Every morning two passenger trains set off from opposite ends of the North Island and for the rest of the day the rails see little else but freight. It wasn’t always like this. One hundred years ago with the completion of the trunk line across North Island, the railway was the life blood of communication. Today, like so many railways, it is struggling to find its place in the modern world. People take the Overlander linking Auckland and Wellington as much for the journey itself as to actually go anywhere.

Trains remain a great way to leisurely see some of New Zealand’s most spectacular scenery. And with this year being the centenary of the North Island trunk line there has never been a better time to ‘let the train take the strain’. Tranz Scenic operates three great rail journeys: the Overlander, TranzCoastal, and TranzAlpine. Or for those who are truly into the romance of steam there is the annual 19 day New Zealand Steam Train Journey departing on September 7 and the Mainline Steam Tour departing on October 12.

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