Steam train from Kingston to Fairlight and back, forty minutes south of Queenstown. Most Sundays October to May; adults from $85.
The Kingston Flyer runs from Kingston at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu, about forty minutes' drive from Queenstown. The Ab795 locomotive pulls restored hundred-year-old wooden carriages down a private 14km corridor to Fairlight and back — 28km all up, an hour and a half to two hours including the turnaround.
It is a working steam railway rather than a ride: the pace is slow, the windows open, and you can smell the coal from the platform before you board.
Practical detail
- When: public trips most Sundays from October to May; private charters on Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Mondays for groups of forty or more
- Fares: adults $85 to $95, SuperGold Card $75 to $85, children 5 to 16 $35, under-fives free. A season pass is $150 adult, $50 child
- Departs: Kingston Railway Station, 221 Kent Street
- Booking: online only — tickets are not sold at the Kingston Flyer Café & Bar
Fares and times checked September 2026; check the schedule page before driving down, as departures vary by date.
