Otago Rail Trail Facts & Info
First Sod Turned 1879 - Dunedin
Completed 1906 - Clyde
Central Otago Rail Trail Officially Opened:
February 2000
Total Distance:
Clyde - Middlemarch
151km
Clyde – Alexandra
8km
Alexandra - Chatto Creek
17km
Chatto Creek – Omakau
10km
Omakau – Lauder
9km
Lauder – Oturehua
23km
Oturehua – Wedderburn
11km
Wedderburn – Ranfurly
14km
Ranfurly – Waipiata
6km
Waipiata – Hyde
26km
Hyde – Middlemarch
27km
-
End of Rail Trail
Middlemarch – Pukerangi Station
19km
Maximum Gradient:
1:50m or 2% - generally gentle up and down slopes - Rated Easy
Temperature Range:
Summer 15C to 40C+
Winter -21C to 10C
Average Time Taken:
Most people take
3 Nights 4 Days
while many opt for
4 Nights 5 Days
to enjoy the unique environment and hospitality that is Central Otago
Train goes to Middlemarch ex Dunedin 2 Days a week (Sun/Fri 9.30am/Returns ex Middlemarch 1.00pm) over Summer months:
Otherwise twice daily to Pukerangi 9.30am/2.30pm departures Returns ex Pukerangi 11.30am/4.30pm (excepting Christmas Day)
Train goes Daily to Pukerangi only Winter months:
12.30pm departure
Accommodation To Suit All Budgets:
Camping Grounds/Backpackers/Hotel/Motel/B&B/Boutique Lodges - the range is varied and the hospitality exceptional
Rail Trail Highlights and Points of Interest:
- Tunnels and Viaducts
- Hayes Engineering (off main route)
- Golden Progress mine
- Ranfurly’s Art Deco Buildings
- Wineries
- St Bathans and Blue Lake
- Vulcan Haunted Hotel
- Wedderburn Goods Shed
- Naseby – Mountain Biking Mecca & Curling
- Clutha/Manuherikia Rivers -Trout Fishing
- Ophir Post Office and Bridge
Secret Tip:
Start or finish your
Otago Rail Trail
experience with the
Taieri Gorge Railway
Excursion Train
("one of the world's great train trips")
. It incurs
NO
extra cost for taking a bike with you - it is
FREE
with your ticket.
One benefit of this is that you can say that you really have completed the full
Otago Rail Trail
, start to finish - all the way from the
Clyde hinterland
, through the awe inspiring
Maniototo plains
, down to the
Dunedin coastline
- just magnificent!
Don't forget to let us book your
Taieri Gorge Railway
train trip for you, when you book your bike with us!