Best of Dunedin - The Taieri Gorge Train Tour-other options

[elaine5]

Best of Dunedin - The Taieri Gorge Train Tour: I read that the train doesn't go to the Gorge anymore. Should we consider something else, and, if so, what? We are active, early 60s, enjoy hiking, scenery, nature, wine, don't really care much about museums. This excursion was rather expensive, and booked to see NZ scenery. Thanks, Elaine

[possum52]

32 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

Best of Dunedin - The Taieri Gorge Train Tour: I read that the train doesn't go to the Gorge anymore. Should we consider something else, and, if so, what? We are active, early 60s, enjoy hiking, scenery, nature, wine, don't really care much about museums. This excursion was rather expensive, and booked to see NZ scenery. Thanks, Elaine

The train that goes through the Taieri Gorg, the Inlander, does not run every day,  There is a cruise ship only excursion which is the same route as the Inlander, Cruise Ship Excursion Taieri Gorge Train

 

Perhaps look at a privately booked tour for Dunedin and surrounds. 

Dunedin Shore Excursions

 

Enjoy your visit to Dunedin.

[elaine5]

Others reported that the train doesn't go to the gorge anymore after bridge issues. Is that not the case?

[possum52]

3 hours ago, elaine5 said:

Others reported that the train doesn't go to the gorge anymore after bridge issues. Is that not the case?

I am only going by what the Dunedin Train website is saying. What others are saying there are bridge issues? If that was what you were asking, it would have been a good idea to mention bridges. I can find nothing online to indicate there are bridge issues or that the train is not running through the Taieri Gorge. In fact all the information I found indicates it is running as advertised. Tripadvisor has reviews from this month. 

 

[Kiwi Dreamer]

I would consider this tour if you are interested in the outdoors, nature etc

Peninsula Encounters + Albatross Tour : Elm Wildlife Tours - Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand

 

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Kiwi Dreamer said:

I would consider this tour if you are interested in the outdoors, nature etc

Peninsula Encounters + Albatross Tour : Elm Wildlife Tours - Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand

 

Unfortunately there is a problem with this tour for a cruise ship passenger - the time the tour returns.

 

There are other options for cruise ship passengers.

Dunedin Excursions 1

Dunedin Excursions 2

Dunedin Excursions 3

[elaine5]

I was also looking at trip advisor. I must have mentally merged a bridge issue from 5 years ago, which supposedly resulted in the train now not going as far as it used and some lackluster reviews about the scenery and thought that meant it didn't go to the gorge anymore. Thanks for clarifying. However, upon reading reviews again, we might cancel this and pick another option. 

Edited February 1 by elaine5

[possum52]

5 hours ago, elaine5 said:

I was also looking at trip advisor. I must have mentally merged a bridge issue from 5 years ago, which supposedly resulted in the train now not going as far as it used and some lackluster reviews about the scenery and thought that meant it didn't go to the gorge anymore. Thanks for clarifying. However, upon reading reviews again, we might cancel this and pick another option. 

During Covid, the Dunedin Trains shut down and all its rolling stock was sent elsewhere, After everything reopened, they have come back in a smaller way. we went up the gorge in 2018 and really enjoyed the trip. At that time, you could do the train privately as we did. I think the comments about the scenery on Trip Advisor were a little unfair. I'm not sure what they thought they were going to see. We loved the train trip.

 

Google always helps, there are plenty of choices there.