Scenic long-distance journeys
Northern Explorer
Auckland ⇄ Wellington
Runs the length of the North Island Main Trunk, past the volcanic plateau of Tongariro National Park.
TranzAlpine
Christchurch ⇄ Greymouth
Crosses the Canterbury Plains and climbs through the Southern Alps via Arthur's Pass to the West Coast.
Coastal Pacific
Christchurch ⇄ Picton
Follows the Kaikōura coastline, squeezed between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
Commuter and regional services
Auckland
Electric suburban network
Electric trains serve the city's suburban lines, with the City Rail Link adding underground stations in the CBD.
Wellington
Metlink
Commuter lines fan out from Wellington Station to the Hutt Valley, Kāpiti Coast and Wairarapa.
Te Huia
Hamilton ⇄ Auckland
A regional service linking the Waikato with Auckland on weekdays and some weekends.
Engineering highlights
- Raurimu Spiral — a famous loop on the North Island Main Trunk that gains height with a full circle and tunnels.
- Ōtira Tunnel — carries the Midland Line under the Southern Alps near Arthur's Pass.
- Remutaka Incline — the former Fell-system railway over the Remutaka Range, now a walking and cycling trail.