Taieri Gorge Railway: Scotland to New Zealand in 4 Hours

The Dunedin Railway Station is one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand. Photo by Catherine Fancher
The only thing missing is the sound of bagpipes.
A morning mist hovers over the rolling hillsides. Here and there, polka dots of white sheep decorate patches of green grass, separated by brambly hedgerows.
Closer to town the mist turns to rain, darkening the stone facade of the cathedral. Lines of black umbrellas bob along the sidewalks, passing parks and pubs. Merchants display tartans in shop windows. A train whistle blows nearby.
It feels like Scotland, but it’s half a world away. This is a typical morning in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Dunedin is a modern city steeped in the heritage of its 19th century Scottish founders. It is also a gateway city for exploring the rugged landscape of New Zealand. Here on the east coast of the South Island, the Taieri Gorge Railway begins its journey into the hinterland of the Otago region.
The journey starts in style at the Dunedin Railway Station, one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, the station rises grandly in strong stripes of gray basalt and white stone. A manicured garden sits gracefully below pink granite columns and a New Zealand flag flies proudly above the copper cupola of the clock tower.
The interior of the station is delicate compared to the heavy stone exterior. The arrivals hall is bright and golden-hued, wrapped in a porcelain tile frieze. High above, a colorful stained glass window features an approaching locomotive; the same locomotive appears in profile on the mosaic tile floor.

The Taieri Gorge Railway departs from the main platform. Most of the train cars are bright yellow “heritage carriages,” which are wood-clad both inside and out. A few more up-to-date carriages are painted blue and coupled near the modern diesel electric engine.
From the station, the train travels slowly south through the outskirts of Dunedin. Gradually, suburbs give way to undulating pastureland. As the tracks curve northwest, a series of tunnels signal that the terrain is changing and the train picks up speed.
Suddenly, as the train emerges from a gully, the Wingatui Viaduct appears ahead. It’s a towering wrought iron bridge spanning almost 650 feet. Six trestles of various sizes support the tracks over 150 feet above the streambed. Passengers crane their necks to get the best view, as the bridge is the largest and most impressive man-made feature on the journey.
Near the Wingatui Viaduct, the train tracks begin to trace alongside the Taieri River. Craggy cliffs replace gentle hills, and the terrain gets rougher and more uneven as the train continues north.

Golden blossoms of gorse cover hillsides near the Taieri River. Photo by Catherine Fancher
Wisps of native grasses begin competing for space in the rocky topsoil. Suddenly, a golden blaze of blooms explodes over the landscape as far as the eye can see. The blooms are the flowers of the spiny gorse shrub, originally imported by European settlers as a hedge plant. The gorse thrive in the temperate climate and now grow wild. Today, gorse infests hundreds of acres. Even though the weed is unwelcome, it gives the Taieri Gorge a distinctive yellow-gold palette.
This colorful but forbidding landscape along the Taieri River was largely inaccessible in the late 19th century. When the first section of the railway opened in 1889, it connected sheep runs and farms that could not be reached reliably by road. By providing both a means of communication and transportation, the railway contributed significantly to the development of the Otago region. Today, the train rolls past long abandoned stations where early settlers picked up supplies and shipped livestock and farm produce to points north and south.
Almost two hours after leaving Dunedin, the railroad climbs high above the Taieri River, threading its way along jagged ridges. With the river winding below, the train passes through The Notches, rocky outcrops laced together by a series of trestle bridges. The railway reaches its highest elevation near here, and the view into the narrow, deep gorge below is the most dramatic on the journey.
Emerging from the gorge at Pukerangi, the train locomotive swiftly switches ends for the return trip to Dunedin. On the way back, passengers linger with their cameras on the viewing platforms between carriages. Some comment on the natural beauty of the gorge, while others focus on the engineering feat of the railway. Everyone agrees that the vintage train journey offers an unrivaled glimpse into the natural environment of New Zealand’s South Island.
Trestle bridges support the railway high above the Taieri Gorge. Photo by Catherine Fancher
If You Go

The Dunedin-Pukerangi half-day return journey on the Taieri Gorge Railway is available most days year-round, twice daily (9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) during the summer (October-April). Ticket prices start at NZ$89, and booking is available at the Dunedin Railway Station or online at www.taieri.co.nz.
A selection of light foods and beverages, (including beer and wine,) are available for purchase at the snack bar on each train. To avoid standing in line during the best scenery, make purchases early in the journey.
Pre-recorded commentary onboard can be difficult to hear. Brochures including a route map are available from the train staff.
The Dunedin Railway Station is a 5-10 minute walk from the Octagon, the central plaza of Dunedin.
Author Bio:
Catherine Fancher is a Dallas-based attorney who decided to take some time off in 2012. She sold her house, put everything in storage and traded her high heels for hiking boots. 29 countries later, she is still traveling.Filed Under: Adventure Travel • New Zealand • Reflections • Train TravelTags: Catherine Fancher, New Zealand, Taieri Gorge Railway, train, train tours, travel by train
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24 Hours in Hong Kong

