Northern Explorer: Wellington

“Our family love trains and geography so it was a wonderful experience for us. Our favourite part was standing in the viewing carriage and being blasted by the cold winds and seeing the majestic ruapehu, tongariro, the gorge and the mighty waikato. The inside cabins were also comfortable and warm but remember to take a neck pillow so you can nap in between viewings. We managed to do some sketching to entertain ourselves and most families had devices, card games and books to pass the time. Toilets were cleaned regularly too. The cabin meals were heated and dropped off to you, a bit pricey but filling so take some in between snacks. The staff were helpful, hilarious and friendly and there's no Wi-Fi so organise your data before you hop on and enjoy the experience.”

“We had a fantastic experience on the Northern Explorer train! The seats were comfortable, and the staff was incredibly friendly. While the food options were somewhat limited, I recommend purchasing the meals you think you'll want as soon as you board. You can ask them to store your food in their fridge for later. Since items do sell out, this is the best way to ensure you get what you want. During our 11+ hour journey, we would visit the café to have our food warmed up, and they delivered it right to our seats.”

“Such a great journey from Wellington to Auckland. The train was clean and seats were comfortable. The staff were really friendly and great. They always had a smile on their face no matter what they were doing. The food offered was good but I only had the chicken sandwich and beef and pickle sandwich and my uncle had the veg lasagne. Everything was good and tasty. The information via the headphones was very good and it gave us a sense of things from the past and present. It was a great trip albeit a long one.”

“Scenic plus on the great Northern Explorer. It’s an 11 hour train ride of fantastic views and matching food and wine. Don’t fuss that you’ve missed your morning coffee before catching the train in Wellington there’s a barista on board. Also don’t book for dinner in Auckland you won’t need it after feasting all day. One of the things that does make the trip even better is the friendly and talkative staff.”