The Overlander is saved....but with conditions.

The Overlander train service has been saved.Due to have it's final run on Saturday 30 September, owner Toll New Zealand has decided at the last minute to keep the 98 year old train service going and to upgrade it, aiming it at tourists and New Zealanders. The Overlander will operate on a reduced timetable, between Auckland and Wellington.From the weekend of 6-8 October 2006 through to mid December 2006, it will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday.From mid December 2006 through to Easter 2007, the service will run seven days a week, then back to three days a week during winter. If the Overlander had been withdrawn from service, it would've been the end of long distance train travel in the North Island after 98 years.The Northerner which used to travel between Auckland and Wellington overnight, was withdrawn from service in 2004. Since the announcement in July, that the Overlander was going to be axed, the trains have been fully booked. New Zealand has had many iconic long distance train journeys that have faded into our rail history.These were:

• The Kaimai Express, which operated from 9 December 1991 until 7 October 2001, travelled between Auckland and Tauranga using the iconic Silver Fern rail-cars.
• The Geyserland Express, which also operated during the same period and also used the Silver Fern rail-cars, travelled between Auckland and Rotorua.
• The Bay Express, operated from 11 December 1989 until 7 October 2001, travelled between Wellington and Napier.
• The Southerner, operated from 1 December 1970 until 10 February 2002, travelled between Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin.
• The Northerner, operated from 3 November 1975 until 11 November 2004, was New Zealand's only over-night train, which travelled between Wellington and Auckland.

The South Island has the award-winning TranzAlpine, which travels between Christchurch and Greymouth, and the TranzCoastal(formerly known as the CoastalPacific), which travels between Christchurch and Picton. Wellington has two services.The Capital Connection, which departs Monday to Friday between Palmerston North and Wellington, and the Wairarapa Connection, which departs seven days a week between Wellington and Masterton. Lets hope that once the Overlander is upgraded and marketed properly, it wont become just a memory of our rail history.It may take 12 hours to make it's way from Wellington and Auckland(or Auckland and Wellington), but it is well worth the trip.You get to see some of the most amazing scenery that you won't see travelling in a car or a bus.And definately not in a plane either(Sorry Air New Zealand and Qantas).You also get to experience two of the most amazing engineering feats- The Mokahine Viaduct and the Raurimu Spiral. To make a booking, or for more information, check out http://www.tranzscenic.co.nz or phone 0800 TRAINS.