Children of all ages can enjoy a free ride on the Peace Train in Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
The Peace Train is free to ride and runs every Sunday from September to April, between 10am and 2pm, weather permitting.
All aboard!
The Peace Train is free to ride, wheelchair accessible and runs every Sunday from September to April, between 10am and 2pm.
Each trip takes approximately eight minutes. The last ride of the day will leave approximately fifteen minutes before closing time.
The train can’t operate in wet weather, so it will be cancelled if it’s raining.
The Peace Train does close down for a few weeks over Christmas and New Years. We will update this page with relevant dates each year.
The Peace Train leaves from behind the kiosk in Christchurch Botanic Gardens and follows the loop pathway around the playground, following the Ōtākaro-Avon River.
The train
The train is a Wattman mini express ACS train, made in Canada.
It is electric, trackless and travels at around 6 km per hour.
Catching the train
The train leaves from the lawn behind the Kiosk in the Botanic Gardens and follows a paved loop around the Observatory Lawn and Cuningham House. Look for Peace Train signs pointing the way on Sundays.
Taking the bus
There are a number of bus stops within walking distance of the Botanic Gardens.
Metroinfo(external link) has up-to-date bus information.
Parking
The Botanic Gardens has paid parking at Armagh Street and Riccarton Avenue.
- Time Limit: Maximum 180 minutes (3 hours).
- Cost: $2 for the first hour, then $1.30 for each additional hour, up to a $4.60 maximum for 3 hours.
- Payment: Credit/debit card or the PayMyPark app.
Alternatively there is free parking around the perimeter of Hagley Park.
In early 2021, the Yusaf Islam Foundation offered to donate a model, ride-on train, to the people of Christchurch, in recognition of the extraordinary response of support and compassion that followed the terror attacks on March 15, 2019.
Yusuf’s gift (his “little chugger”) came because he saw the New Zealand response to the mosque attacks as a beautiful lesson, an example of the best side of humanity. Watch Yusuf's message to Christchurch.(external link)
This gift was conditional on the train being free to ride for the citizens of Ōtautahi Christchurch and run in a central location.
- Riding the train can earn you Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi Children’s University credits.
- Take a five-minute walk through the Botanic Gardens to visit the World Peace Bell(external link).
- Find out more about Christchurch the City of Peace(external link).
Volunteer to help run the Peace Train
Register your interest in helping create lifelong memories and experiences as a Station-Master and Driver of the Peace Train.
Volunteers need to have a current driver's licence and undertake a short training programme before driving the train.
Training will occur in August each year, to bring on new volunteers and as a refresher for our existing volunteers.
