One of the world’s most scenic railway journeys has been a major attraction for overseas tourists since 1987. It’s time for Kiwis to discover the joy of spending a day on a train as well!
Images & Video ALEX SPODYNEIKO
The TranzAlpine train used to transfer over 200,000 passengers from Christchurch to Greymouth and back every year. On a bright morning of the first winter after last year’s lockdown, Christchurch station is still buzzing with passengers, queuing for their tickets, filling up their complimentary takeaway cups with hot drinks or hugging their slightly dishevelled family members from their early morning wake-up. But it’s immediately obvious that in spite of the fabulous winter discounts, the crowd is nowhere near what it used to be, which is once again confirmed by a half-empty carriage when we leave the station at 8.15am.
Any day is a good day to enjoy this 223km, 5-hour adventure but if you’ve been waiting for an absolutely perfect moment, sunny winter months with way fewer people on board might just be it.
About 40 minutes later, the train passes the little town of Springfield, nestled cosily at the foot of the Southern Alps, and the true fun begins. It’s time to leave the warm comfort of our seats and move to one of the two observation carriages that allow better views of the fast-approaching mountains. There is a price to pay though – the space is open to alpine winds that at 100km/h are freezing.
Those first few moments of entering the Southern Alps are truly magnificent. The air suddenly changes to a pure, healing mountain one, and the shiny turquoise Waimakariri River – one of the highlights of the entire journey – appears seemingly from nowhere and follows the train for a while. From there, it’s a wildkaleidoscope of epic views, giant viaducts – including the photogenic 75m high Staircase Viaduct – bridges and tunnels. Seeing the beauty of our country from this perspective is an emotional overload and suddenly it becomes impossible to hold back the happy tears of being so endlessly in love with it.
At Arthur’s Pass the train makes a short stop, allowing us to take a few photos outside, stretch our legs and relax our muscles after that intense white-knuckle grip on the rail of the observation carriage and excited head swivel we all did for the past few hours trying not to miss anything important. Some passengers disembark here to explore the Avalanche Peak trail or many other local hiking and tramping routes but mostly the stop serves as a quick breather after the first part of the journey.
The next surprise awaits shortly after Arthur’s Pass is left behind – it’s the 8.5km Otirā Tunnel that plunges you into darkness for a good 20 minutes and cuts off access to the observation and café carriages for safety reasons. Of course, nothing is as attractive to human beings as something forbidden, so the only thing I can think of for the entire time in the tunnel is all the food sitting unwanted at the café.
45,500
hot drinks
6,300
Monteith’s beers
2,150
cheese platters
ARE CONSUMED BY TRANZALPINE PASSENGERS ANNUALLY
However, holding this thought proves to be impossible as, after emerging from the tunnel, the change of scenery is so striking it’s time for another gripping and swivelling session. It’s now obvious we’re getting closer to the West Coast –everything becomes just a little more harsh, rugged, unattainable. This part of New Zealand is known for its long gold- mining history and the tiny towns we skirt past have obviously all been a part of it at some stage. Life used to be very different here from what we know now – more challenging, more dependent on the elements. And somehow it still shows.
Another river – this time Grey River/Māwheranui – follows us all the way to Greymouth. With its population being just over 13,000, Greymouth is the largest city on the West Coast and it says a lot about this breathtaking, yet sparsely inhabited part of the country.
KATE WINSLET, JOHN TRAVOLTA, SEVERAL ALL BLACKS RUGBY PLAYERS,
AND CARTOON CHARACTERS BART AND HOMER SIMPSON
are just a few of the celebrities who have enjoyed a TranzAlpine journey.
We only have an hour before the trip back, so we wander through the historic little streets peppered with sights, like the old Speight’s Ale House and the Left Bank Art Gallery, before ending up at the Floodwall Walk by the river with its viewing platforms, clock tower and memorial to coal miners who lost their lives in tragic accidents and collapses on the West Coast.
A lot has happened in and around Greymouth, both good and bad – drastic floods, jade hunting, coal mining and, of course, gold mining. There are historic sights, natural wonders and some of the best cycling trails here, so if you wish to stay longer, you definitely won’t get bored. There will always be another TranzAlpine train to take you back to Christchurch after all!