A single day in Hong Kong is definitely not long enough to do this great city justice. But, if you’re on a layover on your way to Bali or you just want to go big on your first day in Hong Kong, we’ll show you how to hit up all the major tourist hot spots in one afternoon and spend your downtime eating like a local, as we take you on a 24-hour whirlwind guide through the Fragrant Harbour.
 Looking out over Kowloon with Hong Kong Island in the distance.
Jostle elbows with the breakfast crowd to secure a seat at a local cha chaan teng
for a hearty early morning tea-set meal. These ubiquitous Hong Kong diners – translated literally as “tea restaurants” – are a staple of local dining culture and can be found on every block of every district in this bustling city. Items on the menu such as French toast, macaroni and ham, and scrambled eggs hardly sound like a Chinese specialty, but these Western dishes have a distinctly Asian flair to them that has been satisfying local palates since cha chaan teng culture exploded onto the scene in the 1950s. Don’t leave without trying lai cha, or Hong Kong-style milk tea, which mixes super-strength black tea with evaporated milk and sugar in a smooth, creamy combination. These cheap and somewhat cheerful eateries – the mood often depends on your waiter’s – typically have an English menu available. If not, take a scan around the room and you’ll quickly find out which sets are the most popular. Hong Kong-style French toast at a local cha chaan teng. Photo by roboppy/Flickr.
Art galleries, curios, traditional medicine shops and temples – this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood fuses the old with the new, never failing to provide an unexpected surprise around the corner. Start along the section of Des Voeux road known as Dried Seafood Street for a peek into traditional stores and stalls selling edible and medicinal ingredients such as “wind-dried sausage,” salted fish, blackened century eggs, flattened dried duck and fat choy
– a stringy black moss that looks suspiciously like hair and is popular choice during the Chinese New Year. Head on up towards Upper Lascar Row, known as Cat Street, with its antique shops and stalls selling bric-a-brac and second hand items. A few steps away you’ll find the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. Dating back to 1847, this historic monument transports you to another place and time altogether with its smoky incense coils and elaborate altars. Taxis on a crowded street in Sheung Wan.
From there, make your way over to the Central-Mid-Levels escalator, famously known for being the longest outdoor escalator in the world. Linking the city’s financial hub, Central, with the posh residential neighborhood along the mountainside, this extensive covered walkway will take you up and over narrow streets on a tour of restaurants, bars and shops in the area. Continue all the way to the top until you reach Jamia Mosque, the city’s oldest mosque dating back to 1890. Directly opposite you’ll spy the inconspicuous sign for Rednaxela Terrace, a misprint of Alexander Terrace, due to some kind of transcription error by a sleepy colonial era clerk.
The Mid-Levels escalator takes pedestrians from the harbor up the mountainside.
No trip to the city would be complete without sampling traditional yum cha
or dim sum, so make a beeline for Tim Ho Wan at IFC Mall in Central – one of the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. Fast, delicious and busy, try to go outside of standard lunch and dinner hours to avoid the long queue. Har gau, shrimp, is a traditional dim sum flavor.
At this point, you should now be too full to walk. Good! You did it in true Hong Kong style. Next, hop onto the Peak Tram and take in the stunning harbor views as this funny little funicular winds its way up the impossibly steep mountainside. The breathtaking skyline view from the Peak never fails to impress, but a stroll around the Lugard Road and Harlech Road circuit offers just as many stunning vantage points and only half the tourists. For a bit of an adventure through the lush tropical vegetation, opt for the hike back down the hillside along the paved Old Peak Road.
The Hong Kong Peak Tram has been climbing Victoria Peak since 1888.
For more than 120 years the Star Ferry has been shuttling commuters back and forth between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and still remains the most affordable way to cross the harbor. The best seats on these pretty green and white, open-air ferries can be found along the sides of the top deck, affording spectacular panoramic views of towering skyscrapers. The crossing only takes about 10 minutes, but, with tickets costing only HK$2.5, visitors can ride it back and forth a few times if they really can’t get enough of the harbor.
The Star Ferry has been crossing Victoria Harbour since 1888, like the Peak Tram.
Although only two dozen officially licensed dai pai dong
still exist in the city, the word is now used more generically to mean open-air food stalls characterized by their folding tables, questionable cleanliness and roadside ambiance. Some have even moved indoors into cooked food centers found in every district, offering the luxuries of air-con and potentially improved hygiene. Tuck into seafood and Tsing Tao beers at one of the lively restaurants along the Temple Street Night Market in Jordan. A look at the Fa Yuen Street Market, which is less touristy than the nearby Ladies’ Market.
Wrap up your day and a dizzying 24 hours in Hong Kong with a fancy cocktail at Ozone, the highest bar in the world. Miles away from the cheap food stalls along the street, the glitz and glamour of your surroundings truly put into perspective the enormous divide between rich and poor in Hong Kong. Stay and admire the view as long as you like, the neon skyline remains forever alluring in a city that never sleeps.
See that tower there? The really tall one? Yeah, Ozone is at the top of that.
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