The Northern Explorer Train: A First-Timer’s Guide from Auckland to Wellington
There are quicker ways to travel between Auckland and Wellington. But then, speed rather misses the point…
The epic Northern Explorer train takes the long way through the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, covering 680 kilometres between our two biggest North Island cities. Along the way it crosses farmland, follows rivers, climbs onto the volcanic Central Plateau, negotiates one of New Zealand’s most ingenious pieces of railway engineering and eventually reaches the Kapiti Coast before arriving into Wellington. It is a full day’s journey, and that’s exactly what makes it special.
For a first-time visitor to New Zealand, the Auckland to Wellington train also offers something you don’t necessarily appreciate from a map. The North Island changes enormously from one end to the other – and travelling overland gives you the time to actually see that happen.
Here is LOCO Journey’s Northern Explorer train guide which outlines what to expect.
Northern Explorer Quick Facts
Route: Auckland to Wellington (or Wellington to Auckland)
Distance: Approximately 680 km
Journey time: Around 10 hours 40 minutes southbound
Auckland departures: Monday, Thursday and Saturday
Wellington departures: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
Travel classes: Scenic Class and Scenic Plus
Journey type: Daytime scenic rail journey
The southbound Northern Explorer currently leaves Auckland at 7.45am and arrives in Wellington at approximately 6.25pm. Travelling north, the train leaves Wellington at 7.55am and reaches Auckland at around 7.00pm. *Pease note, timetables are subject to change so always double check! But whichever direction you are travelling – north or south, it’s an early start and that allows virtually the entire journey to be travelled in daylight.
Auckland to Wellington Train History – Travelling the North Island Main Trunk
The Auckland to Wellington rail history is an important part of the Northern Explorer story and train travel in New Zealand because the railway wasn’t simply laid across convenient, flat country. Far from it. The train travels along the historic North Island Main Trunk Railway, finally completed in 1908. Connecting Auckland and Wellington by rail had taken decades of surveying, construction and some serious ingenuity as engineers tried to find a practical route through the difficult terrain of the central North Island.
Before the railway was completed, the journey was rather more complicated. In the 1890s, passengers could travel by rail as far as Taumarunui before continuing their journey by paddle steamer down the Whanganui River to connect with the lower North Island rail network. It’s difficult to imagine today, but rail and river travel once formed part of the journey between Auckland and Wellington.
That history of building the railway is still visible from the train today. Perhaps the most famous example is the Raurimu Spiral, just north of National Park. Engineers faced the problem of getting the railway onto the Central Plateau without constructing an enormous detour. Engineer Robert Holmes devised an extraordinary series of curves, tunnels and a complete spiral which allowed trains to gain the necessary height within a remarkably short distance. It remains one of New Zealand’s great feats of railway engineering. There are more.
The Makatote Viaduct rises 79 metres above the valley below and stretches for 262 metres, while farther south the railway crosses a succession of viaducts spanning the valleys and gorges around the Rangitīkei. These aren’t railway relics sitting in a museum. You travel across them. And that’s really part of the fun.
LOCO Journeys Tip: Listen out for the commentary as you approach Raurimu. From your seat it isn’t always obvious quite what the train is doing. Once you understand that the railway is looping back across itself while gaining height, the twists, tunnels and squeal of the wheels suddenly make much more sense.
Leaving Auckland and Into the Waikato
The journey begins in Auckland before gradually leaving the suburbs behind and opening out onto the broad Waikato landscape. This first part of the journey isn’t the dramatic volcanic New Zealand that will appear later in the day. Instead, expect green farmland, small communities and the productive countryside of the Waikato.
Hamilton is the first major city on the route and from there the railway continues south into the King Country. There is something rather nice about this part of the trip. You’ve had breakfast, settled into your seat and the city has disappeared. New Zealand starts to feel distinctly rural.
The train stops at Otorohanga, which can be used as a jumping-off point for Waitomo and its famous caves, before continuing south towards one of the most interesting parts of the entire journey.
The Raurimu Spiral and Central Plateau
As the railway approaches Raurimu, the land begins to rise. This is where the engineering gets clever. The Raurimu Spiral allows the train to climb approximately 139 metres onto the Central Plateau using a remarkable sequence of curves and tunnels. You may find yourself looking through the window at a section of railway and wondering whether you’ve already travelled over it. Quite possibly, you have.
Shortly afterwards the train reaches National Park and the landscape changes again. On a clear day this is one of the great sections of the Northern Explorer train journey. The volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park dominate the skyline, including Mount Tongariro, Mount Ngāuruhoe and Mount Ruapehu.
