I have wanted to do the Northern Explorer Train from Auckland to Wellington for as long as I can remember. It stems from a love of travel as well as our beautiful country. My dad has always wanted to do the Northern Explorer trip as well so I thought it would be a perfect present for a milestone birthday.
We flew up to Auckland on a Friday morning (lucky for us it was the weekend of the Food Show), and got the Northern Explorer train back on the Saturday. We decided to only go as far as Palmerston North as it would have been a logistical nightmare for us to get all the way down to Wellington and then have to come back to Palmerston North to get our car.
If the train ran every day we may have extended the trip out and flew to Auckland from Wellington so that we could do the full Northern Explorer train trip from Auckland all the way down to Wellington.
Unfortunately due to not enough people using the Northern Explorer train it only runs every second day in each direction, meaning that you can either travel one way one day and then back the next day or that you need to spend a couple of nights in your destination before getting the train back to where you came from.
Getting the Northern Explorer Train does mean a bright and early start from Britomart in Auckland Central, you are required to be there at least 20 minutes prior to departure, however the coffee shop is open if you feel the need for a coffee to help wake you up 😉
As we edged out of Britomart it was pretty exciting, like we were going on a real holiday. Train travel isn’t very popular in New Zealand and I’m not really sure why as it certainly is a more relaxing way to see our beautiful country and to get from place to place.
Between the early morning start and the fact that it just wasn’t a very nice day there was a lot of cloud around for the first few hours of the trip. This wasn’t a problem as it’s actually quite nice to see some of the country with a bit of cloud over it. It kind of makes New Zealand feel a little bit mysterious.
We headed out to the viewing car nice and early just to take a look and see how much we could see from it, and to see how cold it was going to be. It was pretty chilly, however you could see pretty much everything which was really nice, it would be perfect for taking photo’s of the viaducts later in the day.
The awesome thing about taking the Northern Explorer Train is that you head inland a little more and get too see some more of the rural and untouched areas of New Zealand! These type of areas are some of my favourite in New Zealand and I never get tired of how beautiful this country really is.
And sometimes you even pass random waterfalls while you happen to be out in the viewing carriage which is nice.
It was pretty cool to be able to see the countryside change before our eyes as we moved down the country. Once we started heading into the National Park and Rangitikei area we began to see drier land and more dramatic cliffs and rock faces.
We also began to see more viaducts and of course the Raurimu spiral as we traversed down the country. The Raurimu Spiral was really long and the train did well to pull us all the way up it. I must admit that it was probably more impressive watching the train go up from the road than being in the train.
The Northern Explorer Train was fitted with a dining carriage which was really nice. There weren’t a lot of seats in the dining carriage however we were lucky enough to have seats with a table anyway. You could purchase a range of hot and cold foods as well as beverages including coffee and tea and a range of alcoholic beverages. You are also welcome to bring your own food and drinks on board.
It’s nice being able to get up and stretch your legs and go get something to eat and head to the toilet without having to stop the car and therefore extending the trip like you do in the car.
While it is hard to have a favourite part of the trip because it was all great, and very different. I think the second half of the journey going down through the Rangitikei would have to be my favourite as there were plenty of viaducts and the scenery down this end of the country is just beautiful with the massive cliffs and beautiful rivers.
Check out some more pictures from our trip on the Northern Explorer Train from Auckland to Palmerston North below!
Have you ever travelled by train in NZ????? (Other than commuting to work?) – Comment below and let me know, I love hearing from you!
I, too, have wanted to do the northern Explorer but haven’t found the right time. I’ve heard it’s beautiful and it’s great to see you enjoyed yourself! My partner and I explored the north island by campervan a few years ago which was pretty cool…
It is definitely well worth it 🙂 I’d love to do a campervan trip as well it sounds like a great way to see the country!
I did the train from Christchurch to the West Coast when I was younger but I really want to do the Coastal Pacific, from Picton to Christchurch. I’m impressed by those beautiful photos taken whilst on a train!
I’ve heard the south island trains are just stunning, I’m super jealous you did the west coast one!! The viewing car made it easier to take good photos outside, although there were plenty of dud photos 😉