As I reported on previously, there are parts of the North Island main trunk line that I had not ridden in daylight and wanted to see. I was also interested in whether the experience has changed much since the threat of imminent shut-down had been removed from the passenger train service.

Since the last time, almost 2 years ago, there has been a number of changes. First the outcry over the threatened closure ensured that the service was retained. Then more recently the Government announced it had purchased back the trains (passenger and freight) thus completing the full circle since privatisation a couple of decades ago that began with the buy-back of the tracks a few years ago.

I had a short period where I had to remain in NZ while some visas where added to my passport. Restless as ever, I decided to ride the rails once more.

I assumed the on-time performance was still poor and thus I knew I could not take the train and fly to complete the full round trip in a day. I saw that I could fly to Palmerston North and take the train back to Auckland in a day - but that relies on no fog or significant delay to the first flight down, and in any case airfares on the flight are not that cheap as it is popular due to connecting well with several longhaul flights. Alternatively, I could take the train to Palmerston North and then fly back to Auckland in a day. However, that was even riskier as it relied on the train not being too late into Palmerston North.

So, I opted to have an overnight in Wellington and train the full way. I noticed a sale on for the train, which coincided with a sale airfare and cheap off-peak accommodation (another sale) - the total cost was only a little more than a round trip airfare ^ The fare availability and schedules worked best for me to take the train northbound - Wellington to Auckland it is. This is my fifth transport provider on the route this year, for I have flown Air New Zealand, Qantas and Pacific Blue between Auckland and Wellington as well as been driven.