Two new rail-based tourism packages will see the Northern Explorer regularly stop at Taumarunui and help bring more visitors into the Ruapehu region.

Great Journeys New Zealand is offering 10 short break packages and multi-day tours, which include travel on our three scenic trains, accommodation and regional tourism experiences, as well as 12 fully guided multi-day tours.

Two of the packages, in the Ruapehu Region, will use Taumarunui station as their disembarking point.

“Great Journeys New Zealand’s new offerings will showcase the regions and help our tourism industry recover from the impacts of Covid-19 border closures. With the growing tourism interest around Taumarunui, we are excited to announce the Northern Explorer will now have a scheduled stop at Taumarunui Station,” KiwiRail’s General Manager Scenic Journeys Tracey Goodall says.

“Our packages are about getting domestic and international travellers off the beaten track and out into the regions to really experience what New Zealand has to offer. As part of this we have been working closely with Visit Ruapehu and local providers to develop two packages centred around the Forgotten World.”

“The first - Escape to the Forgotten World – includes a half-day rail cart tour and a visit to a lavender farm on the banks on the Whanganui River, travelling on the Northern Explorer from either Auckland or Wellington.

“The second – Forgotten World Adventure – is a multi-day stay in the regions, with a two-day rail cart tour along the entire Forgotten World railway from Okahukura to Stratford, an overnight stay in the unique Republic of Whangamomona, three nights in Taumarunui and time to visit the King Country.

“Beyond our own packages, Taumarunui is also a gateway to other key attractions. For example, the Timber Trail Great Ride attracts around 20,000 walkers and cyclists a year and the Whanganui River Journey Great Walk attracts around 4,000 people a year. The Northern Explorer offers another way to get to these attractions and add to the travel experience.

“I would like to thank Visit Ruapehu and the Ruapehu District Council for their local expertise and ongoing support and look forward to continue working with them and regional tourism operators to expand our Great Journeys New Zealand packages and bring more visitors into the Ruapehu region”.

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton says that Taumarunui has been looking forward to this day for a long time.

“Both tourism operators and residents alike are very excited about rail services resuming. The return of the iconic Northern Explorer to Taumarunui will be a huge boost to the township and our visitor industry, and we expect the service to be very well supported.”

Jo Kennedy, Visit Ruapehu General Manager, adds “we are delighted to be working closely with Great Journeys NZ to develop an increasing range of packages designed to attract visitors to the region and entice them to spend longer and do more in Our Greater Outdoors whilst travelling more sustainably on the train!”

The Escape to the Forgotten World and Forgotten World Adventure packages can be booked from today (16 November), along with Great Journeys New Zealand’s other packages and tours.

Prior to the packages, Taumarunui was not a scheduled stop for the Northern Explorer but it would stop if 10 or more people wanted to get on or off the train. Taumarunui will become a scheduled Northern Explorer stop from 4 December.

Great Journeys New Zealand’s wider suite of short trip packages, multi-day and fully guided tours are available at:

https://www.greatjourneysnz.com/

Packages and tours can be booked through our website or via our Travel Centre:

travelcentre@greatjourneysnz.com

0800 872 467

Packages will be available any days the Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific, and TranzAlpine scenic trains are running. Tours will be available from 13 January 2023.

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