The popular Goldfields Railway now links with the Hauraki Rail Trail, so cyclists can bike one way and catch the train for the return journey.

Hauraki Rail Trail riders can load their bikes on the Goldfields Train.

They can also experience all Goldfields Railway has to offer, including a meal or light refreshment at Waikino Station Cafe.

The train can be boarded at Waihi or Waikino for the 8km journey in historic carriages and wagons pulled by diesel locomotives.

Goldfields Railway operates the only complete historic railway precinct in New Zealand. The Station precinct was built in 1905 as part of the main rail line between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

With the opening of the Kaimai Tunnel in 1978, the line was closed by NZ Rail and the section between Waikino and Waihi was purchased by Waihi train enthusiasts to preserve the historic line and precinct – which included six railway houses, a station building, a goods shed and a number of jigger sheds and stores.

All the drivers, guards and maintenance staff are volunteers but a track worker is paid to look after the ongoing track work.

Today, Goldfields Railway operates as a tourist venture which funds the preservation of these historic assets. The train runs every day and three times per day during the school holiday summer season.

Other attractions of interest in Waihi include the Martha Mine open pit and mine tours and the Waihi Arts Centre and Museum.

In the Karangahake Gorge there’s the Victoria Battery and Tramway and a wealth of walking tracks and trails, as well as the Hauraki Rail Trail. The area also has great cafes, restaurants and accommodation.