LOW COST weekend escape for your group! Head up the mountain, grab a guide and hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or have the freedom to choose.
3 Day/2 Nights from $759 for 2 (off peak rate)
Call Ruapehu i-SITE 0800 647 483 for availability and pricing for your chosen departure.
View all Discover Ruapehu Rail Tours Packages
This low cost package gives you the opportunity to choose what you do to meet your budget. Perfect for groups or those that want a cheaper getaway, travel with us to National Park and stay at the National Park Backpackers. Here you have the freedom to choose what you do. Talk to the amazing staff at the Ruapehu i-SITE to arrange a package that suits you; Skiing, hiking, adventuring ÔÇô they will be able to tailor your adventure.
ƒôì Auckland/Hamilton - National Park by Chartered Heritage Train
Ôÿò Morning tea aboard train
ƒôì National Park
ƒôì National Park - Auckland/Hamilton by Chartered Heritage Train
Ôÿò Afternoon tea aboard train
Before heading back home, perhaps look into trying your climbing skills on the climbing wall at the backpackers, play a round of mini golf or hire an e-bike and cruise around National Park village ÔÇô all at your leisure and expense. A shuttle bus will take you back to the National Park station where your train will not be far away. Go early and sneak in an early lunch or snack at the station caf├® even.
Once again, our friendly staff will be happy to see you again, and to assist you to settle in for the journey home. Take this time to have a little rest or share your stories with other guests onboard.
Situated in the National Park village, the backpackers is close by local bars, restaurants and ski hire shops. The accommodation is high quality yet budget on price. Rooms are warm, clean, comfortable and private. WiFi is available and there is a small shop with basic items for sale, as well as a communal kitchen facility for your cooking needs.
The North Island Main Trunk is steeped in local and Maori history. Opened completely between Auckland and Wellington in 1908 after over 30 years of construction, the ÔÇ£Main TrunkÔÇØ passes through many rural settlements and towns which were connected up to the major cities by the coming of the railway. The section we travel over covers the main centres of Pukekohe and Hamilton, followed by rural towns like Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui and National Park. The railway geography is diverse, from rolling hills to the steepest sustained climbs up the extreme gradients south of Taumarunui. Our journey passes through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tongariro National Park, as well as conservation land, farms and forests.
Selected Highlights Include:
This heritage train operated by the Glenbrook Vintage Railway will be hauled by restored locomotive DBR1254. Originally built as a DB class locomotive by General Motors Diesel Canada in 1965, this locomotive was rebuilt by Clyde Engineering Australia in 1981. In 2017 the Glenbrook Vintage Railway took ownership of DBR1254 which underwent an intense overhaul before returning to mainline service in 2019.
The carriages date from 1939/1940 and would have made thousands of journeys up and down the main trunk. The carriages retain key features including the iconic flip-over seats, though have been tastefully redecorated for enhanced passenger comfort. The guardÔÇÖs van that travels with these carriages provides an open viewing area for an uninterrupted view of the amazing countryside.
Full standard Terms and Conditions can be found here: https://www.gvr.org.nz/terms
Additional conditions:
COVID-19
In
the event that the NZ government imposes COVID-19 restrictions
preventing the GVR train tour from operating, a refund of monies paid
may be given, net of any outgoings or payments already made by GVR in
conjunction with the operation and organisation of these tours on
written application within 7 days of the scheduled date of travel.
Visit Ruapehu and Ruapehu District i-SITE Visitor Centre Conditions
These packages are organised through Visit Ruapehu and the Ruapehu District i-SITE Visitor Centres who handle all accommodation, transfers, and activities for these packages. Please contact them on 0800 647 483 or email them at [email protected] for their terms and conditions which apply to your booking.
All packages are subject to availability, after you place your
booking the i-SITE will confirm your arrangements with the individual
providers and operators.
If parts of your chosen package are
unavailable, the i-SITE will work with you to provide a suitable substitution/customisation or
we will refund you fully.
