TranzAlpine Raiway, NZ

The TranzAlpine train journey travels a spectacular route from Christchurch to Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand,
It\'s perhaps the most scenic train ride in New Zealand, and one of the most scenic train trips anywhere in the world. The TranzAlpine, run by New Zealand train operator Tranz Scenic, runs once daily between Christchurch, Arthur\'s Pass and Greymouth on the South Island\'s west coast, through the amazing misty mountain scenery of the Southern Alps. The journey takes 4½ hours, and if you like you can go there and back in a day with an hour in Greymouth.
From Christchurch it crosses the patchwork farmland of the Canterbury plains, follow the Waimakariri river, climbing into alpine scenery on a series of spectacular viaducts. Then, after stopping at Arthur\'s Pass, emerge from the long Otira Tunnel and descend through sub tropical rain forest past beautiful Lake Brunner and on to Greymouth.