Dunedin train tour

Pacific Pearl is at Port Chalmers Dunedin today and when I clicked on the port cam this morning , managed to get a grab of the Taieri Gorge Railway train alongside the ship , waiting to pick up pasengers.

Looks like a popular tour as its quite a long train.:)

Thank you Kiwi Kruzer

Three locomotives and about 10 carriages, lots of power. Enough to pull a large freight train.

I guess there must be some very steep grades on the tour. Which means some great views.

Three locomotives and about 10 carriages, lots of power. Enough to pull a large freight train.

 

I guess there must be some very steep grades on the tour. Which means some great views.

Any one done that tour?

I haven't been to NZ, yet.

I would like to know if this is the Taieri gorge tour.

I haven't been to NZ, yet.

 

I would like to know if this is the Taieri gorge tour.

Yes it is. We haven't done this trip, but we heard it is very good. :)

Hi all,

We did this tour in January of this year, off the Diamond. We had a fantastic day, the scenery is amazing and very steep at times. Would highly recommend this tour - had a fantastic lunch (cold) on the train - we were located in a heritage carriage with some fantastic Kiwi volunteers chatting to us and telling us all about the region. Our train had approximately 15 carriages - all full I believe. If you get a chance to go on this train - do it!!

Vicki

I did this train trip last fall. It was wonderful. There must have been 20 or more cars. We could see the beginning of the train way far ahead as it went around curves. The scenery was spectacular. Each car was staffed with two volunteers who poured champagne, orange juice, or mimosas to start off the trip. Later they served coffee. Then later they served lunch. They were great to talk to.

Each car has big windows and you can see very well. That's also a drawback though. No air-conditioning. At the time of year we went no one thought that would matter. Everyone was dressed for it to be cold, but it turned out to be a bright sunny day and the sun beat in through all those windows. The cars became very hot. The really old cars had windows that could be opened. The newer cars didn't and they became realy uncomfortable. So, if you go, don't assume it will be cold even if it is winter.

Even with the uncomfortable cars, it was a great trip and one I would do again.

Pacific Pearl is at Port Chalmers Dunedin today and when I clicked on the port cam this morning , managed to get a grab of the Taieri Gorge Railway train alongside the ship , waiting to pick up pasengers.

Looks like a popular tour as its quite a long train.:)

 

 

Obviously the passengers mustn't have done their research on cruise critic about the train trip, or it was the only way possible to do the trip that day because of timing.

The trip through the cruise lines is so over priced!

I've done it and agree with the others, it was a wonderful day.....even though it was pouring rain and almost snowing (in the middle of summer :p)

You take the risk of missing out if you don't book the ship tour, and I really wanted to do it soooooooooooooooo....... that's what my research told me to do, regardless of extra cost :D

Obviously the passengers mustn't have done their research on cruise critic about the train trip, or it was the only way possible to do the trip that day because of timing.

The trip through the cruise lines is so over priced!

Depends on how much you budget.

If you want a hassle free , no worry break,

you just count it in , on the total cost....

Go and enjoy.

Thats what a cruise is all about.

The trip through the cruise lines is so over priced

If that is so....Why do so many do it?

Its becoming more and more popular as each cruise calls.

Have you priced a day at a Gold Coast Theme Park lately?

I got stuck at the railway crossing this morning near the Dunedin Railway Station waiting for this train to go past!

If you want to go on the train and book in advance, you can use the Taieri Gorge Train's online booking site: http://www.taieri.co.nz/bookings.htm

Note that the trains booked this way depart from Dunedin (not Port Chalmers beside the ship) so you'll need to catch the bus into town first. The trains to Pukerangi and Middlemarch are those that go through the Taieri Gorge. The train to Palmerston heads north along the coastline.

Any one done that tour?

 

 

Yes David, and I rate it as one of the top rail journeys in the world, albeit a short one.

You really need to hear the history of it's construction during the gold rush days or soon after.

As Norma can't climb steps, she was helped up with the use of the hydraulic goods lift!!!!!!!!! But I daren't publish that photo!

Depends on how much you budget.

If you want a hassle free , no worry break,

you just count it in , on the total cost....

 

Go and enjoy.

 

Thats what a cruise is all about.

 

 

 

If that is so....Why do so many do it?

 

Its becoming more and more popular as each cruise calls.

 

Have you priced a day at a Gold Coast Theme Park lately?

 

 

 

It is an individual's choice, we found booking it direct was a fraction of the price that the cruise line wanted, and you are allowed one child free per adult. Holland America wanted $600 for our family, but by doing it direct, cost us less than $150 NZ. That to me is a big difference, especially when you factor in children, HAL wanted $99USD per child!

And tickets for the theme parks at the coast can be bought cheaper as well by buying them online.

Depends on how much you budget.

If you want a hassle free , no worry break,

you just count it in , on the total cost....

 

Go and enjoy.

 

Thats what a cruise is all about.

 

 

 

If that is so....Why do so many do it?

 

Its becoming more and more popular as each cruise calls.

 

Have you priced a day at a Gold Coast Theme Park lately?

 

 

 

I don't think a day at a theme park would cost you $239 Aust P/P . I too think this is way overpriced considering you can book this tour online before you go for $79NZ = $50 odd Aust dollars. The only time their is a problem trying to book beforehand is if there is more than one cruise ship in port on the day. I know this does not include lunch, but it would need to be a super duper lunch for nearly $200 difference!:eek:

Any one done that tour?

