Tour departs the FWA Taumarunui base at 7.30am and will  arrive in Whangamomona approx 3.45pm - The same day shuttle picks you up after a quick look around Whangamomona and delivers you back to our Taumarunui base at approx 5.30pm.

Choose this tour if you are planning to:

start and finish in Taumarunui OR

start in Taumarunui, stay overnight in Whangamomona and return to Taumarunui the next day OR 

start in Taumarunui and have your vehicle transferred to Whangamomona to continue your journey from there.

Additional Options:

• Stay overnight in Whangamomona (just let us know if you would like us to book accommodation for you ) and return to Taumarunui on our next day shuttle
• Book a vehicle transfer so your vehicle is waiting for you in Whangamomona
• Book accommodation in Taumarunui for the night before and/or the night after your tour

The Republic 20 2 tour begins in Taumarunui at 7:30 am.  You will board our shuttle bus to travel to Whangamomona by road.  After a quick look around the Whangamomona village you will receive your safety briefing at at the Whangamomona Station before heading off along the rails to finish your tour at Okahukura.  From there you will board the shuttle bus for the 10 minute ride back to our base in Taumarunui.

Options available for this tour include:
1. Staying the night at the Whangamomona Hotel before the tour and booking a vehicle transfer so that your car is waiting for you in Taumarunui when you get back to our base. Just let us know if you would like us to book accommodation for you.

2. Driving up from Taranaki on the morning of your tour and meeting the tour at the Whangamomona Hotel at 9:00am for a tea/coffee/juice. Do allow sufficient time for a look around Whangamomona.  It is worth it!  After your tour stay the night in Taumarunui and book a non-standard shuttle back to Whangamomona the next day.  The shuttle will depart for Whangamomona at 7:30am.

3.  Driving up from Taranaki on the morning of your tour and meeting the tour at the Whangamomona Hotel at 9:00am.  Our free of charge Same Day shuttle will return you to Whangamomona around 7pm.

7:30am departure: Travel through 10 hand dug tunnels and over 20 bridges before enjoying your waiting lunch at the old Tokirima Station.  After lunch you will be shuttled down to the Ohinepane Landing to the waiting jet boat for an exhilarating 23km ride back up the Whanganui River to Cherry Grove in Taumarunui.

10:30am departure: Our shuttle will take you down to Cherry Grove to jet boat 23km down the Whanganui River to Ohinepane Landing.From there you leave the river and board our shuttle to have lunch at the old Tokirima Station.  After lunch, board your RailCart and travel through 10 hand dug tunnels and over 20 bridges as you make your way back up the line to Okahukura.  From there it is a 10 minute shuttle back to our Taumarunui depot.

Enjoy the best of both worlds. Travel 23km down the magnificent Whanganui River to be picked up by our shuttle and taken to the old Tokirima Station. There you will board your RailCart and travel the 40km of rail line back to Okahukura. 

Join us for a Forgotten World Expedition. A day on the rails and a day jet boating along the Whanganui River on the longest commercial jet boat tour in the Southern Hemisphere. The Expedition is two full days and includes one night's accommodation.

RailCart down the Forgotten World Railway to the Republic of Whangamomona, more than 80km of total immersion into the true stories and tall tales woven into this unique landscape. Stay the night in the Republic. The second day includes a spectacular helicopter flight over the Whanganui National Park to the Bridge to Nowhere, you'll be jet boating up the Whanganui River exploring historical sites and scenes, including the "Bridge to Nowhere" on the longest commercial jet boat tour in the Southern Hemisphere. Along the way stopping for morning, afternoon tea and lunch.

Please note that a good level of fitness is required to complete the approximate 5km bushwalk to the Bridge to Nowhere comfortably (2.5km each way). We highly recommend wearing appropriate walking shoes that have good grip as the trail can be slippery at times. 

The Expedition includes:

Day Two

- Continental breakfast in Whangamomona

- 25km helicopter flight (weather permitting), the alternative will be to drive the Forgotten World Highway to the Whanganui River.

- 110km jet boat ride on the Whanganui River. Walk to the Bridge to Nowhere (40 min each way)

- Morning, afternoon tea and lunch, driver/guide

- Returning to Taumarunui 4:30pm.

The history of this unique landscape will resonate as you absorb the stories and relive the memories of New Zealand’s pioneering past with this two-day journey back in time.  Unplugged yet still ‘on the line’ as you travel the entire 142km from Stratford to Okahukura with an overnight stay in Whangamomona.  You’ll go through all 24 tunnels, cross all 98 bridges and see the remnants of the original settlements along the line – the ultimate experience.

You can continue on your travels from here, talk to us about a vehicle transfer, or we can help you organise a return shuttle to your departure point.  Overnight accommodation with dinner and breakfast in the Republic of Whangamomona is included along with morning tea, lunch and afternoon snacks on both days.  We will ensure that your overnight luggage awaits you in Whangamomona and in Taumarunui at the end of your journey (or in Stratford if you are shuttling back).

The history of this unique landscape will resonate as you absorb the stories and relive the memories of New Zealand’s pioneering past with this two-day journey back in time.  Unplugged yet still ‘on the line’ as you travel the entire 142km from Okahukura to Stratford with an overnight stay in Whangamomona.  You’ll go through all 24 tunnels, cross all 98 bridges and see the remnants of the original settlements along the line – the ultimate experience.

You can continue on your travels from here, talk to us about a vehicle transfer, or we can help you organise a return shuttle to your departure point.  Overnight accommodation with dinner and breakfast in the Republic of Whangamomona is included along with morning tea, lunch and afternoon snacks on both days.  We will ensure that your overnight luggage awaits you in Whangamomona and in Stratford at the end of your journey (or Taumarunui if you are shuttling back).

This tour departs Taumarunui at 7.30am and 11.00am.  Shuttle from our depot out to our RailCarts and prepare to marvel at the determination and hardship that was endured as they hand dug 10 tunnels, built 25 bridges and laid tracks through rugged terrain nearly 100 years ago. Morning tea and lunch or lunch and afternoon tea will be served along the way and we will return you to our base around 1:30pm or 4:30 pm. Stop at the Lavender Farm to buy a hot or cold beverage either on your way to the RailCarts or on your way back.