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Coastal Pacific
The Coastal Pacific is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the TranzCoastal from 23 May 2000 until temporarily withdrawn on 15 August 2011. It was the first train to use the new AK class carriages.
The service was suspended after 14 November 2016 due to damage to the rail line from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, but in 2018-19, ran from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 28 April. In November 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced $40 million for KiwiRail from the Provincial Growth Fund, to provide year-round service and to upgrade the Kaikoura, Blenheim and Picton stations.
The service was again suspended on 23 March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Coastal Pacific long distance passenger service was suspended once more in December 2021. There were plans to replace it with a multi-day rail tour. On 12 April 2022 it was announced trains would resume again from 29 September 2022, as same-day services, on Thursdays to Sundays and daily between 2 February and 30 April 2023. It then next runs on 21 September 2023.
In September 1988 the Railways Corporation announced it was replacing the Picton Express train from Christchurch to Picton with a new train along the lines of the successful TranzAlpine between Christchurch and Greymouth launched in November 1987.
On 25 September 1988, the train was re-launched as the "Coastal Pacific Express." The new train eliminated the previous refreshment stop at Kaikōura and included a servery for refreshments.
In April 2006, Toll NZ announced its intention to sell the TranzCoastal and the TranzAlpine. However, with the purchase of Toll NZ's rail assets in 2008 by the government, these plans never came to fruition. KiwiRail has upgraded the remaining three long-distance passenger services.
Following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Canterbury on 22 February 2011, KiwiRail suspended the train, replacing it with a bus service until 10 April 2011. They announced that it would return on 15 August 2011 under its original name, the Coastal Pacific. Since 2013 the train has been run as a seasonal service, serving the peak tourist season between about September to April, with no services in the winter months, to offset operating losses.
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Coastal Pacific
The Coastal Pacific is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the TranzCoastal from 23 May 2000 until temporarily withdrawn on 15 August 2011. It was the first train to use the new AK class carriages.
The service was suspended after 14 November 2016 due to damage to the rail line from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, but in 2018-19, ran from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 28 April. In November 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced $40 million for KiwiRail from the Provincial Growth Fund, to provide year-round service and to upgrade the Kaikoura, Blenheim and Picton stations.
The service was again suspended on 23 March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Coastal Pacific long distance passenger service was suspended once more in December 2021. There were plans to replace it with a multi-day rail tour. On 12 April 2022 it was announced trains would resume again from 29 September 2022, as same-day services, on Thursdays to Sundays and daily between 2 February and 30 April 2023. It then next runs on 21 September 2023.
In September 1988 the Railways Corporation announced it was replacing the Picton Express train from Christchurch to Picton with a new train along the lines of the successful TranzAlpine between Christchurch and Greymouth launched in November 1987.
On 25 September 1988, the train was re-launched as the "Coastal Pacific Express." The new train eliminated the previous refreshment stop at Kaikōura and included a servery for refreshments.
In April 2006, Toll NZ announced its intention to sell the TranzCoastal and the TranzAlpine. However, with the purchase of Toll NZ's rail assets in 2008 by the government, these plans never came to fruition. KiwiRail has upgraded the remaining three long-distance passenger services.
Following the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Canterbury on 22 February 2011, KiwiRail suspended the train, replacing it with a bus service until 10 April 2011. They announced that it would return on 15 August 2011 under its original name, the Coastal Pacific. Since 2013 the train has been run as a seasonal service, serving the peak tourist season between about September to April, with no services in the winter months, to offset operating losses.