 

 

Hi David, we did this tour on our visit in 2009. We did the tour ourselves direct instead of the cruise line, as there is a huge difference in pricing.

I would suggest booking well in advance. We were fortunate to get the back carriage with a balcony where we could stand on and take photos, during the trip.

It depends on how much time you have in port. We had enough time to do the trip through to Middlemarch and back, and time to do a tour around Dunedin on our way back to the ship. We also went to the top of Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street. And had plenty of time to get back to the ship.

These are some photos from my trip:

Photo 1: Dunedin Railway Station

Photo 2: Onboard Taieri Gorge Train

Photo 3: Baldwin Street

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Any one done that tour?

 

 

We haven't done it as a shore tour from a cruise, but we did the trip from Dunedin up into the Gorge and back again.

It's a great trip.

Obviously the passengers mustn't have done their research on cruise critic about the train trip, or it was the only way possible to do the trip that day because of timing.

 

The trip through the cruise lines is so over priced!

We did this wonderful trip in January 2010. I looked at the cost of doing the trip independently and certainly it was cheaper than booking through Princess, but the bonus for me was to be able to walk off the ship and into our carriage.................and to be returned to the dock at the end of the day.

It was a first class experience and worth every cent.

cheers

Stu

I just booked this trip directly for the two of us for Nov 30/11. They replied with a confirmation almost right away so I just e-mailed back to see if we could board in Port Chalmers instead of Dunedin & am awaiting that reply.

Maybe only tickets booked through the cruise line can board here but I hope not.

One advantage I can see to going to Dunedin to board (our ship docks at 7:00) would be getting a choice of a seat before the other passengers. I know you still have the hassle & cost of getting to Dunedin but do you think it would be worth it for that only?

I just booked this trip directly for the two of us for Nov 30/11. They replied with a confirmation almost right away so I just e-mailed back to see if we could board in Port Chalmers instead of Dunedin & am awaiting that reply.

Maybe only tickets booked through the cruise line can board here but I hope not.

One advantage I can see to going to Dunedin to board (our ship docks at 7:00) would be getting a choice of a seat before the other passengers. I know you still have the hassle & cost of getting to Dunedin but do you think it would be worth it for that only?

You are very lucky. I attempted to book this trip over the net, under advice from others such as Australian Family (Hi there!!) and was advised that the train was not available for bookings that day, as there were two cruise ships in town and had been fully booked by them. They didn't know we were on one of the ships. We have now hired a car.

Jen

I just booked this trip directly for the two of us for Nov 30/11. They replied with a confirmation almost right away so I just e-mailed back to see if we could board in Port Chalmers instead of Dunedin & am awaiting that reply.

Maybe only tickets booked through the cruise line can board here but I hope not.

One advantage I can see to going to Dunedin to board (our ship docks at 7:00) would be getting a choice of a seat before the other passengers. I know you still have the hassle & cost of getting to Dunedin but do you think it would be worth it for that only?

If you have booked the trip directly, you will need to board in Dunedin. The trip from Port Chalmers is only for the cruise line. The seats are allocated by the rail line.

Another thing to consider is doing a group booking, through your roll call, and with 10 passengers you get 10% discount, and get to travel with people off your cruise. A wonderful day to be travelling with fellow cruisers, even just for the company of other cruises. We were allocated almost an entire carriage for our group.

You are very lucky. I attempted to book this trip over the net, under advice from others such as Australian Family (Hi there!!) and was advised that the train was not available for bookings that day, as there were two cruise ships in town and had been fully booked by them. They didn't know we were on one of the ships. We have now hired a car.

Jen

Hi Jen. Did you have much trouble finding a hire car, as Christchurch was? I still wonder how that family got on. As you can see I am yet to book another cruise. Awaiting to see cruises for the end of next year. I want to go on the Radiance of the Seas. I am working on DH at the moment.

Hi Jen. Did you have much trouble finding a hire car, as Christchurch was? I still wonder how that family got on. As you can see I am yet to book another cruise. Awaiting to see cruises for the end of next year. I want to go on the Radiance of the Seas. I am working on DH at the moment.

Hi Leanne,

Took a bit of time on the net looking for one that would do pickup/dropoff at Pt Chalmers, but finally booked and at a great price.... not an older car like the Christchurch ones. DH googled position of 'our' car rental place in Christchurch, as he too was worried about the boys, and he thinks they were too far out. Also had remembered the yard was not of brick construction. I hope they are ok. Yes, we want the Radiance as well. We love to try out different ships....half the holiday fun, isn't it. Looking at the US atm. Keep working on DH !!

Jen

I just booked this trip directly for the two of us for Nov 30/11. They replied with a confirmation almost right away so I just e-mailed back to see if we could board in Port Chalmers instead of Dunedin & am awaiting that reply.

Maybe only tickets booked through the cruise line can board here but I hope not.

One advantage I can see to going to Dunedin to board (our ship docks at 7:00) would be getting a choice of a seat before the other passengers. I know you still have the hassle & cost of getting to Dunedin but do you think it would be worth it for that only?

When we did the tour ourselves instead of the ship's tour, it is a different train to the train that had the ship's passengers. Are you going all the way through to Middlemarch? We found that the ship's tour train only did half of the trip we did. We were fortunate to have seats booked on the last carriage of the train, so that we had an outdoor balcony on the back of the train where we could stand and take photos during the trip. We didn't have any trouble at all getting to the Dunedin to board the train, we were off the ship first thing and found there were taxis available and waiting where the ship docks.