JUST THE TICKET

Two years after the magnitude-7.8 Kaikoura earthquake on New Zealand’s South Island dragged miles of railway tracks out to sea, one of the most scenic train routes in the country is back in service thanks to a large-scale rebuilding effort. The Coastal Pacific will run throughout the southern summer season until April 28, 2019, taking passengers on daily journeys of just over five hours between Christchurch and Picton, the jumping-off point for ferries to the North Island. En route, riders can hop off at Kaikoura for whale-watching tours and sample sauvignon blanc at Blenheim, gateway to the much-lauded Marlborough wine region ( greatjourneysofnz.co.nz).