TranzAlpine railway named among world’s most beautiful train routes

A scenic New Zealand rail route has been named among the world’s most beautiful train journeys.

The TranzAlpine train, which takes passengers between Christchurch and Greymouth, placed 13th in a new global study from UK-based travel insurance specialist InsureandGo which ranked the world’s most eye-catching train journeys.

Operated by Great Journeys New Zealand, the TranzAlpine travels 223km coast-to-coast from the Pacific Ocean across the Canterbury Plains, through the Southern Alps, including the 8.5km-long Ōtira Tunnel and the 73m-high Staircase Viaduct, reaching the rugged West Coast in under five hours. Highlights en route include passages through the Waimakariri River gorges, native beech forests and alpine snow-capped peaks.

Tracey Goodall, executive general manager passenger at Great Journeys New Zealand, said it was “really meaningful” to see the TranzAlpine being recognised on the world stage through a study like this.

“Particularly one that measures how people naturally respond to the landscapes they’re travelling through,” she said. “What the research highlights is the value of slowing down and giving people the time and space to take in the beauty of their surroundings, from alpine peaks and braided rivers to the dramatic landscapes of the Southern Alps. This is central to the Great Journeys experience.”

Click HERE to read full article (Source: NZ Herald)