- Route
- Picton ↔ Christchurch
- Distance
- about 350 km
- Audio stories
- 26
- In the app
- Both directions · Works offline
Watch the journey
A short film of the line — the views the guide narrates as they pass your window. English captions in the player.
Route map
Tap to explore the full route.
The route in text
- Route
- Picton ↔ Christchurch, New Zealand
- Distance
- about 350 km
- Audio stories
- 26, narrated in both directions of travel, fully offline
- On the map
- Illustrated route map of the Coastal Pacific with stations, distances, and journey highlights. Station names and distance markers are printed on the map itself.
About this journey
Trace New Zealand's dramatic east coast aboard the Coastal Pacific between Picton and Christchurch. The line runs where the Southern Alps meet the Pacific — past the seal colonies and whale waters of Kaikōura, the Marlborough vineyards, and a coastline that rose from the sea in the 2016 earthquake.
Stops along the way
The stations the narration is keyed to, in order (toward christchurch). Timetables and stops change; check the operator before you book.
- Picton
- Blenheim
- Kaikōura
- Rangiora
- Christchurch
Highlights and which side to look
A few of the 26 narrated sights, toward christchurch, with the side of the train they appear on. See every sight, both directions.
| Distance from start | Sight | Look |
|---|---|---|
| 64 km (40 mi) | Lake Grassmere: The Pink Salt Lake | Right side |
| 120 km (75 mi) | The Clarence Coast: First Sight of the Sea | Left side |
| 135 km (84 mi) | Ōhau Point: The Seals That Came Back | Left side |
| 138 km (86 mi) | Nin's Bin: Crayfish by the Sea | Left side |
| 180 km (112 mi) | The Cliff Coast: Riding the Edge | Left side |
| 285 km (177 mi) | Waipara: The Limestone Wine Country | Right side |
How the app works on this route
- Stories are triggered by GPS as you reach each place, so nothing depends on a signal or a timetable.
- Every story has a version for each direction of travel, and the narration says which side to look.
- Download the journey once at home; everything then works offline, including photos and the route map.
- The first three stories are free to listen to in the app before you buy.
- Narration keeps playing with the phone locked, so you can watch the window instead of the screen.
Questions about the Coastal Pacific
- Which side of the Coastal Pacific should I sit on?
- Toward Christchurch: 2 on the right, 4 on the left, 20 on either side. The app tells you which way to look for every story as it plays, so either seat works; the full list for both directions is in the window guide.
- Does the audio guide work without signal?
- Yes. Download the Coastal Pacific once at home and every story, photo and map works offline for the whole ride. Stories are triggered by GPS, which needs no signal.
- Does it work in both directions?
- Yes. Every story has a version for each direction of travel, and "left" and "right" are given relative to the way your train is moving.
- Can I try it before buying?
- Yes. The first three stories of the Coastal Pacific are free to listen to in the app, with their photos. The full journey is a one-time $4.99 purchase, or the Rail Journeys Pass ($29.99, one-time) covers every journey, including future ones, for life.
Sources
Route distance (about 350 km): the operator's published figure, rounded — greatjourneysnz.com. Stops and sights: the app's own route data, as rendered in the window guide.
