1 / 3Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
📍 Kawakawa, Northland
A 120-minute return journey on New Zealand's first North Island railway line, travelling down Kawakawa's main street on State Highway 1 and through farmland to Opua. Crosses the longest curved wooden rail viaduct in the Southern Hemisphere.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Driving down the middle of a state highway on a steam train that has been running since the 1800s is exactly as fun as it sounds - reviewers describe it as a must-do every time they're in the north, and repeat visitors say they spot something new each time.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →553 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
Grahame Gardner
6 months ago
“Great fun starting of by driving down the middle of the High Street! They have one carriage with open windows and benches down the middle that are good for keeping cool, plus two with comfy seats and windows. Also a cattle wagon with bicycle racks, as some folks take their bikes halfway and cycle the rest. The whole trip takes 2 hours there and back, a lovely relaxing journey.”
Sivan Travelholic
11 months ago
“We didn’t have time to ride the train, but it was still great to see! This is the first railway to open in the North Island of New Zealand and the only one that runs right down the middle of a State Highway - such a unique sight and piece of history.”
mike korycki
8 months ago
“Very cool little train museum/tourist train rides. Fun names on the train engines all painted different colours the train cars looked very comfortable like a trip back in time.”
📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsTrain ride
115 reviews
Cafe
42 reviews
Friendly staff
38 reviews
Steam train
9 reviews
Vintage train ride
8 reviews
Overview
Bay of Islands Vintage Railway runs the historic Kawakawa-to-Opua line, passing through the middle of Kawakawa township on State Highway 1 before crossing farmland and wetlands to the Opua coast. Carriage options include open-windowed bench seating, covered compartments with upholstered seats, and a cattle wagon with bicycle racks. The route crosses the longest curved wooden rail viaduct in the Southern Hemisphere. Staff are knowledgeable about the line's history throughout. Onsite cafe on-site.
