LOCO Journeys Blog

Take a read of LOCO Journeys blog for latest news, an interesting article, or just take a moment to read and dream of your next rail adventure. #liveloco

New Zealand Steam Railways – Our Top 12

Date: 19th July 2023

Any rail holiday to New Zealand would not be complete without visiting one of our famed New Zealand steam railways. New Zealand has a great number of heritage railways in both the north and south island that provide a glimpse into the country’s rich railway history.


10 Iconic Australian Rail Journeys

Date: 19th March 2023

It’s north to south, east to west of ever-changing landscapes, culture and people. There are many ways to see Australia, but there’s only one way to do it with ease and in comfort. Here’s 10 iconic Australian rail journeys.


12 Great TranzAlpine Tour Destinations

Date: 22nd December 2022

There are a host of exciting TranzAlpine tour destinations you can head to once you have completed your TranzAlpine train journey.  Take a read for LOCO’s favourite dozen.


The TranzAlpine Train New Zealand

Date: 8th December 2022

Welcome to your complete guide to travelling on the TranzAlpine train New Zealand, the famous scenic train Christchurch to Greymouth. Take a read through LOCO Journeys all-inclusive overview to be inspired and plan for the best train journey New Zealand has to offer.


TranzAlpine Train Food – Lunch in Greymouth

Date: 6th December 2022

For many travellers TranzAlpine train food is an important part of their day, particularly if you are enjoying a day return TranzAlpine train journey from Christchurch. Here are the details you need to know.


New Zealand’s Trans Alpine Train

Date: 27th November 2021

What’s in a name? The TranzAlpine Train or Trans Alpine Train? Established as a tourist scenic journey since 1987, NZ’s premier rail journey enjoys fame across the world.

TranzAlpine Train or Trans Alpine Train, what do you prefer and does it really matter?


5 Outstanding NZ Train Journeys

Date: 21st October 2021

The magic of NZ train holidays lives strong and is a great choice for any traveller wishing to journey the length and breadth of New Zealand. Read on to find our top 5.


NZ Rail Tours – A Short History

Date: 20th September 2021

With a recorded history of near on 150 years, NZ rail tours have long been a part of New Zealand’s tourism landscape. In this article we aim to tell the story of how the idea of a New Zealand rail tour evolved and developed to what we know today.


Great New Zealand Rail Journeys

Date: 6th September 2021

For an experience that is hard to repeat, the chance to travel on one of the scenic New Zealand rail journeys is an opportunity not to be missed.


New Zealand Festivals by Rail – Our Top 8

Date: 23rd January 2021

It’s festival season New Zealand, so the team here at LOCO Journeys wanted to get you thinking a little differently as to how you can enjoy these great events. Whether it is a celebration of food, wine, beer or music, take some train trips NZ, and experience something absolutely new!


Unforgettable TranzAlpine Stopovers

Date: 1st December 2020

A half-day journey of such wonder like the TranzAlpine train should be enjoyed and savoured. To extend your experience, think about lengthening your Christchurch to Greymouth train trip by breaking your journey and enjoy a couple of the tremendous stops along the way.


The Famous Raurimu Spiral

Date: 4th November 2020

You will often find that man-made features such as viaducts spanning bottomless gorges can often only be fully appreciated standing some distance away watching from a viewing point.

The Raurimu Spiral, however, is best experienced on board the Northern Explorer train as you are placed right into the visionary mind of engineer Robert Holmes. Read more in our latest blog.


The Railway Children

Date: 30th October 2020

LOCO Journeys is very proud to introduce The Railway Children initiative.

Our vision is to offer countless opportunities for children to enjoy an adventurous and memorable journey by rail.

Read our latest blog for more information about our initiative.


Coastal Pacific Memories

Date: 15th October 2020

In our latest blog, LOCO Journeys Rob Burnell recalls a trip on the Coastal Pacific – one part of an epic overland journey from Auckland to Christchurch.


3 Amazing Train Trips

Date: 14th September 2020

There are some incredible train trips to travel on around the world. Wonderful, scenic rail journeys of discovery. Check out 3 of the best.

A diary note says it all – “As good as it gets”. Living, enjoying and simply soaking in the moments. Yes, a railway journey can have this effect.


4 Reasons Why Rail Travel is More Important Than Ever

Date: 9th August 2020

We live in new times. When we founded LOCO Journeys, no one could have imagined the challenges the world faces today, and yet we’re certain there is hope for the future, particularly when travelling by train.


