The TranzAlpine runs daily between Christchurch and Greymouth over Arthur's Pass, leaving Christchurch at 8:15 am and arriving at 1:10 pm. Until about 30 November 2026 it runs only to Arthur's Pass after a derailment damaged the track, with a bus to Greymouth. Seats must be booked; check fares with Great Journeys NZ.
The TranzAlpine train runs daily from Christchurch to Greymouth across the Southern Alps, leaving at 8:15 am and arriving at 1:10 pm, then heading back at 2:15 pm to reach Christchurch at 7:00 pm. KiwiRail runs it under the Great Journeys NZ name. You must book a seat, and fares are not published on its information page, so check the price for your date on Great Journeys NZ.
Service note, checked 12 November 2026: a coal wagon derailed on the evening of 3 November 2026 and damaged the track. From 4 November to an estimated 30 November 2026, the TranzAlpine runs only between Christchurch and Arthur’s Pass, with a bus between Arthur’s Pass and Greymouth. Arthur’s Pass to Greymouth can’t be booked until then. See KiwiRail’s service updates for the latest.
If you are booked between 4 and 30 November 2026, KiwiRail offers three choices:
The replacement coach between Arthur’s Pass and Greymouth takes about 2 h 15 min and has no toilet on board. Heading east, it leaves Greymouth railway station at 2:15 pm, and KiwiRail asks you to be there by 1:45 pm.
The leg most people come for, Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass, is still on rails. If your trip falls in this window, riding to Arthur’s Pass and back is a good fallback; confirm the return time when you book. See our Arthur’s Pass guide for walks near the station.
Checked November 2026 on the Great Journeys NZ timetable. Times can change, so confirm when you book.
| Station | Westbound (to Greymouth) | Eastbound (to Christchurch) |
|---|---|---|
| Christchurch | Departs 8:15 am | Arrives 7:00 pm |
| Rolleston | 8:35 am | 6:35 pm |
| Darfield | 8:55 am | 6:15 pm |
| Springfield | 9:20 am | 5:55 pm |
| Arthur’s Pass | Arrives 10:40 am, departs 10:50 am | Arrives 4:30 pm, departs 4:35 pm |
| Moana | 12:15 pm | 3:10 pm |
| Greymouth | Arrives 1:10 pm | Departs 2:15 pm |
The train runs every day except Christmas Day and some dates around public holidays. In 2026 it did not run around Labour Weekend, and the 2027 calendar has gaps around Easter, in late May and around Labour Weekend. The booking calendar shows the exact dates. For questions, KiwiRail’s number is 0800 872 467.
The TranzAlpine leaves the main South Island line at Rolleston and crosses the Canterbury Plains to Springfield. Then the climb starts. Between Kowai and Craigieburn the line runs through 15 short tunnels and over four viaducts, including the 73 m high Staircase Viaduct, then passes Cass on the way up to Arthur’s Pass.
Arthur’s Pass station is the highest operational station in New Zealand, according to KiwiRail. Just beyond it, the Otira Tunnel, opened in 1923 and 8.5 to 8.6 km long depending on the source, marks the change from Canterbury to the West Coast. The train then stops at Moana before Greymouth.
There are two classes. Scenic seats are in KiwiRail’s panoramic carriages. Scenic Plus keeps the same carriages and adds dedicated hosts, priority welcome, storytelling along the way and an inclusive dining menu with food from the regions the train passes through, paired with local wines.
Pick Scenic if the views are the point. Pick Scenic Plus for a special occasion, or if you want lunch and drinks handled. KiwiRail’s November 2026 refund amounts ($65 for Scenic and $195 for Scenic Plus on the shortened trip) give a rough idea of the gap between the two.
Christchurch to Greymouth one way. The classic coast-to-coast trip, and the start of a West Coast leg if you are heading for the glaciers. Our Franz Josef accommodation guide covers where to stay there.
Day return to Greymouth. About an hour in Greymouth between trains, then back on the 2:15 pm. Long, but it covers the whole line twice.
Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass. Get off at 10:40 am and walk to the Devils Punchbowl waterfall, 131 m high and about an hour return from the village (DOC), then catch the 4:35 pm back. Or stay the night: Arthur’s Pass Alpine Motel is in the village on State Highway 73 (on Booking.com).
Train one way, road the other. Day tours from Christchurch ride the train to Arthur’s Pass and drive back via Castle Hill, or drive up and take the train down.
Arthur’s Pass is the station to get off at if you have a day or two. Arthur’s Pass National Park was gazetted on 1 August 1929, New Zealand’s third national park, and its walks start in the village.
For a cheap bed, the DOC Avalanche Creek Shelter Campsite is opposite the Arthur’s Pass visitor centre, with bookings open to 30 June 2027. Kea live around the village too: DOC calls it a key kea site.
Christchurch to Arthur’s Pass is about 2 hours by car on State Highway 73. The road can close in snow, and NZTA has advised carrying chains in winter, so check the NZTA Journeys map first. Kea gather at the Otira Viaduct lookout. DOC asks you not to feed them, and they can damage cars.
For the rest of a South Island trip, see our South Island itinerary and Christchurch to Mount Cook.
10 hoursPickup included
Ride the TranzAlpine from Christchurch up to Arthur's Pass, then come back by road with the guide via the Devils Punchbowl waterfall, the Otira Viaduct lookout, Lake Pearson and the Castle Hill boulders.
from$213
Check availability10 hoursPickup included
The reverse of the usual plan: drive up via Castle Hill with a guide, walk to Devils Punchbowl or look round Arthur's Pass village, then ride the TranzAlpine back down to Christchurch, with lunch included.
from$239
Check availability10 hoursPickup included
The budget Arthur's Pass day with no train ticket: a road trip on the Great Alpine Highway past Castle Hill, the Waimakariri Gorge, Lakes Pearson and Lyndon and the Otira Viaduct, lunch included.
from$126
Check availabilityPrices and ratings were taken from GetYourGuide and can change. Booking through these links supports this site at no extra cost to you.
Yes, but not the full route. A coal wagon derailed on 3 November 2026 and damaged the track. From 4 November to an estimated 30 November 2026, the train runs between Christchurch and Arthur's Pass, and a bus covers Arthur's Pass to Greymouth. Arthur's Pass to Greymouth can't be booked until then. KiwiRail says it will confirm dates as repairs progress.
Just under five hours one way. On the timetable checked in November 2026, the train leaves Christchurch at 8:15 am and reaches Greymouth at 1:10 pm. The return leaves Greymouth at 2:15 pm and is back in Christchurch at 7:00 pm. Arthur's Pass is about two and a half hours from Christchurch.
Yes. Take the morning train to Greymouth, spend about an hour there, and ride the 2:15 pm train back to Christchurch for 7:00 pm. A shorter option is to ride only to Arthur's Pass and come back by road, which several day tours do. Either way, book ahead: every seat must be reserved.
KiwiRail's Great Journeys NZ page did not publish fares when we checked in November 2026, and the figures quoted on other websites disagree. Prices depend on the date and on the class: Scenic, or Scenic Plus with a host and an inclusive dining menu. Check the current fare on the Great Journeys NZ booking page for your date.
Both classes ride in KiwiRail's panoramic Scenic carriages. Scenic Plus adds dedicated hosts who point out landmarks and tell the stories of the route, a priority welcome, and an inclusive dining menu with food from the regions the train passes through, paired with local wines. Scenic is the choice if the views are all you want; check both prices for your date.
Arthur's Pass is a 920 m road and rail pass over the Southern Alps, with a small village inside Arthur's Pass National Park, about 2 hours' drive from Christchurch on State Highway 73.
Christchurch to Mount Cook takes about 4 hours by car, roughly 320 km, with Lake Tekapo about 3 hours in and Mount Cook Village 1 h 10 to 1 h 15 min beyond it.
For 7 days, drive Christchurch to Queenstown via Lake Tekapo, Aoraki/Mount Cook and Wānaka.
Stay in Franz Josef for the wider choice of hotels, from holiday parks to a 5-star retreat, and for most glacier heli-hikes.