Published on : Friday, August 3, 2018
The rail journey between Picton, at the northern end of the South Island, and Christchurch on the eastern coast is a spectacular journey beginning (or ending) at Picton, in the Marlborough Sounds, passing through the Marlborough wine region, and following a dramatic coastline south to Christchurch.
The 6-hour train trip includes 98km travelling along the rugged Pacific coastline. It also journeys through 22 tunnels and crosses 175 bridges.Bookings are expected to fill up quickly, according to KiwiRail GM Sales and Commercial, Alan Piper.
“We are delighted to confirm this well-loved service will be running again this summer, allowing thousands of travellers from around the world to once again enjoy this spectacular coastline by train,” Piper says.
“We expect our services to fill up fast, particularly as many people will be keen to take advantage of the service to see the amazing job done to restore the road and railway line through this area.”
It’s also welcome news for the people of Kaikoura, as the Coastal Pacific plays a critical role in the local economy by bringing thousands of tourists into the popular marine resort. Before the earthquake the Coastal Pacific carried about 43,000 passengers into the Marlborough/Kaikoura regions during the summer season, Piper said.
Tags: coastal pacific, Railway News