NZ Train Holidays – 5 Great Stops

Date: 26th July 2020

New Zealand is blessed with countless great rail destinations open and ready for you to explore. In fact, there’s an overflowing bounty of places to stop and soak up the local vibe.

Here’s LOCO Journeys lowdown on 5 of the best that can be reached by train.


TranzAlpine Train Memories

Date: 25th June 2020

In our latest blog LOCO Journeys intrepid track bashing rail-guru, David Burnell recalls a recent trip on the marvelous TranzAlpine rail journey.

“This is one of the great railway journeys of the world. And that isn’t a cliché.”


5 Things to Know About The Ghan

Date: 26th March 2020

A great many tourists have become ordinary tick-box robots travelling on auto-pilot, moving from one bucket list target to the next. The Ghan is not for them! This great Australian rail journey has to be one of the best examples of getting on the ground and travelling the land. Between Darwin and Adelaide precisely, this 2,979km train journey will allow you to see the middle of Australia unadorned.


5 Great Australian Rail Adventures

Date: 4th November 2018

With your future holiday choices in mind, LOCO Journeys has produced a short video introducing five of the best Australian rail trips you should consider enjoying.


20 Great Train Journeys

Date: 19th June 2018

Most train journeys serve a functionary purpose and take you from A to B.  Some are fast, some are slow.  Some will traverse urban sprawl, others will take you through beautiful countryside. Then there are those great rail journeys that take their passengers to exotic landscapes and spirit you away to other worlds – ones in which glamour, elegance and the romance of rail’s golden age lives on. Here is 20 of the best.


Travelling 5 Lesser Known Rail Journeys

Date: 19th May 2018

The chances are we can all name five, possibly ten popular rail journeys that have acquired global fame and that feature highly on personal must do lists. So here’s five that you possibly haven’t heard of and maybe one day would like to try.


Riding The Ghan

Date: 28th February 2018

There is a mysterious appeal about The Ghan. Its reputation precedes it as a transcontinental rail trip of legendary status, a trip of a lifetime. But what is the journey really like as you disappear into Australia’s infamous outback, travelling from coast to coast. Read on for a deeper insight into what makes The Ghan the king of Australia train trips.


The Romance of Rail

Date: 15th February 2018

As many of us bathed in the warm fuzzy glow of Valentines Day this week, the team at LOCO Journeys thought it appropriate to reflect on the fabled romance of rail and just why travelling by train is considered romantic.


The Great Little Trains of Wales Explained

Date: 20th June 2017

The Great Little Trains of Wales offer a jolly good day out – in fact, multiple good days out. LOCO Journeys has a number of Rail-Fan tours and Classic Journeys that take in some the premier Great Little Train of Wales. Find out more here.


Trans-Mongolian Railway Memories; Mongolia to China

Date: 28th May 2017

The Trans-Mongolian railway is about as epic as any rail journey gets. At over 6,000 kilometres and at least 6 days long, some would struggle to refer to it as a rail holiday but it certainly is one hell of a a rail adventure and absolutely an experience of a lifetime. Who’s got the bucket list? Tick!


The Night Train

Date: 9th March 2017

In our unparalleled modern times, you can reach most places in less than a day by high speed train.  In days gone by, however, a night on a European sleeper train was an experience in itself. Travelling across Europe on a night train has fed many imaginative mind, including, of course Agatha Christie’s.


What’s behind the Romance of a Rail Journey?

Date: 23rd February 2017

Rail travel is infinitely enjoyable, certainly romantic, and we’re sure that when travelling to one of our incredible worldwide destinations with LOCO Journeys you will have a terrific time.  But as you gently lapse into the relaxing and agreeable monotony of listening to train wheels taking you ever closer to your destination, and whilst you gaze out and soak up the unlimited landscapes that sail past, just take a moment to acknowledge those that made your rail journey possible.


The Perfect Train Ride (almost)

Date: 15th January 2017

Enjoy this short story as told by our resident rail guru, David Burnell recounting his trip aboard the legendary Swiss mountain rail journey, the Bernina Express.


The Zen of Train Journeys

Date: 15th November 2016

Most rail journeys are ones of necessity usually to and from work, often on overcrowded subways or commuter trains. These train journeys can be uncomfortable and spent staring at your shoes or if you’re unlucky, into someone’s armpit! But for some rail journeys, there are zen moments to experience.


Welcome to LOCO Journeys

Date: 25th March 2015

It’s been a hard slog, but we’re underway; LOCO Journeys has a new website, locojourneys.co.nz We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, but simply get it turning and open minds in how they travel the world.