Terms and Frequently Asked Questions
View our terms and conditions and find the answers to commonly asked questions below.
If you need any further help please do not hesitate to contact our central reservations
on +64 3 379 1451.
You can also email us your question if you would prefer to sales@traintickets.co.nz
Do You Offer Discounted Fares?
Yes. We offer three fare types with different terms and conditions to suit the different
needs of both domestic and international travellers. These are summarised below.
Flexi-Saver Fares
Flexi-Saver fares are fully transferable and fully refundable up until 30 days
prior to the scheduled departure time of the service. After this time no refund
applies.
Flexi-fares are an ideal choice for those customers that do not want to be tied
down to a fixed timetable, and want the flexibility of being able to change their
travel plans at short notice.
Super-Saver Fares
Super-Saver fares are non-transferable and non-refundable. They are only valid for
the services stated on the ticket and are not able to be changed or cancelled.
Super-Saver fares are an ideal choice for those customers that are travelling on
a fixed timetable, and that want a cheaper alternative to the flexi-saver fare.
Ultra-Saver Fares
Ultra-Saver fares are our special promotional fare type and are only offered on
a very limited basis. These fares are sold on the same basis as super-saver fares.
i.e They are only valid for the services stated on the ticket and are not able to
be changed or cancelled.
All fares are sold subject to the general terms and conditions of carriage of TranzScenic.
Do You Offer Special Fares For Seniors?
Yes, we offer senior fares for passengers over 60 years of age. These are available
on every train trip. A Seniors Card is not required but proof of age may be requested
at check-in.
Do You Offer Special Fares For Tertiary Students?
Yes, we offer student fares full time NZ students. These are available on every
train trip. Please Note: Student photo ID may be requested at check-in.
Do You Carry Unaccompanied Children?
No. The train is unable to carry passengers under the age of 14 unless an adult
of 15 years or over accompanies them.
Do I Receive a GST Invoice?
Yes, the e-ticket sent to you is an Inland Revenue-approved tax invoice.
How Long Does the Journey Take?
The journey time from Christchurch to Greymouth on our train is 4 1/2 hours.
What Time Does the Train Leave From Christchurch? Greymouth?
The Tranz Alpine makes a trip from Christchurch to Greymouth and back to Christchurch
in a single day. Please click here to view the timetable.
When Should I Arrive at the Station?
You need to be waiting at the station at least 30 minutes prior to the departure
time.
How Do I Make an Online Booking?
Booking online is a simple 4-step process:
- Enter your travel requirements in the search panel.
- Select a travel time and fare type that best meets your needs.
- Enter your contact and passenger details.
- Enter your payment details.
Your e-tickets will be emailed to you immediately after your credit card details
have been verified and processed.
How Do I Change or Cancel an Online Booking?
Please call our Central Reservations Centre on 0800 500 660 or email sales@traintickets.co.nz
Please be aware that any changes must be made prior to the time of departure, and
that some fare types are non-transferable and non-refundable.
How Far In Advance Can I Book?
In general you are able to book six months in advance.
What Happens if I Book the Wrong Passenger Fare?
Tranz Scenic may reassess at check-in the classification of passenger type (adult,
child, infant, senior or tertiary student) if this cannot be verified at check-in.
What Happens if There Are Service Delays or Cancellations?
Departure times are not guaranteed and schedules are subject to change. We will
not be liable for any loss suffered as a result of a service departing/arriving
before or after the scheduled time or being cancelled altogether.
We advise passengers to obtain their own travel insurance to cover delays, changes
or cancellations, and to insure all vehicles, luggage and personal items.
What is my Luggage Allowance?
Passengers may check-in two items of luggage per person, up to a size of 200 linear
cm (height plus length plus width) and weighing up to 20kg each. Baggage over 30kg's
will not be accepted, your baggage will need to be repacked to meet the 20kg per
item limit.
How About Hand Baggage and Sporting Equipment?
Small hand baggage can be taken onboard as personal hand luggage and at the owner's
risk. Hand baggage that is obstructing passenger areas will be moved to the baggage
van.
Equipment such as surfboards, canoes and bicycles can be carried for a small charge
of $10 per item.
Can I Take my Pet on the Train?
No, you can only take guide dogs in the company of blind persons and / or a guide
dog trainer. There is no charge for a guide dogs.
Can I Carry Hazardous Substances, Dangerous Goods, Arms and Munitions
Generally the Carrier will not accept Hazardous Goods for carriage. If the Carrier
in its absolute discretion does accept Hazardous Goods for carriage, they are carried
subject to these Conditions and the following special conditions:
- Prior arrangement must be made with the Carrier for the carriage of Hazardous Goods;
- The Sender of Hazardous Goods must supply the Carrier with any declaration required
by the Carrier or by any Other Law;
- The Hazardous Goods must be packed, labelled and loaded in accordance with any Other
Law applicable to the carriage of Hazardous Goods and in accordance with the Carrier's
guidelines and any applicable code of practice;
- The Sender must mark each receptacle or container containing Hazardous Goods or
document relating to Hazardous Goods with the correct technical name of the Hazardous
Goods and identify each receptacle or container with a distinctive label or stencil
which makes its hazardous nature obvious;
What is Your Smoking Policy
Tranz Scenic trains are strictly non-smoking. You may not smoke anywhere onboard the train.
What is Your Security Policy?
Our online booking system uses internationally accepted Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
technology to protect your details. Once you have chosen your desired travel
and have reached the Enter Passenger Details page you will notice a padlock symbol
on the bottom right side of your web browser. This indicates a secure connection
between your web browser and our web server.
From this point in the booking process, any data passed between your web browser
and our server will be encoded to form a secure information tunnel. This includes
of course your credit card details. Our server, in turn, has a high level of security
attached to it when it verifies your payment details.
What is Your Privacy Policy?
We are committed to protecting the confidentiality of information we collect and
hold. Consequently, we have adopted the following policies to safeguard your personal
information and that of our customers. This Policy Statement reflects the requirements
of New Zealand's Privacy legislation, and the 12 Principles this embodies.
The collection and use of personal information is limited to what is necessary to
administer our business, provide customers with the highest quality service, and
offer opportunities we think will be of value to customers. We do not disclose any
individual information to other organisations, unless authorised by the individual
concerned.
We may on occasions collect personal information from visitors to our site on a
voluntary basis. Such personal information may include name, title, company, address,
phone number, e-mail address, etc. This individual information is used to process
transactions initiated by our customers or for marketing our products, events and/or
services, or market research by a third party. We do not sell, rent or transmit
personal information to other organisations. When such data is voluntarily provided
it may also be used to help us refine or customise our website to better meet customer
needs. The intention is to ensure that site visitors only see data that they are
entitled or wish to see. In other words it allows us to protect the privacy and
commercial confidentiality of data derived from our normal business transactions
while also meeting the needs of site visitors.
When personal information is provided to us it is secured on a separate server with
restricted access. Only designated employees or technical support agents who need
to carry out legitimate business functions are permitted to view your personal data.
Employees or agents who violate our privacy policies are subject to disciplinary
actions, up to and including termination.
Our Web server does not automatically recognise or capture information regarding
the e-mail address of any visitor to our website. The server does however collect
originating domain and visitor activity on the site - what pages are accessed, the
duration of visits, and what paths are followed within the site. This information
is only available to staff in an aggregated form.
Because we consider the individual information we maintain to be confidential, our
policy is to disclose no personal information to third parties unless release is
required by law or is pertinent to judicial or government investigations or proceedings.