Jacobs Depot – the starting point of the Waitekere Ranges rain forest express – is located about 40km west of Auckland (5 km from Titigrangi village). Initially build to ensure the maintenance of pipes for the water supply of auckland the narrow train (if I say narrow, i MEAN narrow….) goes through the heart of the rain forest along those pipes. “WaterCare” still maintains those pipes and offer those touristic rides.
The ride takes you across bridges and through tunnels hardly wider than the train itself. Within the tunnels you even see glowworms (which I couldn’t take any pictures of, since we were sitting in the train, moving too fast). Since ‘fast’ is relative, the rain forest express isn’t much of an express after all: Covering a distance of about 10 or 12 km, the trip takes about 1.5 hours – one way :) If you take the ‘early’ train (leaving at 9:30am) you will have a long enough break to have a great picnic lunch the the historic Upper Nihotupu dam.
Since you are already in that area, it’s a good idea to visit the black sand beach in Piha after your express ride. It’s one of the more popular beaches near Auckland and there are lots of people there – at least for New Zealand terms. Compares to European beaches there’s heaps of space for you and your towel and great waves to surf… :)
