Northern Explorer: Scenic Train Auckland - Wellington

My wife and I travelled the Northern Explorer (Plus) train from Aukland to Wellington on a Monday. What a fantastic experience! From the moment we arrived at the station and boarded our carriage, until we completed our trip in Wellington, we were lavished with delicious and quality food from around the region, which was delivered with much ado from the 'Plus' team. The team were very friendly and nothing was too much effort. Special shout-out to Tia (😁) who was always ready with a fun antidote about the food he was serving or about his 'backyard' where he lives (north of Palmerston North). The scenery is everything you'd expect of New Zealand; in short its just stunning. If you'd like a leisurely paced tourist trip of NZ's North Island, then this is the trip for you! Highly recommended ⭐️

We took the Northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington for a day’s journey through the heart of the North Island of Aotearoa — and what a ride it was. The landscape unfolded like a moving postcard: rolling hills, dense forests, open plains, and skies that seemed to shift through all four seasons in a single day. From the comfort of the train, there was time to work (the Wi-Fi held up well), read, or simply watch the world glide by. The food was delicious, the service warm and attentive, and the open-air deck offered both fresh air and a closer connection to the land. A truly memorable way to travel New Zealand.

I did the Scenic Plus from Wellington to Auckland. A long journey but what a great experience. 7 courses served made up of local ingredients plus a choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages throughout. I was a solo traveller but they let me move so I had a four seat table to myself. The service from the team (Dawn, Mel, Jamie, and the chef) was exemplary. The weather was on our side and the journey was very scenic. A special shoutout to Dawn whose jokes, anecdotes, and stories kept everyone on board entertained. She topped off a great experience. Not cheap but great value for money particularly considering the cost of rail in my own country (UK).

The train itself is good. comfortable enough. the rear open sided viewing platforms is fun. We were left standing on the cold windy Wellington platform for a long time before they started loading the bags onto the train. But the food in the cafe car is crap and very expensive. the train manager was quite rude to a number of other travelers ( large man on the Wellington to Auckland service 29 Jan 2025 ) the rest of the crew were nice. personally, I don't think the North Island scenery has any think on the south islands majesty.

Absolutely 5-star, or even 6-star. There are amazing scenery along the way, foods and drinks are served almost every two hours and generally are tasty. The crew is very friendly, supportive and professional. They really know how to deal with everything that can happens along the journey, and even know how to cheer the crowd up. Riding in this train is not 100% smooth as there are small bumpies here and there, but for me it simply add some niche to the feeling that I am travelling through a historical, classic route. There are complimentary Wi-Fi onboard so you will not feel boring for any moment, and actually the beautiful landscape outside will take your attention to the extent that you will not need the internet much. Must-try experience and the best way to see the North Island. And just a small note: travelling from Wellington to Auckland may be preferable, as a major of the scenic landscape are close to Wellington than Auckland, so departing from Wellington will allow you to see the main attractions sooner.

Friendly service, but the train interior needs updating. The food portions were quite small (I would have preferred twice the amount and my partner 3 times), and the scenery didn't impress; the drive from Wellington to Auckland offered much more enjoyable views. $519 dollars per person and they didn’t deliver.

Amazing trip down to National Park from Auckland. Great having the commentary as you travel down. Seats are spacious and roomy. Cafe has a good selection of snacks and drinks, anything hot is a microwave job but fine, had the pancakes! Ticket was just the standard so can’t comment on the plus experience. Outdoor carriage is awesome for photos but can get busy at points. Look forward to doing again and travelling all way to Welly.

Our trip from Wellington to Auckland in March 2025 was really great. The views from the cabins are great and there is an outside viewing car you can go to as well. Food was excellent and the staff in Scenic Plus (especially the hosts, Dawn and Jaiden, and the chef) were really excellent - with interesting stories and history to relate, amazing ability to balance a tray of drinks in a moving train and just friendly and helpful attitudes. We loved the train ride.