Home > Dunedin > Dunedin Shore Excursion: Taieri Gorge Railway Tour and City Sightseeing
USD $121.00
Dunedin Shore Excursion: Taieri Gorge Railway Tour and City Sightseeing
Dunedin, New Zealand
When your cruise ship docks in Dunedin, take a trip through the spectacular scenery surrounding the Taieri River on board the Taieri Gorge Railway. Travel through tunnels and over viaducts on this train-lover’s shore excursion, and then see Dunedin’s top sights before returning to the Dunedin port.
After being collected from Dunedin port and taken to the grand Dunedin Railway Station, built in an elaborate ‘gingerbread’ style in 1906, board the legendary Taieri Gorge Railway.
New Zealand’s longest tourist railway, the Taieri Gorge Railway takes you on a four-hour journey from Dunedin to Pukerangi, a distance of 28 miles (45 km). Traveling in a historic wooden train carriage, you’ll follow the course of the Taieri River, passing through almost a dozen tunnels and climbing the edge of the steep-sided Taieri Gorge.
You’ll also cross century-old wrought-iron viaducts with magnificent views of the surrounding countryside, and enjoy several photo stops to capture the spectacular panoramas.
Returning to Dunedin, enjoy a stop for lunch (own expense) before joining a coach for a scenic two-hour city sightseeing tour at 2pm.
While listening to informative onboard commentary detailing the city’s history, travel past Otago University, New Zealand’s first university, and see how the scenically hilly city surrounds a volcanic bay, looking onto the Otago Peninsula. Plus, visit the world's steepest street!
Your sightseeing tour also takes in the city's neo-Gothic churches, town hall, opulent theaters, imposing banks and other 19th-century buildings. Then admire the beautifully landscaped trees and plants of the Dunedin Botanical Gardens and the spectacular views of the Otago Peninsula & Harbour before being returned to the Dunedin port.
Worry-free Shore Excursion: We will ensure your excursion ends with ample time for you to return to the Dunedin port for your ship’s departure. In the extremely unlikely event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
The following is the full review we have posted on TripAdvisor following our day out on the Taieri Gorge Railway.
Review by: cassielarke, April 2018
Train tour was great just very long....unfortunately the tour was cut short due to our train being delayed which cut our city tour.
Review by: Ken D, April 2018
great trip on the vintage train up a beautiful valley
Review by: Helen D, April 2018
Ship late arriving in Dunedin and by that time the train had departed. Not a problem the company Canterbury Leisure Tours had arranged a bus to take us up to where train turned around for return journey. It really was a better alternative and the route provided different scenery. Train ride back to Dunedin fantastic, cafe car provided good food, great day, well done to all involved.
Review by: Di, April 2018
What a fabulous ride on this beautiful train. We enjoyed every minute on this lovely heritage train throu the beautiful Taieri Gorge. And at half the price as the same trip offered by the cruise ship it was also great value for the money.
Review by: camellia p, April 2018
this tour was every thing a tour should be every turn of the tour was a special moment and very eductionial it was beautiful worth the money the special touches like the old fashion train the people dressed in the old times Ihighly recommend this tour
Review by: Karen R, April 2018
This was a very nice excursion with beautiful scenery and a cute old train that left from the beautiful Dunedin railway station. We met the representative at the dock and were bused to the train station in time to board our train. It did rain the day we were there and got wet trying to take photos from the outside area of the train but, well worth the gorgeous views. The train is just for sightseeing as you only make a couple of stops for a few minutes to change train directions. Only problem was we waited to eat lunch while on the train and when we went to eat, they had run out of sandwiches. Not a major problem but, there was also a 2 hour city tour so we were pretty hungry by the end of the tour. Had some granola bars which we ate instead. Very nice way to spend a day.
Review by: Robert P, April 2018
If you really want to get a true sense of the country take this tour. Well narrated, interesting city and country reflecting thousands of years of history.
Review by: Rose, April 2018
The guide was very knowledgeable of the local area it was a pleasure to have a very passionate person driving our bus. Had us at the train station tickets purchased and on the train ready to go. The train trip was spectacular and our group of 12 was very pleased the trip was a little late on returning to the station but off we set and we had a tour of the town centre and time for shopping to buy souvenirs. Then off for drive to see the sights as stated in the itinerary had an opportunity to stop and take photos out of the bus was exceptional great value. We arrived back at the port in plenty of time to board. Highly recommend this tour.
