Choose a New Zealand Train With a Can't-Miss Culinary Experience

"The operator runs curated, all-inclusive rail-and-land itineraries that emphasize regional food and wine provenance, pairing meals with the exact landscapes traversed. The newly introduced Scenic Plus carriage features airy cabins with high ceilings, Indigenous decorative carvings and table sculptures by Māori artists, and printed menus that list the specific farms, fisheries and vineyards supplying each dish. Trips combine train travel with intermittent boats and buses, plus overnight stays at four- and five-star hotels and on-the-ground adventures (jetboating, whale watching, cloud-forest birding). There are no sleeper cars; passengers disembark nightly, and a week-long Epicurean-style route departing the capital showcases local specialties (from smoked greenshell mussels and braised lamb shoulder to regionally paired Pinot Noir) as part of a meticulously staged experience priced around 11,000 NZD." - Brad Japhe