The Northern Explorer is one of the three New Zealand passenger trains. It goes from Auckland to Wellington running down the middle of the North Island and is the only long distance train on the North Island. We had to wait for a day until they had room for our bikes as the train only takes 4 bikes at a time. The trip took almost 8 hours and is definitely not for those trying to get somewhere quickly. There was always something interesting to see as the route runs through and alongside mountains, besides the ocean and through farming communities. At times it was possible to look down into the fields and identify birds. The route involves engineering feats as it almost does loop the loop and goes through many tunnels. I was looking forward to the dining car and was surprised that the food was packaged for “to go” and lacked real plates and cutlery. I chose a New Zealand roasted lamb, potatoes and vegetable and this was heated up for me. Despite the packaging it was my first delicious NZ lamb. Also good were the freshly baked scones, Christmas cookies and coffee. The train personal were lovely and it was so nice to stretch our legs by walking between cars. The outdoor viewing carriage was a treat and meant there was lots of fresh air. The trip made us want to try the other train routes on the South Island.
Leave a Reply