WHEN the Northern Explorer rail service resumes operation later this month, it will not be stopping at Te kūiti, but will make a stop at Ōtorohanga, and possibly Taumarunui. FILE PHOTO
ŌTOROHANGA and Taumarunui may benefit from new regional package tours on offer from KiwiRail, but Te Kūiti will miss out. Ōtorohanga is offered as a stop for the Northern Explorer (Auckland – Wellington) which will resume running from September 25. The other stops between Hamilton and Wellington are National Park and Ohakune, but Taumarunui is also being marketed as the gateway to the Whanganui National Park and the Pureora Trail. KiwiRail had not replied to questions from King Country News for an explanation at the time of going to print. But the State Owned Enterprise has stated in the past that additional stops can be made if enough people wish to disembark.
GATEWAY Ōtorohanga is marketed as New Zealand’s ‘Kiwiana Town’, and the gateway to many exciting activities in the Waikato region as home to the world-famous Kiwi House & Native Bird Park, it also has a train station that provides seamless access to New Zealand’s largest cities, Auckland and Wellington – and is just 10 minutes from the Waitomo Caves village. The packages begin later this year and tours in early 2023. The new rail tourism offerings will focus on domestic and international visitors travelling throughout regional New Zealand, KiwiRail’s great journeys general manager Tracey Goodall said. KiwiRail has unveiled 10 short break packages and multi-day tours this week. The short breaks will allow customers to self-guide themselves in the North and South Islands, on the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine trains with experiences in Auckland, Taumarunui, Wellington, Marlborough, Kaikōura and on the West Coast.
GUIDED TOURS A series of 12 fully guided tours will also be available – the longest stretching from Auckland to Queenstown. “If people just want to travel independently and take in the scenery from Auckland to Wellington, Picton to Christchurch or Christchurch to Greymouth, they will still be able to book a standard scenic train journey as they always have,” Tracey said. “Our packages and tours are designed to build on that. They’re a convenient, easy way for both domestic travellers and international tourists alike to explore New Zealand, knowing that their accommodation, transfers and visitor experiences are taken care of. It’s about giving people more travel choice – offering something new for Kiwis, while catering to different parts of the international tourism market.” She said the shorter break packages will explore the regions and get people off the beaten track – such as a rail cart experience in Taumarunui and a night in the ‘independent republic’ of Whangamōmona.
MULTI DAY TOURS Longer, multi-day, fully-guided tours are small group focused and will come in two styles. Classic tours are designed for the traveller who likes more free time, with the ability to add on optional extras. They range from six days to 15 days in length. Signature tours are designed for the traveller who wants a complete experience that explores the grandeur of New Zealand. They range from six to 17 days in length, Tracey said. “Both types of tour bring numerous tourism experiences together, complete with a guide who will accompany and support the group throughout their journey. There will be set departure dates each year,” Tracey said. “Importantly, both the packages and tours will see money going into regional economies – from tourism operators to local transport companies, accommodation providers and restaurants. “We hope it will give regional tourism a healthy boost during the peak summer tourism season after a very difficult few years under Covid.” Scenic trains were already open for bookings, with packages and tours available for booking online later this year. More details are available at: greatjourneysnz.com
