NZ travel passes

What is the current situation with Rail/Bus/Ferry paases in NZ ? One guide
book I have said that Tranz Scenic is on the slide and closing routes but
another does not mention problems. One speaks of the Best Of N.Z. Pass that
you buy credited points for the other seems to have a different version that
you pay for a 7 or 22 day pass without restrictions.
Derek.

They are somewhat obsolete with bargain airfares like from Origin
Pacific. One of those passes includes airfare assuming a leg costs
$100 - hah! Closed the train going south of Christchurch and I think
eliminated night trains crossing the north island.

I was thinking of bus travel, but that takes very long. Other than
south of Christchurch, air can be very cheap and handy (only a few min
needed at airport - O.P. never even asked me for a ticket or ID other
my spoken name!).

Bus can take long time. If you don't want to miss the Picton ferry,
take a scenic return day trip from one side for less than the price of
a one way! You can fly CHC-WLG for less money and time than
train+ferry, then almost have enough left over to do the round trip.
Sounds crazy, but work out the numbers from plentiful web info...

"Derek F" wrote in message
...
What is the current situation with Rail/Bus/Ferry paases in NZ ? One guide
book I have said that Tranz Scenic is on the slide and closing routes but
another does not mention problems. One speaks of the Best Of N.Z. Pass
that you buy credited points for the other seems to have a different
version that you pay for a 7 or 22 day pass without restrictions.
Derek.
That's the problem with guide books generally - they're often out of date
before they're printed. Use the internet, and use a search engine such as
google to get the latest info. And get it direct from the operators rather
than through a third party.

Bestpass is now defunct - see www.bestpass.co.nz
See http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz/ for info about trains, unfortunately there
are only a few routes left. The train is slow, but you get some wonderful
scenery on all three remaining routes.
Yes you can fly now for possibly cheaper prices, but one of the main reasons
for visiting New Zealand should be to enjoy the scenery of its countryside.

Regards

David Bennetts
Australia


..

"dumbstruck" wrote in message
oups.com...
They are somewhat obsolete with bargain airfares like from Origin
Pacific. One of those passes includes airfare assuming a leg costs
$100 - hah! Closed the train going south of Christchurch and I think
eliminated night trains crossing the north island.

I was thinking of bus travel, but that takes very long. Other than
south of Christchurch, air can be very cheap and handy (only a few min
needed at airport - O.P. never even asked me for a ticket or ID other
my spoken name!).

Bus can take long time. If you don't want to miss the Picton ferry,
take a scenic return day trip from one side for less than the price of
a one way! You can fly CHC-WLG for less money and time than
train+ferry, then almost have enough left over to do the round trip.
Sounds crazy, but work out the numbers from plentiful web info...

On holiday means that we are not in a hurry and want to see the country from
ground level so if no trains bus is next best for us.
I have found the Travelpass site which seems expensive for bus travel.
http://www.travelpass.co.nz/default.asp
We would be flying in and out of Auckland so would need to get back to
there..I found an airfare Christchurch - Auckland for $109.
Derek.

On 10 Feb 2006 14:01:50 -0800, "dumbstruck"
wrote:

They are somewhat obsolete with bargain airfares like from Origin
Pacific. One of those passes includes airfare assuming a leg costs
$100 - hah! Closed the train going south of Christchurch and I think
eliminated night trains crossing the north island.

That's right. The only long distance passenger trains running now are
The Overlander (Auckland to Wellington or vice versa daylight train),
Coastal Pacific (Christchurch to Picton return), and Tranz Alpine
(Christchurch to Greymouth return).

I've heard that the Tranz Alpine, which was popular as a day-return
tourist train, is rather run down now, and half the menu options in
the buffet bar are not available when you ask for them. That's what
happens when you have too many changes of ownership, and no one wants
to take responsibility for the maintenance.

There has been a lot of tv advertising for The Overlander lately, so
maybe that one isn't so bad.



I was thinking of bus travel, but that takes very long. Other than
south of Christchurch, air can be very cheap and handy (only a few min
needed at airport - O.P. never even asked me for a ticket or ID other
my spoken name!).

Bus can take long time. If you don't want to miss the Picton ferry,
take a scenic return day trip from one side for less than the price of
a one way! You can fly CHC-WLG for less money and time than
train+ferry, then almost have enough left over to do the round trip.
Sounds crazy, but work out the numbers from plentiful web info...
--
Martin Hunt
Ngaio
Wellington
New Zealand

"Martin Hunt" wrote in message
...
On 10 Feb 2006 14:01:50 -0800, "dumbstruck"
wrote:

They are somewhat obsolete with bargain airfares like from Origin
Pacific. One of those passes includes airfare assuming a leg costs
$100 - hah! Closed the train going south of Christchurch and I think
eliminated night trains crossing the north island.

That's right. The only long distance passenger trains running now are
The Overlander (Auckland to Wellington or vice versa daylight train),
Coastal Pacific (Christchurch to Picton return), and Tranz Alpine
(Christchurch to Greymouth return).

I've heard that the Tranz Alpine, which was popular as a day-return
tourist train, is rather run down now, and half the menu options in
the buffet bar are not available when you ask for them. That's what
happens when you have too many changes of ownership, and no one wants
to take responsibility for the maintenance.

There has been a lot of tv advertising for The Overlander lately, so
maybe that one isn't so bad.



I was thinking of bus travel, but that takes very long. Other than
south of Christchurch, air can be very cheap and handy (only a few min
needed at airport - O.P. never even asked me for a ticket or ID other
my spoken name!).

