Gorgeous Coastal Pacific Rail Line to Reopen

Like Ernest and the Magic School Bus before it, New Zealand’s iconic Coastal Pacific rail line will ride again. KiwiRail has announced the train will reopen on 1 December.

Running from Picton to Christchurch, the Coastal Pacific was put on hold two years ago after the railroad sustained damage during 2016’s Kaikoura earthquake. The 7.8 magnitude quake destroyed roads, homes, and even sent some railroad tracks into the sea.

The scenic route takes riders on a trek along the northeast coast of the South Island, including 98km along the Pacific coast through 22 tunnels and over 175 bridges. The six-hour journey offers incredible views of the island’s gorgeous landscapes.

“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,” KiwiRail’s GGM sales and commercial Alan Piper said. “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.”

Original article by Dustin Nelson, Thrillist, November 6, 2018.

Photo by KiwiRail.