Passengers on the Taieri Gorge train look out over the winding Taieri river gorge in a mountainous Otago landscape.

Scenic Viewing

See the journey differently

Rail offers a different perspective on the landscape.

From your carriage window, watch Dunedin give way to coastline, plains or gorge depending on your journey. When conditions allow, viewing platforms give you another way to experience the railway.

A smiling woman wearing a floral-patterned sweater holds a coffee cup at a table inside The Seasider wooden train car with ocean views.

From your seat

Large carriage windows allow you to follow the changing landscape throughout the journey.

A young girl looks out the open doorway of the Taieri Gorge train, viewing the Taieri river canyon.

Viewing platforms

Viewing platforms are available between selected carriages. For safety, passengers must follow crew instructions and return inside when required, including while the train travels through tunnels.

Two smiling women lean out of the Taieri Gorge train window, looking at a smartphone while traveling through a mountainous Otago landscape.

A dedicated viewing experience

A dedicated viewing carriage is coming soon, creating another way to experience the landscape from the train.

A passenger looks out a train window at a coastal landscape with green hills and the ocean inside The Seasider train.

Bring your camera, but watch the journey too

There are plenty of opportunities for photographs, but some of the best parts of travelling by rail happen between the obvious viewpoints. Look out for the railway engineering, changing terrain and small details along the route.