When I was planning my trip to New Zealand while I was in South Korea, I chose the TranzAlpine (train) to travel from Christchurch to Greymouth, and it was seriously a life-changing experience 😅

At first, I was planning to just take a regular flight. It’s quick and easy. But then a friend there told me, “You absolutely have to ride the TranzAlpine,” and that piqued my interest a little.

To be honest, I thought, “Four and a half hours by train? That’s way too long,” lol. But when I looked it up, all the reviews said the scenery as you cross the Southern Alps is absolutely amazing. If you take a plane, you only see it from above, but on the train, you can see the mountains and rivers up close.

So, when I actually rode it... the view was so breathtaking I was truly speechless ✨ It was fascinating to see the scenery outside the window change by the minute, and the four and a half hours flew by.

The mountainous area around Arthur's Pass was especially amazing. The contrast between the snow-capped mountains and the green pastures, and the views from angles you could never see unless you were on the train. There are also observation cars, so you can experience nature up close.

Also, there were passengers from all over the world, and it was interesting to see everyone marveling at the same scenery. I even chatted with an elderly German gentleman sitting next to me about the view—you don’t get encounters like that on a plane, do you?

What I realized from this experience was the mindset of enjoying travel time not as “wasted time” but as “part of the journey.” When flying, I used to think only about reaching my destination, but when traveling by train, the journey itself becomes a sightseeing experience.

Since then, I’ve generally opted to travel by land within New Zealand. You can enjoy the scenery even on the bus, and it’s easier to strike up conversations with locals. It takes longer, but I feel like that makes the trip all the more meaningful.

Actually, rather than rushing to the next place, taking the time to really savor each spot ends up creating more lasting memories. Thanks to riding the TranzAlpine, I’ve switched to that style of travel.

If anyone’s planning a trip to New Zealand, you should definitely ride the TranzAlpine if you have the time. It’s more expensive and takes longer than flying, but it’s totally worth it. It’s not just about the scenery—it’ll change the way you think about travel, too 🤣