South Island's TranzAlpine train celebrates 30 years as poster child for Kiwi tourism

November 1, 2017

The train service carries almost 120,000 passengers each year.

The TranzAlpine train through the Southern Alps has been referred to as a provincial Kiwi icon, and a poster child for our tourism industry in both winter and summer, and it's turning 30.

It carries almost 120,000 passengers a year, among who have been John Travolta, Kate Winslet and a list of All Blacks.

Even Homer and Bart Simpson caught it to pay homage to the giant donut in Canterbury's Springfield.

It's also travelled almost five million kilometres.

Three of the TranzAlpine train managers, with a combined 53 years of service, are still amazed by the the beauty of the mountain route.

"I'm proud to work out here and show the visitors and the locals my work place," past manager Willy says.

"2000 trips to and from the coast. I know most of them [the routes].

"Mind you the on track boys are pretty good, they have ironed out most of the bumps so a plug for the boys."

And the track it takes is still captivating tourists and Kiwis alike after three decades of being in operation.

"We can tick this off the bucket list definitely, one big tick," TranzAlpine passenger Dorothy said.

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