Review by: terry.carolyn.coker, March 2018
We had a great day out. The coach picked us up on time, with a very competent and helpful driver. The Taieri Gorge Railway was something we had been wanting to do for a long time and did not disappoint. Finished with an interesting tour of Dunedin and got us back to the ship in plenty of time to spare. Great value too, especially compared to the identical Cruise Line Shore Excursion.
Review by: William C, March 2018
fantastic trip great train ride tour was very good value for money
Review by: Stephen T, March 2018
great trip,exactly as described
Review by: markt3308, March 2018
All day tour from the pier and back. You are taken directly to the train station for the 10am Gorge train, which is about 1.5 hours each way with a 20 minute stop at the top. Some key points_br/_ -Long train ride_br/_ -same side both directions, so right side is best, but not able to pick seats_br/_ -bar/limited food car on train- cash or credit is ok_br/_ -scenery is beautiful, but it is a long ride for some_br/_ -each car is different, and unique, no control over which car or seat you get._br/_ -crew was great, commentary the entire way, both directions_br/_ On return, you board the bus again and take a city tour, back to the ship. Cost savings in that there is no time to shop or do any independent shopping.
Review by: David W, March 2018
Although the weather was not kind for us on the day it was still a worthwhile trip
Review by: relax5047, March 2018
An excellent tour on the Taieri Gorge Railway, plus a 2 hour tour of Dunedin. The train was super clean and beautifully restored. We were picked up at the cruise ship and taken to the beautiful Dunedin Railway station. We had a reserved seat on the train and the catering on board was good including the coffee! Even the toilets were spotless. The staff were helpful and really made sure we enjoyed the trip._br/_ Our super guide Josh was friendly and had an amazing knowledge of Dunedin and NZ generally. Josh was very passionate about his home town and went out of his way to ensure we were well looked after and saw much more than we were expecting._br/_ We are seasoned travellers and this was our favourite NZ tour. In fact it was as good as any we have been on anywhere in the world._br/_ Great guide, great tour, great value. much cheaper than booking through the cruise ship_br/_ One of the best train journeys in the world. Don't miss it.
Review by: Rwlpap, March 2018
Enjoyed the train ride but it did go on for longer than we expected and seeing the same scenery on the way out and back was a bit boring the tour of the town was a little rushed basically driving through on way back to the ship
Review by: martynixon, March 2018
Great tour. The train was awesome. Even though you're doing a return ride, the scenery looks different in spots as you face forward or backwards on the train. You can go out on the platform between railcars to take pictures. Most people didn't but I would highly recommend this. The experience of being outside while the train was moving was exhilarating._br/_ The sightseeing tour was made enjoyable by our driver Bill. He was informative and funny. _br/_ Make sure you go to the Cadbury store to buy some chocolate. It was better than the Cadbury bars we buy in Canada.
Review by: Nicole S, March 2018
The railway tour was great! We loved being on the old train and the scenery was beautiful. The city tour was enjoyable but would have preferred to be in a smaller group and have more time at the Octagon.
Review by: Claude L, March 2018
Taieri Gorge is worth seeing but you wished it was only one way with return by land as it is rather long. Go early to grab a sandwich! Nothing left at noon. The following tour of Dunedin was very comprehensive but no free time at the octagone.
Review by: howard, March 2018
The train ride was nice, I just did not see the country side of NZ I expected. The stop where the train turns around just had a very merchants - the only food available was on the train. The line was long, I recommend you bring your own coffer and snacks.
Review by: Diane B, March 2018
A great trip, our ship was late so went one way by bus, so saw different country. Only criticism is the train ran out of food.
Review by: paulgorrel, March 2018
A very enjoyable rail journey through the Taieri Gorge to Pukerangi then return to Dunedin Railway Station. The train itself is heritage style with open ended viewing platforms on most carriages. The overall journey will take about 4 to 5 hrs. The scenery is stunning, plenty of photo opportunities, food and drinks available for purchase from the dining car. The commentary provided through all carriages was well informed, amusing and definitely spoken in Kiwi. After the train trip a city sightseeing tour of about 1 hr in a coach concluded back at Port Chalmers port cruise ship terminal. This tour also started with a coach pickup at the ship for the transfer to Dunedin Rly Stn which is abt. 15 km away. Great way to avoid cruise ship shuttle buses into town. Highly recommend this trip and good value for the full day.
Review by: Kerry O, March 2018
A excellent excursion I would recommend this train trip to any visitor to Dunedin , a very skilled and humorous trip commentator, well and truly knew all the details of the railway and the history of Dunedin and the Taiere Gorge.
Review by: Stephen A, March 2018
Not worth it for the price. Although informative, the narrator on the train was non-stop and caused us all to have headaches. The gorge views were amazing. The bus driver was a little scary and sideswiped another car.
Review by: Keith C, March 2018
What a great train trip
Review by: Faye B, October 2017
great tour.
Review by: Kendra K, October 2017
great experience....would recomend
Review by: Frank F, September 2017
This was an amazing tour that we almost did not get to take. There were rough seas and high winds delaying our entry into the Port. The Captain of our Princess Cruise ship made one final attempt to get into the Port and we are so glad we made it. _br/_ Our bus driver was actually the owner of the Company and seemed to know everything about Dunedin on our City Tour. Since we were late getting into Port he drove us up to the spot where the train turned around to return to Dunedin. So we got a tour of the interior part of the country which was beautiful! as well as the Taieri Gorge on the return rail trip which was spectacular. _br/_ We were all a little nervous at the beginning of the day since we were so delayed. But our Guide/Owner was positive that we would wind up having an enjoyable day and he was certainly right. Dunedin is a gorgeous city with a rich history as to its founding and heritage. One of our favorite experiences in New Zealand!
Review by: mchoi123, August 2017
The tour ran as described and ran smoothly. The only disappointment was the views, it was not as beautiful as expected and if you sat at the appointed seats, you would miss a lot of scenery. You had to stand up or even went out of the end of the train to see more. But if everyone did that, it would be chaotic.
Review by: Trevor S, July 2017
Excellent
Review by: johndbirchall, July 2017
Expensive but important to see the interior and topographyof New Zealand. Well organized. Good audio, reasonable food prices and variety. Great view of mountains, train trestles, winding river below. Train station well worth the visit
Review by: ahorlick, May 2017
How many ways can one person spell boring..._br/_ The train ride lost its cache after 20 minutes...
Review by: jagraydon, May 2017
The Gorge railway tour takes up a lot of the time, The tour around the town was fine but would have liked more time to actually walk around the city area. On the train trip suggest you eat before you get to where the train stops and goes back. The train has a buffet car and the food is fine, however when you get to the turnaround there are no food stalls, just souvenir stalls which are good. The buffet gets packed on the return and ran out of basic foods.
Review by: dugo6, May 2017
Great tour! Would highly recommend!
Review by: William L, April 2017
The rail portion of our trip was great. The scenery going up to Pukerangi and back was varied and scenic. We were picked up at the dock and transported to the train station for our trip. The other passengers on our cruise paid quite a bit more for taking a special train from the dock. Following the train excursion we were taken for a tour of the area around Dunedin.
Review by: Kimberly K, April 2017
A nice way to see the beautiful countryside and the city if you're short of time. I would recommend bringing your own meal as the dining car is very busy and they ran out of food on our trip. I would have appreciated a short break before boarding the bus even at the expense of seeing less of the city.
Review by: meijer, April 2017
Amazing tour! Tour was excellent from start to finish. Great guides. Highly recommend!
Review by: Lynda B, April 2017
Fantastic Tour, beautifully organised. Would highly recommend.
Review by: Barrry B, April 2017
Tour was great. Met at the dock and transported to Railway station. Train trip was great but we were on the same side of the carriage both ways which made photos difficult. Not sure what can be done to alleviate this??? Bus tour of Dunedin was also great and driver commentary6 good. We wouldmhave liked to see Lanarch Castle but time did not permit. Would recommend tour highly
Review by: Fred R, April 2017
The Taieri Gorge was beautiful. Our ship was late in arriving so we had to be transported by bus before taking the return trip via train back to the depot. I had read several previous reviews and was not disappointed that we did not travel round trip by train. The bus took us through the beautiful county side--saw sheep and cattle farms as well as beautiful rolling hills. If you do not travel round trip by train, don't be disappointed with one way by bus and return by train.
Review by: Karen G, April 2017
We were picked up at the port and transferred to the train station which is beautiful.There were locals dressed up in period costume who walked up and down the platform which made is all the more special.Our seats on the train were allocated all have a window . The narrative along the way is enjoyable and gives all info required about the train and gorge which is spectacular. The trip is approx 4 hours return. There is a snack bar that is easy to walk to on the train which sells a good variety of food and drink.We were able to get off the train at the top of the gorge and there was a small market with hand crafted good you could purchase. On return to Dunedin we then had a 2 hour tour on a coach around the city and beaches which was enjoyable and gave a great overview of the area.
Review by: Mrs. .J.A. W, April 2017
Really enjoyed this day trip. We did miss the train as was almost expected as the cruise ship didn't arrive in early enough but the bus ride up to the very small station of Pukerangi was a different look at the countryside compared to the train trip on the return journey. Loved the travel on the train and the views were amazing especially going over some of the bridges. There was a small cafe on the train so there wasn't any worry about where the next feed was coming from.
Review by: richard.boden, March 2017
Train seats are assigned. If you are assigned a seat that is along the mountain left side facing the front you have limited views of the Gorge. Since the train operates on one track a train crew member should ask people to change seats to the opposite side on the return.
Review by: Gary P, March 2017
Very nice day, The Gorge is fantastic and reminded me a little of the rocky mountaineer on a smaller scale._br/_ My only complaint is that on the tour after the train ride is that we didn't stop for chocolate at the Cadbury's factory. My wife is now suffering chocolate withdrawal syndrome but we did see all the sights of Dunedin._br/_ Great trip just go for it._br/_ Gary Palise
Review by: sivi, March 2017
Enjoyed the day with friends and a lovely train ride with marvelous views including a stop at the top of the railway for a little retail therapy
Review by: Tina, March 2017
My husband and I traveled on the Taieri Gorge Railway and we thought it was very scenic,with traveling through mountains and over bridges and following the river. It was well worth the money and time to do it. We would recommend to do this tour. City tour is included and you see some wonderful views and some interesting information about Dunedin. Food for lunch or a snack is available, but need to get in early for hot food such as pies or sausage rolls._br/_ Nice surprise was the little market on top were they change the engine around to come back down.
Review by: sallyann j, March 2017
fantastic.
Review by: sallyann j, March 2017
fantastic.
Review by: Byron K, March 2017
Loved to see Dunedin it was totally unexpected that we had such good weather the tour guide provided a good overall experience of the city and the railway was a good view of the surrounding area which was very rugged.
Review by: Carol A N, March 2017
The bus part was very good, no issue there. The train ride was horrid, as they put me in a single very low uncomfortable seat, with a high board on one side to protect my body and head because the carriage door smashed into it about 90 times during the ride. My seat was also next to the horrid noisy toilet -which other cars' passengers came to use as theirs were all out of order, it. It had no table, and I was squished in with no arm rests or room to move, even to eat. Like a jail! _br/_ The human body is not meant to be placed in a V position with the spine lowest and knees higher. It puts undue pressure on the tailbone and knees and stomach. Then, forced to sit on this hard low wooden chair with a cushion half the depth of the other seats, and be shaken and bumped for hours. It was like torture!_br/_ When I immediately asked to move, they told me no! It seems the two empty carriages were saved for their last minute passengers who might maybe arrive, even though it was long past our departure time. Lesson: viator travellers who pre-book and prepay get the worst seats on the train! Singles get even worst seats that are not healthy for our bodies, we are expected to eat on our laps and tolerate being smashed every time the door opens. Customer service is the worst. Do not sell this train tour again. It is a horrible experience, and they forgot prebooked prepaid passengers are their bread and butter, so we deserve better! Dump them!
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