Ngāuruhoe will be instantly familiar to many Lord of the Rings fans as the mountain used to represent Mount Doom. Ruapehu, however, is difficult to upstage. At 2,797 metres it is the North Island’s highest mountain and can remain snow-covered long after winter has passed. Of course, mountains make their own weather. You aren’t guaranteed a perfect view and we wouldn’t pretend otherwise. Some days Ruapehu fills the window. On others it can disappear behind cloud remarkably quickly.
That’s New Zealand.
LOCO Journeys Tip: Don’t spend the entire journey behind the camera. The open-air viewing carriage is brilliant when the weather behaves, particularly through the Central Plateau. Take your photos, certainly, but give yourself some time just to watch. It’s very easy to realise you’ve experienced half the journey through a phone screen.
Across the Volcanic Plateau
South of National Park the railway crosses a very different New Zealand. The landscape around the Rangipo Desert is stark, open and surprisingly empty. Despite the name, it isn’t technically a desert, but its exposed tussock-covered plains can certainly feel like one. It is particularly striking in winter.
While motorists on the nearby Desert Road may be concentrating on weather and road conditions, rail passengers can simply sit back and watch the plateau roll past. The railway crosses a number of impressive viaducts in this section, including Makatote, Manganui-o-te-Ao and Hapuawhenua.
It’s a wonderful combination of natural landscape and railway engineering – and one of the reasons we think the Northern Explorer deserves to be considered as a journey rather than simply transport between Auckland and Wellington.
Ohakune and the Rangitīkei
The train continues through Ohakune, a town most New Zealanders associate with skiing, Mount Ruapehu and its famously large carrot. From here the railway begins heading into the Rangitīkei. This is another section worth watching closely.
The Rangitīkei River has carved its way through soft sandstone country, creating steep cliffs, deep valleys and distinctive river bends. The railway negotiates this landscape using another impressive collection of bridges and viaducts. Among them are the North Rangitīkei, Kaiwhatau River and South Rangitīkei viaducts. If you like railway engineering, you’ll be busy. If you couldn’t care less about railway engineering, the views are still rather good and uniquely New Zealand. Well, that’s what we think anyway!
Palmerston North to the Kapiti Coast
By Palmerston North the landscape has changed once again. The volcanic scenery is behind you and the journey begins its final run towards the coast. Eventually the Tasman Sea appears and the Northern Explorer follows the Kapiti Coast south. After a day spent travelling through the interior of the North Island, seeing the sea feels like another distinct chapter in the journey.
On a clear afternoon you may catch views towards Kapiti Island before the railway turns towards Porirua and Wellington. Arrival into Wellington is generally in the early evening, which is rather convenient. Check into your hotel, stretch your legs and head out for dinner. You’ve earned it.
Where Does the Northern Explorer Stop?
One of the advantages of the Auckland to Wellington train is that you don’t necessarily have to travel from one end of the line to the other. Several stops along the route provide access to some of the North Island’s best-known destinations.
| Station Stop | Why Stop Here? / Key Highlight |
|---|---|
| Auckland (Strand) | Departure point. Make sure you arrive with ample time. This is always an early morning departure. |
| Otorohanga | Gateway to Waitomo Glowworm Caves, or travel cross-country to Hobbiton and Rotorua. |
| Taumaranui | Explore the Forgotten World by rail cart, and Whanganui River adventures. |
| National Park | Stop for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing and views of Mount Ngāuruhoe – better known to many visitors as Mount Doom. |
| Ohakune | Mountain village base for adventure activities, including the town’s famous giant carrot. |
| Palmerston North | Transition from the central region towards the southern coast. |
| Wellington | Arrival into the capital city. The train arrives in the early evening, so be prepared to transit directly to your hotel. |
For most first-time travellers, the obvious choice is to travel on the Northern Explorer train all the way from Auckland to Wellington in one day, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But the stops along the route do open up some interesting possibilities. If your itinerary allows, one option is to travel straight through in one direction, then break the journey at places such as National Park or Ohakune on the return. Just make sure you have the time to spare. New Zealand has a lot to see, and we certainly wouldn’t recommend sacrificing your South Island adventures simply to fit in an extra stop or two.
Taumaranui offers the unique opportunity to take a rail-cart into some of New Zealand’s back country.National Park is an obvious choice if you want to spend time around Tongariro National Park or tackle the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Otorohanga provides access to Waitomo, while Ohakune makes an excellent base for exploring the Ruapehu region. This is where an Auckland to Wellington train journey can become a proper North Island rail holiday rather than simply a day on a train.
LOCO Journeys Tip: Consider Breaking Your Journey. We love the full Auckland to Wellington trip, but if you have the time, stopping for a night or two in the central North Island changes the trip completely. National Park combined with the Tongariro region is a particularly good option.
Scenic Class or Scenic Plus?
The Northern Explorer offers two quite different ways to travel.
