Queenstown to Dunedin via Central Otago & Taieri Gorge Train | Cheeky Kiwi Travel | Shaara Deals

Between Queenstown and Dunedin lies a string of Central Otago gold rush towns most travellers drive straight past. Cheeky Kiwi Travel built its one-way tour, listed on Shaara Deals from $299, around stopping at them — before swapping the road for the historic Taieri Gorge Train for the final leg into Dunedin.

Queenstown to Clyde

The tour starts with hotel pickup in Queenstown, travelling by Mercedes-Benz vehicle east through the Gibbston wine region and Kawarau Gorge, then alongside Lake Dunstan to Cromwell, a town shaped by gold mining at the meeting point of the Clutha and Kawarau Rivers. The first stop is Clyde for morning tea (available to purchase), a town with preserved gold rush architecture.

Ophir Bridge and St Bathans

From Clyde the tour stops at Ophir Bridge, an 1880 suspension bridge over the Manuherikia River, before reaching St Bathans — a former gold rush town now largely a ghost town, home to the mining-formed Blue Lake and well-preserved historic buildings.

Boarding the Taieri Gorge Train

The road journey ends at Pukerangi, a remote highland station where guests say goodbye to their guide and board the Taieri Gorge Train. The heritage railway runs through deep canyons, over viaducts and into Otago's wild interior, ending at Dunedin Railway Station — an Edwardian-era building in one of New Zealand's most Scottish-influenced cities.

What's included

• Small group experience, maximum 16 guests

• Fully guided road journey from Queenstown to Pukerangi

• Luxury Mercedes-Benz transport

• Taieri Gorge Train ticket, Pukerangi to Dunedin

• Morning tea stop in Clyde (food available for purchase)

• Water and snacks on the bus (not available on the train)

• Hotel pickup in Queenstown and drop-off at Dunedin Railway Station

Tour details

• Price: From NZD $299.00

• Duration: Approximately 8 hours

• Departs: Queenstown

• Finishes: Dunedin Railway Station

• Operator: Cheeky Kiwi Travel

FAQ: Queenstown to Dunedin via Taieri Gorge

Is the train ticket included? Yes — the Taieri Gorge Train ticket from Pukerangi to Dunedin is included in the price.

How many guests are on the tour? It's a small group experience with a maximum of 16 guests on the road journey.

Is food available on the train? No — water and snacks are provided on the bus only, not on the train, so plan accordingly after the Clyde morning tea stop.

Book the Queenstown to Dunedin via Taieri Gorge tour with Cheeky Kiwi Travel directly through Shaara Deals: https://shaaradeals.co.nz/deal/6a94b270606939f11a0fdcc4