An aerial view shows The Seasider train traveling along a coastal cliff above a sandy beach and turquoise ocean waves.

Seasonal & Special Journeys

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There's always more to explore from here

Alongside The Taieri Gorge and The Seasider trains, Dunedin Railway Station hosts a changing line-up of seasonal train journeys, one-off events and special experiences throughout the year.

Some celebrate a particular season or occasion. Others combine rail travel with food, festivals, family activities, evening experiences or destinations beyond our regular journeys.

The programme changes throughout the year, so this is the place to discover what's running now and what's coming next.

Explore Current ExperiencesSee What's Coming Up

Current experiences

  • A blue and yellow train crosses a tall steel viaduct spanning a rocky, grassy gorge between rolling hills.AVAILABLE

    The Taieri Gorge

    A scenic return journey through rugged river gorges, tunnels and historic viaducts.

    Date
    Daily
    Departs
    9:30am
    Returns / Duration
    Approx. 4 hours
    Journey
    Dunedin to Hindon and return
    Who it's for
    All ages

    From $169

    View Experience
  • A blue and yellow train crosses a tall steel viaduct spanning a rocky, grassy gorge between rolling hills.LIMITED

    The Seasider

    A coastal journey north along the Otago coastline with sweeping ocean views.

    Date
    Selected dates
    Departs
    10:00am
    Returns / Duration
    Approx. 3 hours
    Journey
    Dunedin to Waitati and return
    Who it's for
    All ages

    From $99

    View Experience
  • The Taieri Gorge train travels along a winding mountain railway track under a bright sun.WAITLIST

    The Taieri Gorge Stargazer

    An evening journey through the Taieri Gorge with astronomy, storytelling and the southern night sky.

    Date
    2027 dates to be announced
    Departs
    TBC
    Returns / Duration
    Approx. 4 hours
    Journey
    Dunedin to the Taieri Gorge
    Who it's for
    Adults and families with older children

    TBC

    View Experience

The Taieri Gorge Stargazer

Experience the Taieri Gorge after dark

The Taieri Gorge Stargazer is a special evening train journey filled with stargazing, astronomy and discovery under the southern night sky.

Following the conclusion of the 2026 Stargazer season, planning is now underway for its return in 2027.

The orange train carriage from the Taieri Gorge train rounds a curve along a rocky mountain gorge.

What kind of special journeys can you expect?

The programme will change from year to year, but experiences may include:

Seasonal journeys

Train experiences created around the changing seasons, school holidays and annual celebrations.

Family experiences

Special journeys with added activities, entertainment or themes designed for families.

Evening experiences

See the railway differently after dark, from astronomy-led events to selected later departures.

Food and drink experiences

Rail journeys combined with local food, drinks and hospitality partners.

Festivals and destination events

Selected trains timed around events and festivals, allowing the journey itself to become part of the day.

Don't miss the next journey

Some seasonal and special journeys operate only once or across a small number of dates.

Sign up for updates from Dunedin Railway Station to hear when new experiences are announced and tickets are released.