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Bay of Plenty Region
Whakatane
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Awakeri Rail Adventures
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Awakeri Rail Adventures

See all things to do
See all things to do
Awakeri Rail Adventures
5
512 reviews
#1 of 2 Transportation in Whakatane
Rail Services
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
WE ARE OPEN 8 AM - 5.30 PM SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK Welcome to Awakeri Rail Adventures in sunny Whakatane. Travel along a piece of New Zealand's rich rail history and experience the natural beauty of New Zealand from the comfort of your own self driven rail cart cleverly adapted to be driven along the rail tracks.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
512 reviews
Excellent
466
Very good
37
Average
4
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Funwithkids
2 contributions
Absolutely money well spent on fun family time!
Oct 2022
My husband purchased our family a pass for the bush walk and snack run and to be honest I was a little dubious about how the kids would manage the 2+ hours adventure. I shouldn't have worried it was fantastic! Paul is a fabulous host and has a great sense of humour. We were really well taken care of and the trip allowed lots of opportunities to hop off and stretch your legs. We enjoyed the ride, loved feeding the chooks, got to pet a duckling and wander through the bush on an easy trail. I would absolutely recommend this trip to anyone, especially parents wanting to get the kids off their devices and into nature. Just make sure you take a warm jumper as it can get breezy as you ride the rails!
Written October 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ooNaomioo
Tauranga, New Zealand37 contributions
Twilight tour is the best!
Jan 2022 • Couples
I didn’t know what I was expecting but this experience exceeded my expectations. They have just started doing twilight tours during the summer and I cannot recommend this enough! Starts at 6pm so is much cooler and we got some pretty sunset colours on the way back. The tour itself was great. Informative and humorous and a great experience driving the carts. We brought some drinks and snacks to have at the hut and the tour also provided hot drinks and snacks. At the time of writing this review the twilight tours are not yet up on the website so give them a call to book in.
Written January 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Rachochet
10 contributions
Brilliant - just brilliant!
Jul 2021
Awakeri Rail Cruisjng is the best rail cruising trip I've been on. Not only was it value for money, our host Paul was larger than life and really made the trip fun/interactive. It's not a typical rail cruise, as we loved feeding the chickens and taking a bush walk as part of the trip. I won't spoil the hidden twists but I will say - definitely not one to miss!
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GlenE
Palmerston North, New Zealand14 contributions
A bit different and lots of fun
Aug 2022 • Couples
We loved our rail excursion. Paul’s knowledge of the local area and rail in NZ made the trip both educational and enjoyable. The weather was brilliant making the surrounding rural landscape very pleasant to ‘drive’ through. Paul was a good host and operator. Getting surrounded by a flock of very tame chickens was definitely a fun experience. If you appreciate something a little different, we would recommend giving Awakeri Rail a go.
Written August 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Paulhollingsnz
Auckland, New Zealand24 contributions
Making a Great Memory
Sep 2022 • Couples
Went on this wonderful trip with my wife, sister and brother-in-law and really enjoyed every moment. It is an interesting piece of track made all the better by the bush walk, chicken feeding and the lunch stop. The bridges and the tunnel were a great feature and it is incredibly well guided by Paul the owner who provided a few excellent jokes and laughs over the BBQ lunch as well. We will certainly bring our grand kids along next time if we can.
Written September 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
John W
London, UK4 contributions
Lots of fun
Mar 2022 • Couples
We appreciated that Paul was happy to take just the two of us on the morning tour which we had booked. He has developed an excellent railcart adventure full of really enjoyable experiences. He made the tour friendly and personal, was informative and used his sense of humour to good effect. His safety briefing and driver instruction were first rate.
With quirky birdlife, a lovely bush walk, varied rural landscape and a relaxing morning tea, we loved every minute of it, and it was fun having turns at driving. We were very impressed with Awakeri Rail Adventures and have purchased a gift voucher for our grandchildren, who we know will love the experience.
Written April 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Christine M
Nelson, New Zealand9 contributions
Fun for all
Dec 2022
Visiting NewZealand again from the UK after Covid and while staying in the Bay of Plenty we booked our third trip on the Rail Adveture. We just love it! It’s great fun for any age we are a pair of oldies but we still love feeding the chickens, doing the bush walk and of course the special treat at the “ bush cafe” where there is always an unexpected surprise guest. Paul is very knowledgeable and has some good stories and jokes, he adds to the fun. Whenever we are back in New Zealand we will be making another trip.
Written December 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Karen E
1 contribution
An affordable rail tour!
Mar 2023
We had a fabulous experience with Paul as our tour guide this week! It was a fun and unique way to learn a little bit of local history. We enjoyed the scenery and the beautiful bush walk. We highly recommend this tour and that you take turns driving to enjoy the full experience.
Written March 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sharnyn H
25 contributions
Lots of laughs and lots of fun - a must do for Kiwis and overseas visitors.
Jan 2023
We had the pleasure of doing the rail adventure in Jan 2023. We made the journey across from Hamilton after purchasing the tickets at the Caravan Show in 2022.
Paul was an absolute laugh. Lots of great stories and little tales about local rail history. The carts were fun and even the rain didnt dampen the day.
Loved the stop to feed the chooks and geese.
Definitely worth doing and suitable for all ages. PS - he makes a good camp milo. :)
Written January 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Renee S
4 contributions
Awakeri Rail Adventure - visit by 5 adults
Jan 2020
We booked this for a family of 5 adults and made the booking on the day we wanted to go. They gave us a discount for paying cash and booking direct, and for having such a large group. Paul was a great guide, and made the trip the best it could be. There are a lot of great surprises along the way that make the trip more interesting. It didn't feel like we were being rushed along at all.
Written January 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Awakeri Rail Adventures (Whakatane) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Awakeri Rail Adventures
Awakeri Rail Adventures is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM