A luxe level of great train design.

Imagine an experience where train travel transcends mere transportation - a luxurious voyage matching the likes of first-class air travel. This was the vision of Great Journeys New Zealand (GJNZ), KiwiRail's tourism division, for their scenic train routes through New Zealand’s striking landscapes. Their goals: premium comfort, exceptional on-board dining, and impeccable service.

Cobalt Design was thrilled to collaborate with Barnacle Design, Designworks New Zealand, KiwiRail and GJNZ on this ambitious project. The collaboration team was challenged to breathe life into the GJNZ vision by optimising the design and details of two carriage types – the kitchen carriage and the passenger carriage. Using 3D CAD to visualise these spaces and their sub-assemblies, helped to facilitate effective evaluation by stakeholders, including project managers, chefs, and staff, and then streamline further design and engineering optimisations.

Kitchen Carriage: Functionality in Motion.

The kitchen carriage presented a unique challenge. With functionality as priority #1, the team designed a fully-fledged commercial kitchen within a train carriage – whilst considering space limitations, accessibility to equipment, the constant motion of the vehicle, the ever-crucial weight balance and mandatory rail safety standards. The result: a high-performance kitchen that allowed chefs to prepare exceptional culinary experiences for their passengers.

Passenger Carriage: Comfort Meets Culture.

The passenger carriage design prioritised comfort and elegance. The team focused on creating a space that reflected the beauty of New Zealand's natural landscapes and evoked a high-end atmosphere through design details, material finishes and layout optimisation. Incorporating GJNZ’s collaboration with Māori artists brought to life details such as the roof patterning and the illuminated "eyes of our guardians". Forms were accurately replicated from traditional carvings - weaving local heritage into the passenger experience.