State Highway 2
Awakeri 

All enquiries - Please call us on 0800 537 4724.

Rail Tours
Family activity
Scenic Tours
Local History
Summer Hours (day light saving months)
Express run 8am-10:30am, Bush walk & snack run 10:30am-2pm  &  2pm -5.30pm
Winter Hours (non day light saving months)
Bush walk and snack run 9am-12:30pm  &  12:30pm-4pm    
Prices 
Express Run, Bushwalk & Snack Run
$95.00 adult, $80 senior, $40 child
Group booking (10 or more) $70.00 pp
Family Pass - $195 2 Adults 2-3 Children
The Chicken Run - $50 adult  $10 child
  • Awakeri Rail Adventures
  • A view down line from the station as you depart on the journey
  • 29 January 1950 (JA Terry)
  • Awakeri Rail Adventures
  • A group from Australia stop for a track side photo

Welcome to Awakeri Rail Adventures in Whakatane. Travel along a piece of New Zealand's rich rail history and experience the natural beauty and adventure from the comfort of a rail-cart, cleverly adapted to be self-driven along the rail tracks. Your adventure starts from Awakeri travelling at a leisurely 20 kilometeres per hour with family and friends along a piece of historic railway line. There are 4 bridges, numerous cuttings and bush scenes along the track. 

Conveniently located just down the road from Awakeri Hot Springs

Awakeri Rail Adventures offers three types of trip. The first is an "Express Run" where you will drive over 18km of track, with one stop enroute. The Express Run takes approx 2 hours.
The second option is the "Bush Walk / Snack Run" where you will be guided on a bush walk, stop for a relaxing track side snack and other activities and still drive over the 18km of track. This trip will take approx three hours. The third option is the Chicken run - travel 8 km of track and help feed the chickens and other birds.

All enquiries - please call us on 0800 537 4724.

Click here to Book Online.

A view down line from the station as you depart on the journey
A view down line from the station as you depart on the journey
29 January 1950 (JA Terry)
29 January 1950 (JA Terry)
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
AWAKERI RAIL ADVENTURES

History of the Taneatua Branch Line & Awakeri Rail Adventures

History of the Taneatua Branch Line

From 2 September 1928 to 1978 the line was part of the East Coast Main Trunk line from Hamilton. With the opening of the Kaimai tunnel in 1978, the terminus of the East Coast Main Trunk line was changed to Kawerau and the section of line between Hawkens Junction and Taneatua became the Taneatua Branch line.

This line across the Rangitaiki Plains follows an inland or southerly route to avoid areas which were swampy at the time of construction, therefore bypassing Whakatane, the largest town in the area. The intention was for the line to be extended from Taneatua to Opotiki, then onwards east to connect with the isolated 'Gisborne Section' line from Gisborne. Some construction work was carried out beyond Taneatua towards Opotiki in 1928, but this was stopped when the Government of the day transferred the construction workers to the Rotorua-Taupo line which it had just approved the construction of. Various routes were investigated and surveyed to link the difficult section between Taneatua and Moutohora, but all were found to be difficult and expensive. Following the Great Depression, World War 2 and the greater availability of road vehicles in the period after the war, the proposal was subsequently dropped and Taneatua remained the eastern terminus of the railway line in the Bay of Plenty. Gisborne was subsequently linked to the south with Wellington by way of Napier and Palmerston North with the Palmerston North – Gisborne Line in 1942. The isolated Gisborne Section line became the Moutohora Branch line, which closed in 1959.

The line to Taneatua was run as the end section of the East Coast Main Trunk from 1928 to 1978. Freight services continued to be operated on the line until 2001.

A passenger service was provided on the line with the Taneatua Express from Auckland between 1928 and 1959. In 1959 railcars replaced this service, but the new railcar services only operated between Auckland and Te Puke, due to negligible passenger traffic between Te Puke and Taneatua.

The Whakatane Board Mills Line, a private line, was built and operated by the Whakatane Board Mills from Awakeri to their mill in 1939 to serve their large operation. This line was privately operated by the mill until 1999 when the then national rail operator Tranz Rail, took over the operation of the line. Tranz Rail discontinued operating the line in 2001 and the line was closed in 2003, together with the mothballing of the entire Taneatua Branch line.

   

Awakeri Rail Adventures

Former NZR engine driver Paul Francis, was based at the East Town Locomotive depot. (Wanganui) and spent years driving trains on the Wanganui - Taranaki and main trunk lines."Driving a main line locomotive hauling a large train through the New Zealand country side, was something I really loved and was pretty special" says Paul. He wants to give you the opportunity to drive yourself on rail here in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and see what he means.

Thanks to the hard work of Paul, who with a small group of helpers have spent months clearing blackberry, gorse, fallen trees, toi toi  from the rail line now you are able to drive yourself along a piece of historic railway.

Awakeri Rail Adventures operate small petrol powered, fully self-driven golf carts fitted with rail wheels from Awakeri to Rewatu road and return ( about 10km each way). These rail vehicles will travel at a leisurely 20 kph along part of the former Taneatua branch line with stops along the way so you can take in the scenic trip yourself with friends or family.

Many years ago there was a small station in the Awakeri rail yard (photographs of the original station are here on the web site) Paul has built a replica of that station and its now on site next to the shops at Awakeri as a base for rail operations. There is ample parking on the large grass area in front of the station.

Hundreds of visitors, many from all over the world have enjoyed the experience... 

So join us and "Ride the Rails!”

 

A group from Australia stop for a track side photo
A group from Australia stop for a track side photo
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Who knows who you may meet out on the track - the Awakeri kid robs a train
Who knows who you may meet out on the track - the Awakeri kid robs a train
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Station area at Awakeri with new signal mast being installed
Station area at Awakeri with new signal mast being installed
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
One of the highlights on the trip - crossing bridge 16
One of the highlights on the trip - crossing bridge 16
Track near White Pine Bush
Track near White Pine Bush
White Pine Bush walk
White Pine Bush walk
View from rail vehicle crossing bridge 16
View from rail vehicle crossing bridge 16
Group enjoys a track side snack
Group enjoys a track side snack
Track along State Highway 2
Track along State Highway 2
Ladies on the track
Ladies on the track
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Our visitors enjoy the spectacular White Pine Reserve
Our visitors enjoy the spectacular White Pine Reserve
A track side picnic snack in the shade is great
A track side picnic snack in the shade is great
Jigger
Jigger
Birds have worked out when the train arrives its feed time
Birds have worked out when the train arrives its feed time
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures

Location of AWAKERI RAIL ADVENTURES