Taieri Gorge Railway
Taieri Gorge Railway Tour Brochure (2.3MB) 
All Aboard the Taieri Gorge Railway for a spectacular train journey into the New Zealand hinterland, and return. Taieri Gorge Railway is an award-winning train excursion which consistently achieves the “highest satisfaction” rating of all Dunedin’s attractions.
TGR will take you from the wharf alongside your cruise ship, through Dunedin’s city centre and on to the farm locality of Pukerangi with its rugged river gorge and mountains. You will experience an amazing variety of landscapes – the city, farmland, forests and the wild Taieri River Gorge. Cross magnificent stone and wrought iron viaducts with spectacular views of the river below. Disembark at points of interest to take photographs (conditions permitting). There is an informative live commentary on all trips and each carriage is serviced by attentive stewards.
It’s the perfect all-weather activity. This journey has been described as “one of the world’s great train trips” and it is arguably one of the most popular shore excursions for cruise ship passengers visiting New Zealand.
The train returns early-afternoon. You can choose to return to your ship on the train, or disembark at Dunedin Railway Station to explore the city, or transfer to other excursions, including Larnach Castle, Citisights or a wildlife tour. After exploring the city you can catch a shuttle from Dunedin to your ship at Port Chalmers.
A welcome drink, morning tea, lunch and continuous drinks service are included in the fare for most excursions – please check with your cruise ship's Shore Excursions Office. Souvenirs are available for sale on board – major credit cards and foreign currencies are accepted.
All aboard the TGR!
What You Should Know About
The Taieri Gorge Railway Tour
- All carriages are fully enclosed and have heating.
- The train is not air-conditioned.
- Passengers may be required to walk approximately 150 feet to board the train.
- There are four steep steps up into the train carriages.
- Limited wheelchair access is normally available - please reserve this in advance at your cruise ship's Shore Excursions Office.
- There are viewing platforms and toilets located throughout the train.
- Please advise your cruise ship's Shore Excursions Office if you have any special dietary requirements.
- Excursion details may change depending on the cruise line.
- Taieri Gorge Line excursions may travel beyond Pukerangi to the country town of Middlemarch before returning to Dunedin.
- Some trains may travel to Karitane, a picturesque village north of Dunedin.
- Taieri Gorge Railway reserves the right to cancel or alter any services, and change carriages - please check with your cruise ship's Shore Excursions Office.
Taieri Gorge Railway Tour Testimonials
- I had a wonderful time travelling on your train on Friday 25/9/09 during a recent trip to New Zealand. The service was very good, the scenery was spectacular and the whole travel experience was great fun which I have since recommended to many others. An excellent way to see a small, but fascinating, part of the south island. - David
- Just wanted to let you know we had a thoroughly wonderful day on the Taieri Gorge train trip and will certainly recommend it to anyone travelling through the South Island of NZ. Great Stuff!
- Megan, Sydney, Australia
- Our trip on the Taieri Gorge Railway was fabulous! I have recommended it to everyone we know going later to NZ. People in the station were very friendly, as were the staff on the train--even though it was new years day! Very informative, one of the highlights of our vacation. - Glenn, Canada.
- We just wanted to thank the Taieri Gorge Railway personnel for a very enjoyable trip. From the time that we boarded the train to the departure it was a very pleasant afternoon. The staff were very nice and very customer responsive. We had great seats. Thank you for your help and assistance and please pass on to the staff our thanks for a very enjoyable experience. - Angela and Dennis
- We took the trip in March of 2006 and just loved every minute of it. The couple in charge of our car were superb, both in knowledge and charm!! We were on the Diamond Princess cruising from Auckland to Sydney. - Glenn and Pat Waterville, Ohio USA
- Hi there, I just wanted to send a quick note to say thanks. We travelled on the TGR on Good Friday to begin the Rail Trail in Middlemarch. I was so impressed at the great service we received - both at the station and on the train. It was a great start to our wonderful holiday - thank you. - Helena and Hayden
