This train station is more like a fairytale castle and it’s seriously underused

The station

Dunedin, NZ

The journey

Dunedin to Invercargill on board The Mainlander, part of a new three-day package along the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

The departure

Said to be the most photographed building in New Zealand, Dunedin’s lavish c.1906 Flemish Renaissance-style railway station is a croquembouche of basalt and limestone arches and turrets, earning its architect George Troup the nickname “Gingerbread George”. Its lofty booking hall is embellished with 750,000 mosaic tiles and a frieze of Royal Doulton porcelain; while stained-glass windows celebrate the golden age of rail travel, when Dunedin Station hosted more than 100 trains a day.

The grandeur and scale of this glorious, fairytale edifice belies its current humble use as the departure point for Dunedin Railways tourist trips to Taieri Gorge and the Otago coastline, with regular train services suspended since the demise of The Southerner in 2002. The launch of The Mainlander, travelling between Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin, in January 2026, however, has breathed new life into long-distance travel in New Zealand’s south; there is also talk of The Southerner recommencing commuter services between Christchurch and Dunedin.

Safety and security

This is New Zealand at its sleepiest, so there are no obvious issues with safety or need for security. A simple QR code check-in with smiling Mainlander staff on the platform is as official as pre-boarding gets; while suitcases are left untagged with attendants who place them in a separate car on the train.

Food and drink

The chain restaurant Cobb & Co occupies more than half of the area downstairs in the station, with eight separate function areas including an outside deck and a kids’ area. It’s open for lunch and dinner only, however, leaving the only other option for those seeking a pre-journey breakfast a cafe across the road, the excellent Iconic.

Fortunately, our day trip to Invercargill is scheduled for a Saturday, happily coinciding with the weekly Otago Farmers Market held at the northern end of the station. Up to 65 vendors sell produce exclusively grown or created in the Otago region, from fresh vegies to baked goods, locally distilled spirits, cheese and honey. I grab a coffee and pastries for the journey ahead and soak up the convivial atmosphere before boarding.

Retail therapy

The upper level of the station currently houses a gallery run by the Otago Art Society, showcasing works by local artists as well as some interesting historic imagery of the station. A small gift shop offers handmade jewellery, pottery and artworks for those looking for a quirky souvenir.

Passing time

Departures for both the Mainlander and the popular Thursday-to-Monday Dunedin Railway trips to Taieri Gorge occur in the morning before the art gallery and restaurant open, leaving little option but to spend time admiring and photographing the intricate lobby and the station’s magnificent exterior before boarding.

Boarding

This being the second day of the three-day Mainlander journey, passengers now know the drill, boarding without any fuss onto allocated cars and seats for an on-time departure at 8.20am. With fewer passengers than the first leg from Christchurch to Dunedin, an announcement is made that guests are free to move seats once the journey is under way, with forward-facing seats the most desired. I’m travelling backwards on the scenic side during the south-bound journey, but decide to stick to my allocated seat for the afternoon return after a short lunch break in Invercargill.

The verdict

The crown of Dunedin’s architectural treasure chest, the Dunedin Railway Station, while much admired, is almost criminally underutilised, with the potential and space to be a major tourist hub. Whispers of new offerings in the works might breathe life into this amazing building – watch this space.