The Great Journeys of New Zealand alternative to flying. In 2017, KiwiRail decided to bring them together under one brand, The Great Journeys of New Zealand, which offers a connected passenger service throughout New Zealand, from Auckland to Greymouth, via train and ferry. The division is now experiencing rapid double digit annual growth, due to the growth of Chinese tourism to New Zealand, leading KiwiRail to announce that it may purchase eight AK-class carriages to add to the seventeen purchased in 2010. The Great Journeys of New Zealand operates three Scenic trains services: Three Cook Strait passenger ferries operate under the brand Interislander: KiwiRail Scenic Journeys's
Languages of New Zealand and New Zealand Sign Language. English is spoken by 96.1 percent of the population. It has long been the predominant language and the "de facto" official language. It is the primary language used in parliament, government, the courts, and the education system. Its official status has been presumed and is not codified in statute. In 2018, New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell introduced a bill to parliament to statutorily recognise English as an official language. New Zealand English is mostly non-rhotic with the exception of the "southern burr" found principally in Southland and parts of Otago. It is similar to