I paid $320 for a round trip on one of the most scenic trains in the world. It was worth the ride

• I took a round trip on the TranzAlpine in New Zealand, one of the world's most scenic rail routes. • The landscapes were breathtaking, but the return journey felt repetitive. • I'd suggest taking this train just one way or skipping it to do a road trip instead.

I spent six weeks exploring New Zealand's North and South Islands, and all of my research kept pointing me toward the country's famous train rides — often described as some of the most scenic in the world.

Great Journeys New Zealand runs three routes: the Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington, the Coastal Pacific between Picton and Christchurch, and the TranzAlpine, which crosses the Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth.

To fill a free day in Christchurch, I splurged on a $320 round-trip ticket for t