Enjoyed the scenery from Auckland to Wellington. Train well organised. Best scenery from National Park to Wellington. Took may photos from our window and in the special carriage at front of the train.
Wonderful way to see North Island in all its majesty from aquaducts to rolling sheep cow and deer farms to scenic Mountain View’s, this is the way to do it! There is a viewing carriage on the train for photo shots but we also took them from our seats. Only reservation we had was the cleanliness of the train which could do with some deep cleaning and food tray wipe down. Could also do with upping the quality of the food on board but the aesthetic experience was worth it all!
We enjoyed this very long train ride, although rain and low clouds did obscure some of the views we were expecting. The cars are clean, the service very well organized, and there is an upbeat vibe to the whole thing, which is obviously geared to tourists with time on their hands. It's a nice way to get a feel for the landscape rather than flying over it. We didn't find the audio commentary very fascinating and gave it a pass eventually.
Very pleasant and comfortable. Glad to have met some fellow travelers with whom we will spend time in the future. Seeing the beautiful landscapes was rewarding.
Was something to tick off the bucket list, a very long boring 13 hours! Done, would not do again. Have to say the staff were amazing!