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Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour

Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour

Duration: 9 Days

Price: from NZ$4,950

Departure From: Christchurch

Departure Date: Winter 2026

Tour Type: Escorted Tour

Meal Plan: B&B and most meals

Physical Grading: 2/5

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Discover the spectacular South Island on the Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour, an unforgettable 9-day journey combining scenic rail travel, luxury coach touring, and iconic New Zealand destinations.

The Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour combines the comfort of scenic rail journeys with luxury coach travel to create an unforgettable South Island adventure. Travel aboard The Mainlander train from Christchurch to Invercargill before exploring Dunedin, Queenstown, Milford Sound, and Aoraki/Mount Cook. From dramatic alpine landscapes and pristine lakes to rich heritage and unforgettable experiences, every day reveals another highlight. With quality accommodation, expert tour hosts, and carefully planned inclusions, this 9-day tour offers a relaxed and seamless way to discover the very best of New Zealand’s spectacular South Island.

Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour Highlights

• Mainlander Train journey from Christchurch to Dunedin

• Mainlander Train journey from Dunedin to Invercargill

• Bill Richardson Transport World

• Milford Sound Day Trip & Cruise

• Takahe Sanctuary

• Lake Cruise & Walter Peak Dinner

• Mount Cook Alpine Salmon Tasting

Mainlander Train-South Rail Coach Tour
Sit back and enjoy the ever-changing landscapes aboard the iconic Mainlander Train

Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour – The included experiences you’ll love.

These are carefully crafted experiences designed to take your holiday from amazing to absolutely extraordinary on 9 enjoyable days.

Bill Richardson Transport World – Step into a world of motoring history, home to one of the largest private collections of vintage vehicles in the Southern Hemisphere. Visitors love its beautifully restored trucks, classic cars, interactive exhibits, and nostalgic displays, making it a fascinating experience for transport enthusiasts and families alike.

Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour Bill Richardson Transport World
Experience the nostalgia and craftsmanship that make Bill Richardson Transport World truly unique

Milford Sound Day Trip & Cruise – Travel through spectacular landscapes by coach and cruise, surrounded by towering fiords, cascading waterfalls and lush native rainforest. This unforgettable journey showcases some of New Zealand’s most remarkable natural beauty.

Milford-Sound-Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour
Cruise through the pristine wilderness of Milford Sound and reconnect with nature

Lake Cruise & Walter Peak Dinner – Enjoy a memorable cruise across Lake Whakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm, where a delicious buffet of local produce awaits in a charming lakeside setting. Complete your visit with a captivating farm dog show before returning to Queenstown.

TSS Earnslaw Queenstown
TSS Earnslaw steaming to Walter Peak

For a detailed itinerary, departure details, and booking conditions for your Mainlander Southern Rail and Coach Tour, please see below. Pricing is shown as per person.

Departure Date From ChristchurchPricing & Notes
7 August 2026SOLD OUT
11 September 2026SOLD OUT
18 September 2026SOLD OUT
20 November 2026$4,950 pp
27 November 2026$4,950 pp
4 December 2026$4,950 pp

Enquire Now or Click here for alternate South Island rail-based New Zealand tours.

For a shorter journey that takes in the highlights of New Zealand’s South Island coastal scenery including visits to Invercargill and Dunedin, consider the shorter Mainlander 4 day packages. Each tour has different options to be able to tailor make a unique New Zealand rail tour.

Mainlander Summer Tour – 4 Days

Mainlander Winter Package – 4 Days

Tour Inclusions

  • Four star hotel accommodation
  • 8 cooked breakfasts, 5 sumptuous dinners and 5 lunches (other lunches on your own)
  • South Island rail journeys as shown.
  • Sightseeing and entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
  • Tips and gratuities to local guides, drivers, train staff etc.
  • Air-conditioned coach transportation
  • Assistance of Tour Guide/Driver throughout your journey

Pricing Notes

  • Advertised price based on per person, twin share
  • A 20% deposit is required to secure a booking; 40% six months before your tour departs and the balance due the month before your tour departs
  • A single supplement for NZ$999 is available upon request
  • Price is subject to change unless paid in full
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Tour Itinerary

Day 1 | Christchurch - Dunedin (L,D)
Optional pre-tour accommodation is available at The Commodore Hotel, Christchurch. Registration to meet your fellow travellers and tour guides is from 8:15am at Christchurch Railway Station in Addington. Your journey begins on The Mainlander when the train departs at 9:10am on the 368 kilometre rail journey. Experience the romance of the rail as you journey between Christchurch and Dunedin on the legendary Main South Line. This sweeping seven-hour voyage carries you across the patchwork tapestries of the Canterbury Plains before meeting the dramatic edge of the South Pacific. You’ll glide past the turquoise braided waters of the Rakaia River, hug the rugged cliffs of Timaru, and pass through the ornate limestone streetscapes of Oamaru. From the comfort of your window, watch the landscape shift from vast agricultural heartlands to the rolling coastal hills of Otago, culminating in a grand arrival at the world-renowned Dunedin Railway Station a masterpiece of Victorian architecture and the perfect gateway to your southern adventure. Welcome Dinner and Tour Briefing will be held at the hotel restaurant in Dunedin at 6.30pm. Tour Guests stay at the Dunedin Leisure Lodge, A Distinction Hotel.
A leisure day in Dunedin, or take the optional Taieri Gorge train journey through historic tunnels and the Wingatui Viaduct (bookable pre-tour).
Continue south on The Mainlander along the Main South Line to Invercargill. On arrival, visit Bill Richardson Transport World — the world’s largest private collection of its type.
Full-day coach excursion into The Catlins on the Southern Scenic Route — ancient forests and rugged coastlines, including Waipapa Point Lighthouse and Nugget Point.
Coach via the Southern Scenic Route toward Fiordland — Riverton, Tuatapere and the Takitimu Mountains — with visits to Te Hikoi Museum and the Takahe Sanctuary en route to Lake Te Anau.
One of the world’s great alpine drives along the Milford Road through Eglinton Valley and the Homer Tunnel, then a memorable Milford Sound cruise to Mitre Peak and the open Tasman Sea.
Travel to Queenstown via historic Arrowtown. In the evening, cruise Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet BBQ dinner.
Coach via Wanaka and the famous Lindis Pass into the Mackenzie Basin — an “otherworldly sea of gold” between Central Otago and the Southern Alps.
Return to Christchurch via Lake Pūkaki lookout (Aoraki / Mt Cook views), Tekapo’s historic church, Geraldine and Barkers Café. Tour concludes on arrival in Christchurch.

For more information about this tour, price queries and updates on specials, please Enquire Now.