is the dunedin taileri gorge or the christchurch tranz alphine train trip the best

[kaywil]

Am sailing on the rhapsody of the seas in March 2010 leaving fremantle am really interested in either doing the dunedin taieri gorge train trip or the christchurch tranz alphine train, want to try to book either myself cos they soooo expensive through the ship any help would be greatly aprreciated.

 

ty Kay & Hayden from Geraldton in West Aust.

[Aussieflyer]

We have not done the gorge trip so cannot comment on that;however, for what is is worth, last time we were in Christchurch we took the Tranzalpine train trip all the way across and then back (as we were staying in Christchurch). The trip took the whole day, though I understand you can book an option with touring companies that just go to Arthur's Pass on the train and then back by coach which in my opinion would be better. We went in May. There was a some snow on the high peaks and while the trip was quite pleasant, it was not what I would consider a highlight. The train itself was pretty ordinary (though the observation area was not available so that may have been better) and the views were nice but not particularly spectacular (not quite the hype of the website about one of the world's great train trips).

[cands]

We've been on the Taieri Gorge Railway but not the Trans Alpine!

 

We thoroughy enjoyed the experience, although agree with you that the cost through the cruiseline is very high.

 

Here are some photos:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/c-j-b/sets/72157594470340855/show/

 

Steve

[silverwillow]

The Tranz Alpine is meant to be much nicer. It is one of the most scenic train trips in the world. I am not able to do this on our upcoming trip to NZ so we are going to fly in to Christchurch on our next trip so we can do this train trip.

 

silverwillow

[kaywil]

thx all for the tips and ty steve for photos very well done

 

K&H

[Australian family]

We just did the Taieri Gorge Railway trip out of Dunedin on our cruise. I organised a group and got a 10% discount. We had such a good time, and got a really good carriage, mostly all to ourselves.

 

I would really recommend it, it was a highlight of our trip.

[amusea]

I enjoyed the photos. Can you tell me how you can specify one of the carriages that has been converted to an observation car with the glass panels in the ceiling. I'd also be interested to know if the cars were full or whether we can wait until the day of travel to book. Thanks.

[kaywil]

I was just concerned with booking our own train trip that we would have time to get into the dunedin railway station to catch the train it doesnt seem that you have much time seeing our ship docks at 8am.

[cands]

I enjoyed the photos. Can you tell me how you can specify one of the carriages that has been converted to an observation car with the glass panels in the ceiling. I'd also be interested to know if the cars were full or whether we can wait until the day of travel to book. Thanks.

 

 

Hi,

We were on a ship's tour through Holland America. The train came right to the ship at Port Chalmers to pick us up. It consisted of all wooden body 'heritage' carriages which were very nice, with opening windows. (very good for photography).

 

There was a separate regular tourist train which left from Dunedin Railway Station. It was the one with the observation car.

 

Pt Chalmers is about a 25 minute taxi ride to Dunedin Station. I don't know how full the regular train was but our chartered one was at capacity.

 

We did have a wonderful time and highly recommend the trip, but we did feel a little ripped off. The price for our excursion was over 200 US dollars. At the time the regular tourist train cost 67 NZ dollars (less that $50). Ouch:eek:.

 

On the plus side the trip did include lunch with wine and very pleasant locals acting as guides in each carriage, unlike the regular service.

[amusea]

Thanks for the information. We are touring New Zealand before boarding the HAL Volendam in Auckland so we will be leaving from town and I guess we can try to book the special observation car.

[jackiedanny]

i have done the trans-alpine to christchurch and wasn't that impressed some parts of it were pretty

i am doing the tairei gorge through holland america as they bring the train to the ship and i am not willing to bet i can get off the ship find a taxi and get to the train station on time i calculated by the time i bought tickets, paid taxi fare both ways and bought lunch i would save about 100 per person and i was willing to pay that for the convenience, a passenger on one of the princess ships in 2006 posted about how difficult it was to get into dunedin from the port and i just dont want to risk it:(

[Australian family]

We had no trouble getting in time from the Volendam, and they provided a free shuttle, which stopped at the station.

[merlot101]

We were on the Sun Princess in December and some people tried to do the trip out of Duneidin, but the ship had reserved the whole train so the only way to do the trip was through the ship.

[Australian family]

We were on the Sun Princess in December and some people tried to do the trip out of Duneidin, but the ship had reserved the whole train so the only way to do the trip was through the ship.

 

The trip is chartered by the cruise line, but that is a private tour and a different time. This is what happened the day we went. The rail line still do their own rail trip, and keep adding carriages for their train as they need them. You need to check the timetable online.

[NanciEA]

We're doing the Tairi Gorge Train trip in Feb. as a shore excursion. The info said our cruise ship has booked the entire train for the day. The price is $160 USD for a 5 1/2 hour trip including morning tea, and lunch with wine or beer. On the return the train stops at the Dunedin Railway Station so we can explore the town on our own. Our ship is small and is not docking at Port Chalmers, but at the city wharf. I can let you know afterwards how it is.

[johndon]

Hi Kaywill

 

Got back from the NZ cruise on 16th Dec on Dawn Princess. Although we did not do the Taeri Gorge Train Trip we spoke to some fellow Cruisers who did and what they did was catch the local bus into the Dunedin Railway Station as soon as they could get off the ship. The Gorge Train pulls up virtually next to the ship at Port Chalmers. They waited for the train to arrive from Port Chalmers after buying a train ticket at the Station for nearly half the price the Ship Tours charged.

We didnt make it to Christchurch as we had bad weather that prevented us getting out of Port Chalmers until the following morning so I cannot comment on the Tranzalpine. I did go into the prices of the train trip. A ticket bought at the railway station in Christchurc is about $70-00 return. The ships price is considerably more than that. The only problem is that the ship arrives after the train has left and I think they go by bus and catch it up further along the line.

