southern Alps acted as a barrier. Eventually, construction began on a route to the West Coast through the Alps. This section, between Springfield and the township of Arthur's Pass, is considered a masterpiece of railway engineering.
From Springfield the track heads north-east to join the Waimakariri River gorge. It then begins to climb up the cliffs above it. During the ascent to the high plains of Craigieburn, there are 15 short tunnels and four dramatic viaducts, including the 72-metre-high Staircase Viaduct.
There is a stop at Arthur’s Pass. Then from Arthur's Pass, the TranzAlpine descends through the Ōtira Tunnel. This tunnel runs under the Southern Alps from Arthur's Pass to Ōtira – a length of over 8.5 kilometres. When it was completed in 1923, it was the second longest tunnel in the world! Building the tunnel took about 20 years. It must have been hard work with mostly manual labour and little machinery!
The Ōtira Tunnel marks the transition from Canterbury to West Coast. From here, the TranzAlpine makes its way through beech forest, follows a series of river valleys, as well as heading past Moana Kōtuku Lake Brunner, before arriving in Māwhera Greymouth.
Great journeys of New Zealand
KiwiRail’s Great journeys of New Zealand is a connected network that can take passengers from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to Māwhero Greymouth. It is made up of:
- Northern Explorer: New Zealand's longest running train passenger service which travels between Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Pōneke Wellington. Highlights include the journey through the Tongariro National Park, with its three volcanic mountains, and the famous Raurimu Spiral, another engineering masterpiece!
- Interislander ferry: The longest running Cook Strait ferry service in Aotearoa, sailing between Pōneke Wellington and Waitohi Picton.
- Coastal Pacific: This train runs from Ōtautahi Christchurch to Waitohi Picton and return.
- TranzAlpine: Named among the world's best train journeys!
Try the TranzAlpine quiz
Find out more about the great journeys of New Zealand.