An unforgettable rail journey
Jonathan Guildford has an experience he’ll never forget on a return trip between Christchurch and Picton, enjoying some of the best coastal scenery our country offers, and lapping up the great-quality food and drink that the region produces.
Acar shoots past us on a nearby highway, the driver’s eyes fixed on the road ahead. A chocolate labrador hangs out the passenger window, its eyes beaming with excitement, tongue wagging, taking in the sights and sounds of the Kaiko¯ura coastline.
My girlfriend and I feel very much the same as we peer out of KiwiRail’s coveted Coastal Pacific train. The service, which runs between Christchurch and Picton on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, returned on October 13, after being suspended because of the national lockdown.
‘‘It’s still early days,’’ our charismatic train attendant Sam tells us.
He, with 16 other staff, were let go from their aviation jobs after the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
With a glowing smile on his face, he tells us how thankful and excited he is to have the opportunity to help curate the reinstated train service.
‘‘It’s an experience, a journey, rather than going from A to B. There will be no cell service for most of the trip so you can’t get distracted,’’ he says.
It’s 7am, and we have just left the Christchurch station heading north towards Rangiora. The sun is emerging from the horizon, but we’re in for a scorcher. The temperature has already hit 14 degrees Celsius and there isn’t a cloud in sight.
The city disappears into the background as rolling green hills and farms dotted with sheep and cattle emerge.
Sam reappears with the Scenic Plus menu, which is inspired by the landscape we are set to travel through.
If you’re taking this package I do not recommend eating before departing, as the trip is just as much about the culinary journey as it is about the picturesque countryside.
Breakfast is chia and coconut pudding topped with rhubarb and red berry compote from Geraldine, with bits of blueberry and toasted hazelnuts. Multiple coffees and an apple pastry soon accompany.
As we cruise into the Waipara Valley – Canterbury’s wine country – the landscape transforms as rows of vineyards emerge and the hills begin to take on a golden tinge.
My girlfriend sips award-winning Marlborough wines, eagerly awaiting her next course.
Cars speed past us on nearby highways, oblivious to the historical significance of the area.
Audio commentary available via earphones plugged into the seats offer interesting titbits about some of the places we pass.
Sam, a mountain of information, makes his way around the carriage adding extra historical nuggets for the passengers.
As we cross the Hurunui River, one of New Zealand’s 163 braided rivers, Sam tells us how Alaska, Canada and the Himalayas are the only other areas in the world where the geological marvels can be found.
We continue through quaint towns dotted with roadside stalls selling honey and marmalade. Locals, chuffed to see the train, wave as we pass.
Morning tea is served, a sweet scone, with Canterbury-made strawberry jam and whipped cream, a nod to the rugged Scottish and English settlers who founded massive estates in the region.
The sun is shining and the temperature outside is reaching the mid-20s. But inside the airconditioned cabin, viewing conditions are completely comfortable. Sam then gives our cabin a heads up that the Kaiko¯ura coast is soon approaching and we won’t want to miss it.
We hastily shuffle to the viewing deck, trying not to lose our balance as the train winds around bends and through many of the 21 tunnels found on the journey. A sensory explosion soon follows as the clacking of the train, the wind rushing through our hair, and the salty air wafts up from the nearby coast.
The landscape once again takes a dramatic transformation. The vineyards make way to the snow-capped Kaiko¯ura ranges to our left, and just metres away to our right are dark, stony beaches, and the turquoise Pacific Ocean glimmering in the sun, urging us to take a dip.
The coastline was ravaged by a magnitude7.8 earthquake in November 2016 – the secondlargest quake since European settlement of New Zealand. Dozens of massive slips covered the rail corridor and mangled large sections of the tracks.
Rocky coastal outcrops, bleached white after being lifted out of the sea, fissures in the land left by the Pa¯pa¯tea Fault, and roading crews working to strengthen and widen roads, remain as distant reminders of the devastating quake.
Locals and workers appear ecstatic to see the train as they wave it along. The coast is bustling with life. Fur seals and shags sunbathe on rocks, quintessential crayfish shops are serving patrons on the roadside and a lone whale can be seen drifting beneath the waves.
Newly formed lookouts and rest stops line the nearby highway, spurring on travellers to stop and take in the stunning coastline.
We continue up the coast past scarred hills caused by the more than 20,000 landslides the quake triggered. We head back to our cosy carriage and some delectable canapes soon follow.
A selection of Spanish chorizo, king prawns and crayfish – a homage to Kaiko¯ura, the crayfish capital of the country.
As we cross into Marlborough, it’s not hard to see why the region produces some of the best wines in the world. Vineyards sprawl out in all directions.
My girlfriend enjoys another local wine as we share a cheese board consisting of quality Oamaru cheeses and dried fruit.
The sun continues to shine bright as we rumble past the Seddon salt flat just 40 kilometres south of Blenheim at Lake Grassmere.
The Saltworks’ pink pools – created by bacteria and algae mixed with brine – sparkle as we rumble down the line.
We continue through Blenheim and over the beautiful Wairau River, and into the plunging valleys and wetlands where pu¯keko forage.
We pull into the quaint harbour town of Picton at 12.40pm, and enjoy a stroll along the shore, taking in the views of the Marlborough Sounds, and imaging sailing through them onboard the many yachts and fishing vessels docked in the marina.
We enjoy dinner at the Oxley’s Bar and Kitchen. It’s a great old waterfront establishment with a beautiful facade, built in 1870, and was once a solace for weary sailors.
Our train departs a wet and misty Picton just after 1.20pm the following day, a complete contrast to the scorching day before.
My girlfriend and I enjoy a Marlborough wine to accompany our lunch of Marlborough salmon and Canterbury lamb and roast potatoes with lemon dressing.
It’s still light by the time we get to Christchurch at 7.20pm. It was a truly relaxing and luxurious trip, looking at some of New Zealand’s most beautiful scenery.
If the trip was more affordable, I would take the train instead of the car every time. For a couple in their early 20s, the Scenic Plus Experience is much higher than our budget would allow, but it definitely makes for a lovely gift for a special occasion.