Dunedin Railway Station, Dunedin (2024) - Images, Timings

DUNEDIN RAILWAY STATION, DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND, Dunedin Overview

Grandly situated in the Anzac Square of Dunedin city, New Zealand, the Dunedin railway station stands tall and loud oozing rich history and an unprecedented architectural finesse. It has been there for over a century (established in 1906) and is owned by the Dunedin City Council.

An experienced guide will let you in on the architectural tidbits and the grandiosity for which the station is visited each year by thousands of people from far and wide. The station in the present times serves primarily for sightseeing purposes. However, it is a terminal for buses other than intercity and shuttle vans to take you to the Dunedin International Airport. Therefore, the station is a must-go if and when you travel to the city of Dunedin, New Zealand.

History

In the early days of its conception when the station was not just a tourist attraction spot, the Station used to be the busiest, handling over 100 trains on a daily basis. The construction began in the year 1903 and was completed in the year 1906. It resembles the elite and sleek Edwardian Baroque style.

There is a presence of a magnificent clocktower representing an uninhibited expression of artistic finesse that the people of Dunedin boasted in the old days. The Anzac Square in the present times is open to a local market open on Sundays selling eatery to local gifts as souvenirs.

Architecture

Having a very specific essence to that of a ‘Gingerbread House’, the architecture dates back to the early 20th century resembling the magnificent Flemish renaissance style (Renaissance Revival Architecture). It is constructed by the dark basalt rocks, with Omaru stone edifices attached giving it a characteristic dark and light contrast which most buildings in Dunedin is known for.

The roof is made of terracotta from Marseilles. The floor is embedded in mosaic with around 75000 Minton tiles. The entire construction expenses were within 40,000 euros and the foundation was laid by the then minister of Railways in 1904. It was completed in 1906.

Cafes and Eateries

There are a number of food joints and cafes scattered sparsely around the Anzac Square to provide vistors the opportunity to to have a bite once you are done with your day trip of sightseeing.

One of the most go-to cafes is the Ironic Cafe and bar in the 9th Anzac Avenue, 9016.

Another cafe is the Sweet station cafe locally famous for its sumptuous pancakes and light breakfast menu it has to offer. The other cafes in the vicinity are:

Plato
Caper’s cafe
Two Chefs Bistro
Vogel St. Kitchen
Nova cafe
Little India Dunedin
Jizo Japanese cafe and bar
Zucchinis Bros

Photography

The railway for being the stunning architectural wonder that it is makes it a very conducive subjective for all the photographers out there. The grandeur of its architecture is very much talked about for it bears the rich, indigenous aesthetic of New Zealand history. Therefore take your own sweet little time to make the most out of your trip and click photographs of anything that catches your fancy.

Gift Shop

A nearby gift shop adjacent to the Railway station gives you a varied range of products from jewelry, toys, posters, show pieces to even candies and other snacks, all born with the essence of the local flavor of Dunedin city.