Step onboard our lovingly restored heritage coaches, hauled by Steam Incorporated's Steam Locomotive Ab 608 - Passchendaele! Settle into your seats, savour the sight, sound and smell of steam power at it's finest enjoy this special trip east along the East Coast Main Trunk and Kinleith Branch to Matamata, Putaruru, Tokoroa and return.
Jump on board with the Glenbrook Vintage Railway for another easy day out by train!
Hauled by Ab608 - our train will make its way through the rolling farmlands of the Waikato on the East Coast Main Trunk before turning on to what is now the Kinleith Branch to Matamata and Tokoroa.
So hop on board as we step back in time – to how travel used to be – and experience the romance of traveling by rail!
The Timberlands Flyer | Hamilton to the New Zealand Timber Museum & TrainWorld or Tokoroa and Return
Step aboard The Timberlands Flyer for a special steam-hauled journey from Hamilton into the heart of the South Waikato’s timber country.
With the whistle sounding and steam rising, we travel east through Ruakura and across the rolling Waikato countryside towards Morrinsville. At Waharoa Junction, we turn south onto the historic Kinleith Branch, travelling through Matamata, Hinuera and Tīrau before reaching Putāruru.
Passengers choosing the New Zealand Timber Museum and TrainWorld can explore historic buildings, vintage forestry machinery, working sawmill displays and exhibits telling the story of New Zealand’s timber and logging industries. The museum is also home to TrainWorld, New Zealand’s largest model railway display, featuring five detailed layouts inspired by forests, sawmills and rural New Zealand.
Alternatively, remain aboard for the rare passenger journey south to Tokoroa. The railway follows part of the route once used by the Taupō Totara Timber Company and was later rebuilt to serve Tokoroa and the Kinleith Mill. As we travel through Lichfield and into plantation country, the landscape reflects the industry that helped shape the South Waikato.
Enjoy a memorable day of steam, scenery and railway history - suitable for the whole family!
Our heritage carriages are generally arranged with two seats on each side of the aisle, so bookings of an even number of passengers are best suited to the seating layout.
Due to the popularity of our steam-hauled trips, single travellers will be seated with other passengers. We cannot guarantee a window seat or an unoccupied neighbouring seat for single-seat bookings.
Travelling on your own but want a guaranteed window seat with the seat beside you vacant? Simply book two seats.
Return Ex Hamilton (Frankton)
Adult $150 | Child (2-14) $120
Pre-order a tasty lunch pack with a selection of sweet and savoury items, including Tea or Coffee.
$35 per pack - order with your booking
Step off the train and discover the New Zealand Timber Museum, a unique family-friendly attraction set within a spacious six-hectare reserve just south of Putāruru.
The museum tells the story of the timber industry and the important role forestry played in shaping Putāruru, Tokoroa and the wider South Waikato. Across the grounds are 11 historic buildings and themed exhibits featuring vintage forestry equipment, archival photographs, working machinery and displays exploring the transition from native timber milling to today’s plantation forestry industry.
Explore the historic Tuck and Watkins sawmill, step inside a fully restored 1911 pioneer schoolhouse and wander through the museum’s 45-year-old native forest grove. Along the way, discover ancient tōtara stumps and an extraordinary 51,000-year-old kauri stump, alongside living collections of native and exotic trees.
A major highlight is TrainWorld, New Zealand’s largest model railway display. Five intricately detailed railway systems bring miniature forests, logging operations, sawmills and railway workshops to life. Watch trains travel through landscapes inspired by New Zealand’s forestry history, with everything from tiny steam locomotives and logging railcars to animated scenes and cargo ships.
There is plenty more to discover, including vintage cars and motorcycles, New Zealand forest wildlife displays, military history exhibits and interactive heavy machinery in TruckWorld. Visitors can also browse the gallery and gift shop or take time to relax among the trees and open spaces of the Village Green.
Combining forestry, railway and local history, the New Zealand Timber Museum offers an interesting and enjoyable addition to your day by train - with something to fascinate visitors of all ages.
Leaving the NZ Timber Musuem you will be transferred to Tokoroa, where there is time for a quick photo before hopping aboard for the return leg to Hamilton. Having spent time at the NZ Timber Musuem - keep a look out for the lineside artefacts from the heyday of NZ's timber industry and the famous Taupo Totara Timber Co. Line we are travelling on!
| Hamilton (Frankton) | dep. | 9.15am |
| Putaruru | arr. | 11.25am |
| NZ Timber Museum | arr. | 11.45pm |
| NZ Timber Museum | dep. | 2.30pm |
| Tokoroa | dep. | 3.20pm |
| Hamilton (Frankton) | arr. | 6.05pm |
Return Ex Hamilton (Frankton)
Adult $115 | Child (2-14) $85
Pre-order a tasty lunch pack with a selection of sweet and savoury items, including a drink.
$35 per pack - order with your booking
If you have chosen to alight at Tokoroa, then the town is just a stone's throw away. You'll have a little under 3 hours to explore the town!
Remain aboard The Timberlands Flyer for the rare opportunity to travel by passenger train beyond Putāruru and further south along the Kinleith Branch to Tokoroa.
This section of railway has deep connections with the South Waikato timber industry. Part of the route follows the former Taupō Totara Timber Company railway, which once carried native timber north from the forests around Mōkai. The line was later rebuilt to serve Tokoroa and the Kinleith Mill, helping support the growth of one of New Zealand’s most important forestry regions.
As we continue south through Lichfield, the surrounding farmland gradually gives way to plantation forests and the distinctive timber landscapes of the South Waikato. With regular passenger trains no longer operating on the branch, this is a journey few people have the opportunity to experience.
On arrival in Tokoroa, enjoy free time to explore the town centre, browse the local shops and find something for lunch at one of the cafés or eateries. Look out for Tokoroa’s famous Talking Poles—a collection of almost 50 carved sculptures celebrating the cultures, industries, people and stories of the South Waikato community.
Plans are also being explored for a small local market to coincide with the train’s visit, bringing together local food, crafts and community stalls. Further details will be confirmed closer to the day.
After time in Tokoroa, rejoin the train, settle back into your seat and enjoy the return steam journey to Hamilton.
| Hamilton (Frankton) | dep. | 9.15am |
| Tokoroa | arr. | 11.50m |
| Tokoroa | dep. | 3.20pm |
| Hamilton (Frankton) | arr. | 6.05pm |
Hamilton (Frankton) Station
Google Maps Link:
View map
Boarding from Platform 2 (east side of station).
Access is signposted and is via Fraser Street, off Queens Ave in Frankton.
Ample free parking is available at the station and in neighbouring streets.
Check out full Terms and Conditions.
Your ticket includes return train travel. Tickets for Option 1 - Hamilton to NZ Timber Museum also includes bus transfers from Putaruru to the Museum, and from the Museum to Tokoroa, Museum Admission and an optional(additional cost) lunch.
