Stylish travel on new coach

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 6

Stylish travel on new coach

Rail passengers will soon be able to travel in style when the Globetrotter Tours’ “Connoisseur’s Express” starts the Christchurch-Picton ran. The tour company has refurbished a pre-World War II coach, complete with red carpet and sheepskin-covered seats. It will join the Picton passenger train on January 19. The managing director of : Globetrotter Tours, Mr Stephen Greenfield, said the coach would provide a "style which the public deserves” in rail travel. It was the onboard service, rather than the coach itself, which was being sold. A one-way journey would cost $74 and a round trip $l3O. An introductory offer of a $99 round trip was also being made.

Mr Greenfield said passengers would be given

light refreshments at the beginning and end of each journey as well as crayfish salad at Kaikoura. They would also be given a copy of “The Press” as they left Christchurch and a copy of the “Marlborough Express” as they left Picton. A commentary would be given during the journey and music would be played over the sound system. No alcohol would be allowed or served on board and smoking would not be permitted. The trip will be offered three times a week at first, but it was hoped to expand the service to six days a week. About 100 seats had been booked for the first three weeks.

Mr Greenfield said most of the bookings had so far come from New Zealanders, but it was hoped the trip could be sold to overseas tourists.