Damage from Kaikoura earthquake put New Zealand’s popular KiwiRail Coastal Pacific train on hold for two years, but this December heralds both the return of the Southern Hemisphere’s summer season and the resumption of train service along the east coast of the South Island.

The route runs between Christchurch and Picton, slipping through a gorgeous landscape that ranges from sea coast to soaring mountains. Along the six-hour journey, passengers will pass through 22 tunnels and cross 175 bridges. The train makes daily journeys throughout the summer season, extending to late April 2019. Morning departure is from Christchurch with the return journey beginning in Picton during the afternoon.

Driveway of © The Marlborough Lodge

A Flexi or Flexi Plus ticket provides the option to stop over (with no additional fee) in the wine country of Blenheim. This region is renowned for its vineyards and wineries, linked by ideal cycling country. Plan your stopover to include a night at Blenheim’s recently refurbished The Marlborough Lodge, with luxury accommodations set upon 16 acres of gardens and vineyards. The Victorian estate was designed in 1901 by Thomas Turnbull, and was originally a convent occupied by the Sisters of Mercy. Today, the estate includes an active vineyard that produces world-famous Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes that can be enjoyed in liquid form as an accompaniment to a gourmet three-course dinner in the lodge’s Harvest Restaurant dining room.