Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 31, 2021

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 of New Zealand division of KiwiRail. It was called the TranzCoastal from May 2000 until temporarily withdrawn in February 2011.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 Kaikoura 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. A resumption date of 13 October 2020 was announced, though it only runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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