Bus can take long time. If you don't want to miss the Picton ferry,
take a scenic return day trip from one side for less than the price of
a one way! You can fly CHC-WLG for less money and time than
train+ferry, then almost have enough left over to do the round trip.
Sounds crazy, but work out the numbers from plentiful web info...
--
Martin Hunt
Ngaio
Wellington
New Zealand
Thanks Martin. Much of the tourist literature makes so much of the Scenic
trains that a lot of tourists must end up disappointed by the service and
facilities
In Scenic European countries like Switzerland and Austria train is the best
way to see the country and they have gone out of their way to provide a good
service for tourists as well as locals.As a result the trains are very busy.
In Switzerland we can get a 15 day Swiss Pass for £202 that covers all
trains, busses, ferries and city transport plus over 400 museums. It also
gives a 50% discount on cable cars and mountain railways.
Derek.

I don't think NZ ground travel compares to the Alps. The views from
bus for hour after hour can be monotonous, and riders will block your
view by pulling the sunshades. O.P. turboprops fly low and slow with
scenic changes of plane in quaint places like Nelson.

I didn't try the train, but see detailed picture web logs such as
http://search.pbase.com/search?q=tra...ch+Photos&c=sp .
That's supposed to be the most scenic, but the line doesn't go anywhere
useful - it basically connects a coal mine to a port. I do wish I took
the train/bus combo between Dunedin/Queenstown which is a bit less
scenic, but serves as useful transportation.

Pictures of the Christchurch-Picton train run looked ok but repetitious
for hour after hour - and they are coy about pricing of the train/ferry
so it will probably cost more than air. Oddly it fit better in my
schedule to fly CHC-WLG, then backtrack to Picton and back by the
ferry, then fly back down to Nelson to catch another plane back to AKL
- 4 scenic strait crossings!

The north island train takes an awfully long time, and doesn't even go
close to appealing stops along the way such as Rotorua. I used to love
taking the train in Europe until making more use of Ryanair, etc (under
a pound flights for sale now, excl tax!), and think that lesson is
being taken up by New Zealand as well, so that long haul public
transportation is less well patronized and kept up.

"dumbstruck" wrote in message
oups.com...
I don't think NZ ground travel compares to the Alps. The views from
bus for hour after hour can be monotonous, and riders will block your
view by pulling the sunshades. O.P. turboprops fly low and slow with
scenic changes of plane in quaint places like Nelson.

You make it sound like Texas :-) Do they have a TV blaring out as well as
having the shades down?


I didn't try the train, but see detailed picture web logs such as
http://search.pbase.com/search?q=tra...ch+Photos&c=sp .
That's supposed to be the most scenic, but the line doesn't go anywhere
useful - it basically connects a coal mine to a port. I do wish I took
the train/bus combo between Dunedin/Queenstown which is a bit less
scenic, but serves as useful transportation.

NZ travel agents tell me that that Queenstown is usually booked solid
January to March, every one seems to be trying to put me off !

Pictures of the Christchurch-Picton train run looked ok but repetitious
for hour after hour - and they are coy about pricing of the train/ferry
so it will probably cost more than air. Oddly it fit better in my
schedule to fly CHC-WLG, then backtrack to Picton and back by the
ferry, then fly back down to Nelson to catch another plane back to AKL
- 4 scenic strait crossings!

You can't beat variety.

The north island train takes an awfully long time, and doesn't even go
close to appealing stops along the way such as Rotorua. I used to love
taking the train in Europe until making more use of Ryanair, etc (under
a pound flights for sale now, excl tax!), and think that lesson is
being taken up by New Zealand as well, so that long haul public
transportation is less well patronized and kept up.

Just to get from A to B the plane is best apart from Ryanair who take you to
airports far from where you really want to go. They are the only air line
that takes you to a different country from the one you want to get to. eg
Malmo, Sweden for Copenhagen, Denmark. The train from Malmo to Copenhagen
can cost more than the flight.
Derek.

On 11 Feb 2006 04:28:12 -0800, "dumbstruck"
wrote:


The north island train takes an awfully long time, and doesn't even go
close to appealing stops along the way such as Rotorua. I used to love
taking the train in Europe until making more use of Ryanair, etc (under
a pound flights for sale now, excl tax!), and think that lesson is
being taken up by New Zealand as well, so that long haul public
transportation is less well patronized and kept up.

Well, at least you don't all have to pile out of the train at Taihape
to get your lunch any more, as it used to be about 20 years ago. The
train used to stop for about half an hour so you could eat a sit-down
meal there. The Picton train used to stop at Kaikoura and you would
queue for filled rolls and such things - it was quite chaotic.

But that's going back a few years.
--
Martin Hunt
Ngaio
Wellington
New Zealand

"
Bus can take long time. If you don't want to miss the Picton ferry,
take a scenic return day trip from one side for less than the price of
a one way! You can fly CHC-WLG for less money and time than
train+ferry, then almost have enough left over to do the round trip.
Sounds crazy, but work out the numbers from plentiful web info...
--
Martin Hunt
Ngaio
Wellington
New Zealand
Thanks Martin. Much of the tourist literature makes so much of the Scenic
trains that a lot of tourists must end up disappointed by the service and
facilities
In Scenic European countries like Switzerland and Austria train is the
best way to see the country and they have gone out of their way to provide
a good service for tourists as well as locals.As a result the trains are
very busy. In Switzerland we can get a 15 day Swiss Pass for £202 that
covers all trains, busses, ferries and city transport plus over 400
museums. It also gives a 50% discount on cable cars and mountain railways.
Derek.

Even if New Zealand trains provided world best class facilities and
service, few locals would choose to spend the time compared to air travel,
and the local population is so small it could never be economic.