Johndon

[kaywil]

thx for all the info what about tasmania did you guys go there and if so what tours did you do, we go to hobart and burnie was thinking of hiring a car in hobart and suggestions

[Australian family]

thx for all the info what about tasmania did you guys go there and if so what tours did you do, we go to hobart and burnie was thinking of hiring a car in hobart and suggestions

 

We hired a car through Thrifty (which I booked over the internet) and they met us at the Tourist Information office, which is where the shuttle drops you off at Burnie and drove to Stanley. We had a great day, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Caught the chair lift up to the top of the Nut at Stanley, I felt a bit scared going up, but it was better coming down, as you looked straight across the town towards the ocean. Breath talking!!

[kuldalai]

If you can only afford one train trip then do the Treiri Gorge trip it is one of the World's great railway trips . Train departed from wharfside and returned to Dunedin station to join coaches for a tour of scenic Otago Peninsula and Larnach Castle. By the time you include the trip to Larnach Castle and transfer cost between wharf and Dunedin station the ships tour is not too bad pricewise .

 

Tranz Alpine tour out of Christchurch was very good too . One goes by coach to the Canterbury plains for sheep station, shearing etc then on by coach up to Arthurs Pass (halfway across the South Island), then return direct by Tranz Alpine train to shipside . "Caveat Emptor" - ships arrival and departure do not fit with the regularly scheduled Tranz Alpine services. One needs to book the ships tour on this one, as Princess charter a private departure to fit the ships schedule. Also the port is a long way from the station.

[happy1000]

Just completed Sun Princess w/ train trip in Christchurch. Somewhat disappointed w/ 1&1/2 hr train ride thru plains & Alps similar in size to Smokey Mtns in US. Best part was motorcoach ride down w/ stops in sheep farm & Mona Vale gardens. Not sure its worth the Princess $$ cost for excursion. I hear best part of train ride is past Author's Pass thru rainforest to Greymount (sp?) which is non-cruise ship train ride.

[newfarmers]

Am sailing on the rhapsody of the seas in March 2010 leaving fremantle am really interested in either doing the dunedin taieri gorge train trip or the christchurch tranz alphine train, want to try to book either myself cos they soooo expensive through the ship any help would be greatly aprreciated.

 

ty Kay & Hayden from Geraldton in West Aust.

 

 

we've just flown over the alps on our way to christchurch and there's barely a smidggin of snow on them and none that I could see over the pass. It's really only at it's best when there's plenty of snow. when the pass and the alps are covered in snow it's like the train trip up through the scottish highlands. we've done Taieri in mid-summer and loved it. as everyone has said, get a cab or bus into the train station in town and catch the taieri from there and save a packet.

 

as always tho each to his own but I wouldn't recommend tranz-alpine in summer cos it's all tranz and no alpine

 

pete

[kuldalai]

It is Arthurs Pass not Authors Pass on the Christchurch - Greymouth Tranz Alpine route .

 

Of the two rail trips offered in NZ the Trieri Gorge Railway out of Dunedin (departs from wharfside) is by far the most spectacular; both scenic and engineering wise . Cruise ship passengers should not miss it .

[critterchick]

We're just off the Rhapsody and booked the Taieri Gorge trip independently of the ship. RCI offered a shuttle for $9pp each way and the driver stopped a block away from the train station to let us off. We arrived at 7 am and getting off the ship around 8:15 gave us plenty of time to get to the station and pick up our tickets for a 9:30 departure.

 

We had a 6 hour trip vs the 4 offered to the cruise ship passengers. They were picked up at the ship, had champagne upon boarding, lunch and wine during the cruise. But they also paid $175 US while we paid $87 NZ (at a .75USD/NZD rate, so about $65 USDpp). And if they wanted to stay in Dunedin after the train ride, they had to pay the $9 to board the shuttle. So I think we had the far better deal.

 

We haven't been on the tranz Alpine, so can't help there.:)

[pully8]

we did the taieri gorge train trip feb 23. it was a hot day. the train carriages we had were not airconditioned. we passed through tinder dry country in a narrow gorge. at about 2-230pm we could see smoke, it was the beginning of a bushfire. it got out of control and the train was stopped for about 1 hour because of danger and instructions from the fire authoroties. there were about 4 helicoptors filling buckets from the near dry creek bed in the gorge and flames could be seen.

the staff seemed unprepared for the emergency and when we went to get some cold water we were told there was not enough for everyone.

 

it was suspended the next day because the fire had grown even more. in my opinion it should not proceed on hot days of extreme fire danger, staff need to be trained for emergencies and water should be freely available on hot days. evacuation would have been extremely difficult in the narrow area and because of the huge number of travellers on the train.

 

avoid on hot days, carry extra water and try to get an air con carriage. we were ordered to close the windows because of the smoke. it was the stuff of nightmares.

we were not on a cruise it was part of an APT tour.

[travelreviewer]

My wife and I took the Taieri Gorge Railway Tour booking at on their website for 76 NZD each. You do not have to pay until you get to the station so you can cancel at any time. The free shuttle from Port Chalmers takes you to the center of town (the Octagon) which is two blocks to the railway station. We took the 9:30 am train which didn't arrive back until about 1:45 pm so you essentailly use up abount 3/4 of your day.

It is very scenic and they make 2 stops, one for unobstructed photographs of the gorge.

 

If you want to see more of Dunedin, and the railway trip, have some lunch on the train and then walk around town fro 2 hours perhaps going to the Brewery or Cadbury Factory, the college or the Octago Museum.

 

Otherwise skip the railway and set up a tour for the day via a tour company at the I-site where the shuttle drops you. Just make sure that it drops you off either at the ship or at the shuttle stop at least an hour before the ship leaves.