Scenic Class
Scenic Class is the standard option and, for many travellers, gives you everything you need. The carriages have comfortable reclining seats, generous legroom and large panoramic windows. Glass shelving and skylights help open up the views and there is location-triggered audio commentary explaining the landscapes and landmarks along the route.
You also have access to the Scenic Café, where hot and cold food, snacks and drinks can be purchased throughout the journey. Scenic Class passengers also have access to the open-air viewing carriage. For photographers, or anyone who simply loves the sound and feel of travelling by train, don’t miss it. We guarantee this indoor/outdoor carriage will bring your Auckland to Wellington train journeys ALIVE!
Scenic Plus
Scenic Plus takes the journey up a level. Rather than visiting the café and purchasing food as you go, Scenic Plus provides a more hosted style of travel, with freshly prepared food and regional wines served to your seat. The carriage retains those large panoramic windows, but the service is more personal, with hosts providing commentary and sharing stories about the landscapes you’re travelling through.
So, which should you choose?
If your priority is enjoying the railway and scenery at a more affordable price, Scenic Class is an excellent way to travel. If the train journey itself is going to be one of the highlights of your New Zealand holiday and you’d like food, wine and hosting to become part of the day, Scenic Plus is worth considering. Neither is a bad choice. They’re simply two different ways to enjoy the Northern Explorer.
Is the Auckland to Wellington Train Worth It?
We think so – but not because it is the quickest way to get between the two cities. It isn’t. You can fly from Auckland to Wellington in a fraction of the time. The point of the Northern Explorer is that you see what lies between them.
The Waikato farmland. King Country. The Raurimu Spiral. Tongariro National Park. Ruapehu. The stark volcanic plateau. The Rangitīkei River country. The Kapiti Coast. Flying turns Auckland and Wellington into two separate destinations. The train joins the dots. For international visitors in particular, that’s a very different way to understand the North Island.
LOCO Journeys Tips for Travelling the Northern Explorer
After arranging plenty of New Zealand rail journeys, there are a few simple things we think make the Northern Explorer that little bit better.
Give yourself plenty of time in the morning. Aim to be at the station at least 30 minutes before departure. It’s a long and relaxed day once you’re onboard, so there’s no reason to start it with a frantic dash for the train.
Keep an extra layer handy. Even if Auckland is warm when you leave, conditions can be very different by the time you reach the Central Plateau. You’ll also appreciate another layer if you spend time in the open-air viewing carriage – which we certainly recommend you do.
Don’t pack your camera away. Some of the best scenery appears remarkably quickly, particularly around the Raurimu Spiral, Central Plateau and Rangitīkei. Keep your phone or camera somewhere easy to reach rather than buried in your luggage.
Dip into the commentary. You don’t need to spend ten hours listening to every word, but it is worth using around the key sections of the journey. Knowing why the train is twisting around Raurimu or what you’re crossing when you reach one of the enormous viaducts makes the scenery much more interesting.
Spend some time in the open-air carriage. The panoramic windows from your seat are excellent, but the viewing carriage gives you a completely different sense of the journey. You hear the train working, feel the change in temperature as you climb and get an unobstructed view for photographs.
And one final suggestion: don’t automatically treat Wellington as the end of your rail journey.
If you have the time, stay a couple of nights in the capital before crossing Cook Strait and continuing south on the Coastal Pacific. From Christchurch, you can then connect with the TranzAlpine and cross the Southern Alps to the West Coast. What started as an Auckland to Wellington train journey can very easily become a rail adventure through much of New Zealand.
Is the Northern Explorer Train Right for Your New Zealand Holiday?
If you’re simply looking for the fastest way from Auckland to Wellington, fly. But if you have a day to spare and would rather see some of the country you’re travelling through, the Northern Explorer train is a very different proposition.
It’s not just the headline sights (Ruapehu, the Raurimu Spiral or the great viaducts) that make the journey worthwhile. It’s watching Auckland gradually disappear, seeing the countryside change through the Waikato and King Country, crossing the volcanic plateau and eventually catching sight of the sea again on the Kapiti Coast. You get a much better sense of just how varied the North Island is.
At LOCO Journeys, we can book the Northern Explorer as a straightforward one-way rail journey, include a stopover along the way, or build it into a longer New Zealand rail holiday with accommodation, activities and other scenic rail journeys. If you’re not sure how best to fit the Northern Explorer into your New Zealand itinerary, send us your plans. And yes, even if you’ve been chatting to AI and already have the beginnings of a New Zealand rail itinerary don’t be embarrassed, we won’t be offended! Send it through. We’ll take a look at the journey as a whole, add a little expert human expertise and help turn those ideas into an itinerary that actually works. Sometimes the best New Zealand itineraries start with a very simple idea: Take the train.
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