Wild, wild west

The TranzAlpine is one of the world’s great train journeys covering 223 kilometres (139 miles) one-way, taking just under five hours. You’ll traverse the majestic Canterbury Plains with the backdrop of the mighty Southern Alps – the journey of a lifetime. Editor Joshua Brosnahan recently rediscovered the joys of travelling via the Transalpine for a weekend getaway, saluting the departure of our summer in style with scenery, stories, and serenity. 

 There’s a reason the Transalpine is called one of the ‘Great Journeys Of New Zealand’ – how often do you get to really soak in your surroundings on a cross country experience? It’d been a fair few since I’d travelled the line, but I’ve come out the other side (and back again, as it were) a converted ‘railfan’. 

The ride is smooth, modern, and perfectly complemented by the glorious scenery of the West Coast region of the South Island. Perhaps it’s time for your own Great Journey! 

Controversially, I relished in the periods of being unplugged. There are certain parts of the journey where you are left without reception. What better reason to sit back and be a passive spectator? The seats are comfy; the views are ever-changing and incredible. Within 20 minutes, our journey was already framed with the most beautiful scenery. Bright aqua ravines, deep green natives, and I spotted Cass Station, famously painted by Rita Angus. I am already planning a winter trip to see the edges of the ice-fed Waimakariri River and more dusted in snow. 

The route firstly heads northeast to join the Waimakariri River gorge. This braided river will appear and disappear out of your window several times as the TranzAlpine clings and climbs 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. 

Our morning tea consisted of chipping away at a Barry’s Bay cheeseboard and indulging in the barista-made coffee. 

Top tip: make sure you have an Eftpos card with you. The patches without reception (there are a few) mean that things like Paywave and ApplePay aren’t functional. All part of the ‘unplugged’ experience! 

Our pick for lunch is the lamb shank – made fresh each day and heated in the carriage. The Tandoori chicken wrap is a close second. At the time of writing, the dining carriage was off the cards, thanks to Covid restrictions, but you can eat at your seat – which I think I prefer, especially if you have a table seat. 

One of the stand-out features of the ride is the GPS-triggered commentary. I loved that there was no fumbling with a brochure or map – it was as simple as plugging into your armrest with the headphones provided and settling into the seamless stream of stories, narratives, and facts about the places that we were looking at right outside our window. 

We stopped at Lake Brunner for this journey – the travel time flew by (or should I say trained by?), and we arrived in Moana to sun, serenity, and even a local proclaiming a welcome from his front yard. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. It was a chance to lose myself in the veritable Eden we’re ensconced within. The stunning view of Mount Binser and the edges of Arthur’s Pass National Park will be staying with me for a while.