Coastal Pacific

The Coastal Pacific is a long-distance passenger train that runs between Picton and Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the TranzCoastal from 23 May 2000 until temporarily withdrawn on 15 August 2011. It was the first train to use the new AK class carriages.

The service was suspended after 14 November 2016 due to damage to the rail line from the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, but in 2018-19, ran from Saturday 1 December to Sunday 28 April. In November 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced $40 million for KiwiRail from the Provincial Growth Fund, to provide year-round service and to upgrade the Kaikoura, Blenheim and Picton stations.

The service was again suspended on 23 March 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Coastal Pacific long distance passenger service was suspended once more in December 2021. There were plans to replace it with a multi-day rail tour. On 12 April 2022 it was announced trains would resume again from 29 September 2022, as same-day services, on Thursdays to Sundays and daily between 2 February and 30 April 2023. It then next runs on 21 September 2023.