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Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage

Guesthouse with free parking, near Waitomo Glowworm Caves

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Photo gallery for Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage

Property grounds
Interior
Room
Room
Bathroom

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Popular amenities

  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Kitchen
NZ$178
avg per night

Explore the area

View map
Waitomo, Waikato
  • Place, Woodlyn Park
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Caveworld
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Waitomo Glowworm Caves
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Airport, Hamilton (HLZ-Hamilton Intl.)
    ‪50 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Spaces

Outdoor play area
The current price is NZ$178
avg per night

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About the area

Waitomo Caves

Waitomo Caves is home to this guesthouse. Kiwi House Native Bird Park is a local attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Waitomo Glowworm Caves and Huipūtea Reserve.
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What's nearby

  • Woodlyn Park - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre - 19 min walk - 1.7 km
  • Caveworld - 2 min drive - 1.8 km
  • Waitomo Glowworm Caves - 2 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Hamilton New Zealand LDS Temple - 51 min drive - 71.8 km

Getting around

  • Hamilton (HLZ-Hamilton Intl.) - 54 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Waitomo Homestead - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Golden Lantern Takeaways - ‬17 min drive
  • ‪Waitomo General Store - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪Huhu Cafe - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪Bosco Café - ‬15 min drive

About this property

Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage

The first accommodation created at Woodlyn Park, "The Waitomo Express" is a restored 1918 Rail Carriage.

It is a completely self-contained motel unit with two separate bedrooms.

This unit can sleep up to 5 people. It has a double bed and a separate room with three single beds.

There is an ensuite bathroom with shower and toilet, as well as a living/eating area with kitchenette at the entrance of the train carriage. The kitchenette features an electric hob, microwave and refrigerator for light meals.

Bedding Configuration
One double bed and a separate room with 3 single beds (1 single and 2 bunk).

Office open until 5PM, after hours staff available until 11pm
Price is for couple per night,
Max guest 5
$20 per extra person

Amenities

Parking included
Free WiFi
Parking available

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM
default

Children

Adults only
default

Events

No events allowed
default

Pets

No pets allowed
default

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Frequently asked questions

Is Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage?

As of 12 February 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage on 27 February 2026 start from NZ$204.7, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage located?

Situated in Waitomo Caves, this guesthouse is within 1 mi (2 km) of Woodlyn Park and Waitomo Glowworm Caves. Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre and Caveworld are also within 1 mile (2 km).

Waitomo Express - 1918 Train Carriage Reviews

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 26 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 26 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 26 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 26 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 26 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

7.4/10

Staff & service

6.6/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.6/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Scott H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great quirky accommodation - you don’t get to stay in a train very often. It was exactly as described and met our expectations. Given the limitations and age of the carriage they have done a great job of providing a comfortable and functional space.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Andrew B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Just Perfect

Our stay here was just perfect, from the moment we arrived until the moment we left. A must do again..
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Henry v.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Magical Stay

Excellent service. Well thought out accommodation
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kirsty N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique Experience

The most unique place to stay, did not disappoint and so glad we chose to have this experience on our NZ holiday. Staff were amazing and so knowledgeable of the area as well, thank you for the warm welcome and comfortable stay. Highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

Christine E.

Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy

Unique stay

Quirky, interesting, different
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Debbie F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Something different

We really enjoyed the repurposed train car, it was just right for 2. It also has a bedroom for 3 more, but given the 1 bath, our 2 were enough. Walking distance to both principal restaurants and market, as well as glow worm cave. Very pleased to have stayed here.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ann H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful adventure

This most unusual accommodation – in a train car – is located in an extremely peaceful and quiet valley. The place has other unusual accommodations like an airplane and a hobbit motel. Check in at the front office was very easy and professional. Would love to go there again.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Steve H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique

Very unique vrbo. Everything was great. The check in hours were limited though
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing how they were able to equip the train carriage with modern amenities while retaining the original charm. Bath was an add on unit with full fixtures but integrated with the train. Good AC and heating options and nice kitchenette. Check out the fabulous Hobbit and ferrry boat options.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
A unique experience
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

MARTHA

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Interesting facility. Second bedroom is only accessible through the first bedroom, as was the bathroom. A bit shabby but clean. Beautiful views.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Katherine M.

Different

The train carriage was cute & different. It was comfortable & the sun in the afternoon warmed the carriage up beautifully.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

8/10 Good

Alisa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staying in the train car was a unique and enjoyable experience. It had everything we needed. Note: the wifi hotspot is strongest in the bathroom lol! The location was convenient to Waitomo and the host offered suggestions of nearby sites to visit. We took a drive to see the natural bridge, cave, and waterfall, all of which were close together and a short walk from the road. Highly recommend those! And star gazing at night from the little deck was amazing. Overall a great stay with lots of special memories for me and my family!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

4/10 Poor

Ron

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The train car itself was very nice. Our issue was that when we tried to take ahowers in the morning we found that there was no hot water, so therefore no morning showers. There was no staff on site to help (office hours are only for a couple of hours in the afternoons). We emailed the mgt. about the issue but never got a reply. Would not stay there again.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025

8/10 Good

Ken H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Rest break

All good but did not like having the bed where it was. One side is against the wall. It was like being in a caravan, hard to get in and out of the bed without waking my partner.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ali E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fun Stay Close to the Caves

My friend and I stayed in the train car for one night following the Black Abyss Waitomo Caves excursion. I didn’t want to drive far in the dark after our cave adventure, and the train car was less than a 5 minute drive away. The train car is extremely well maintained. Back room can be a bit chilly as the heating unit is in the central bedroom, but there were plenty of blankets to keep warm. I would describe the larger bed as on the firm (but comfy!) side and the back bedroom beds as being less firm/more springy. The amount of space inside was impressive. The setting is absolutely serene. WIFI was decent for that kind of rural area. The host was excellent at communicating and happily accommodated our need for a contactless late night self check in. We couldn’t be happier and would stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Regi G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Carriage

So cozy and warm, very clean and tidy, best sleep we have had for a very long time. Thank you Just a suggestion, maybe write up some history on the carriage if you have it or can access it. That would be pretty cool to be able to read about the carriages life
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Aaron E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Close to the Caves and very charming

It was lovely to be able to go right from our cave tours to this lodging. A three minute drive. And the Huhu cafe right back up the road was an easy and good dinner--nice recommendation at checkin. Above all we enjoyed the charming train car as a unique place to stay. Everything was comfortable, and the curved roof panels and nice bathroom added to the back were nice touches.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Karen F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quirky, Warm and Cozy..

Loved it!!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Maree G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quirky and comfortable

Stayed in the converted train carriage. Cleverly laid out accommodation making full use of the carriage. Close to Waitomo caves and other activities. Lovely rural outlook.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

8/10 Good

Denise C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Overnight stay

Loved the unique experience. Beds could do with upgrading to ensure a comfortable sleep.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022

10/10 Excellent

Marama F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

bucolic

fun quirky accommodation and idyllic rural location
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kevan C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique Cosy Train

Our stay in the train was wonderful! So close to Waitomo, to do the tours and see the great sights around the area made this place perfect. Would definitely come back!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Nats N.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Ebby

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025