Luggage
You are entitle to check in 2 suitcases with a maximum weight of 30kgs per person and not exceeding 200 linear cm (height plus length plus width). If traveling from overseas, luggage allowance will be the luggage allowance of your international airline ticket.

Each fare paying passenger can take one small hand bag and/or personal items such as camera, coat, etc, on board a train and Interislander ferry. Passengers are responsible for all carry on luggage. Any hand luggage which is obstructing passenger areas of a carriage will be removed to the Luggage Van when travelling on the Christchurch to Picton train.

Extra luggage (eg: bicycles, ski & poles, snowboards, surf boards, etc) will be carried only if space is available at an extra charges unless items have been prebooked at the time your reservation had been made. Unaccommpanied luggage will not be carried on the Christchurch to Picton or a Cook Strait ferry.

When travelling from Wellington to Kaikoura or Christchurch or Christchurch or Kaikoura to Wellington, your luggage is check through to your final destination.

The Coastal Connection service does not carry freight.

Smoking
Under New Zealand law the Christchurch to Picton is a no smoking service. There is a smoking stop at Kaikoura.

Smoking is permitted in designate areas of your Cook Strait ferry. Your onboard passenger service crew will advise you of the designated areas.

Seating Requirements
The Coastal Connection train/ferry service is a 'Reserved Seating' service, so seats/space is subject to availability until a reservation has been confirmed and paid for.

Seat assignment on the Christchurch to Picton train is done on check in on day of travel.

Seating requirements can be requested at the time of a reservation being made.

Carriage of Bicycles, Pets, Un-accommpanied Luggage, etc
Bicycles can be carried and will incur a charge on any the Christchurch to Picton train and Cook Strait Ferry ferry service. There will be one bicycle per passenger. Bicycles need to have removable pedals, folding handbars and chains to be covered. Passengers are advised to book their bicycles in advance, as space in the Luggage Van is limited. Carriage of bicycles that has not been pre-booked can not be guaranteed.

Pets are not permitted on the Christchurch to Picton train or in the passenger areas of a Cook Strait Ferry ferry except for official seeing-eye dogs.

Requiring Extra Assistance
The Christchurch to Pictonl train onboard train crew and Interislander passenger service crew are highly trained in supporting passemgers to make trip enjoyable, however, if you have any specific requirements that may assist their staff to make your journey more comfortable, please enter your requirements, like wheel chair assistance, in the 'Remarks' or 'Comments' field when making a reservation.

Alcohol
The Christchurch to Picton train and Cook Strait ferries are fully licenced and alcoholic beverages are available for puchase to any person over the age of 18 years. Passengers are prohibited from taking their own alcohol on board any long distance passenger train service or Cook Strait ferry service for consumption during travel. Passengers transporting alcohol (eg: cases of wine) are asked to have it carried in the Luggage Van en route if travelling by train or checked in as luggage on a Cook Strait ferry sailing.

Check In Time
The final check in for passenger train services is at least 30 minutes prior to schedule departure time.

For Cook Strait ferry services, final check in time is at leat 45 minutes prior to schedule sailing time.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Kaikoura is not included in the fare.

You can check availability and make reservations online for accommodation in Wellington, Kaikoura and/or Christchuch that suits your budget by using the respective accommodation search boxes for each city you want to stay in.