Last updated November 2026
Trains no longer run through Stoke, but the line they used is still there as the Stoke Railway Reserve, a flat, sealed path that carries walkers and riders through the suburb for 4.3 km.
The Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust grades it 1, the easiest grade, and it starts at the playground beside the Annesbrook roundabout, reached by a pedestrian overbridge from the east or a pedestrian underbridge from the north.
From there it follows the old railway line to just past Saxton Road West, 15 to 30 minutes of riding. Nelson City Council lists it as one of the city’s off-street cycleways, and it links with the Nelson to Richmond section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail.
Practical Information
- Start
- Playground beside the Annesbrook roundabout (pedestrian overbridge from the east, pedestrian underbridge from the north)
- Finish
- Just past Saxton Road West, Stoke
- Length
- 4.3 km
- Riding time
- 15 to 30 minutes
- Grade
- Grade 1 (easiest)
- Surface
- Flat and sealed
- Use
- Shared with families, walkers, runners, commuters and dog walkers
- Dogs
- The national tracks dataset lists dogs on lead on the Railway Reserve; check Nelson City Council’s dog control policy
- Links to
- The Nelson to Richmond section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail
- Status
- Check Nelson City Council’s website for current closures before you ride
About Stoke Railway Reserve
The reserve is the corridor of the old railway line through Stoke, now a flat, sealed path from end to end. That makes it one of the easiest rides in Nelson, and a useful way to cross the suburb on foot or by bike.
It is a working path as much as a leisure one. The Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust says it is popular with families, walkers, runners, commuters and dog walkers, and asks riders to take care at peak times, so ride at a pace that lets you pass people with room to spare and use your bell.
Nelson City Council includes the reserve in its list of off-street cycleways, alongside the Railway Reserve closer to town and the Atawhai Shared Pathway. Two of the council’s Bike Nelson urban rides, the Old Railway Route and City to Annesbrook, follow the old line, and the council notes that the two can be linked into one ride.
Riding the Old Line from the City End
The railway reserve does not stop at Annesbrook. Nelson City Council lists a separate off-street section, the Railway Reserve from Victory Square to Beatson Road.
Riders heading out of Nelson on Tasman’s Great Taste Trail use the old line too: the trust’s Town and Country ride follows signs to the St Vincent Street cycle route, on commuter paths through the historic railway reserve towards the airport.
Put the two together and you can follow the old rail line from the city towards Stoke. Herenga ā Nuku’s Railway Reserve records grade it easiest to easy for bikes and list dogs on lead.
The Stoke Legacy Trail Loops
The Stoke Legacy Trail is a set of three short loops, the Isel, Saxton and Seaview loops, managed by Nelson City Council. The dataset records parts of the Saxton loop as rail sections and parts as road sections, and some Railway Reserve segments are tagged as part of the Legacy Trail.
Isel, Saxton and Seaview
The loops are graded easiest to easy for bikes in the national tracks dataset and are listed as short walks. Parts of the Saxton and Seaview loops are tagged as Bike Nelson Ride 4 (the Old Railway Route), and part of the Seaview loop is Walk Nelson Walk 42.
The council’s Bike Nelson maps page does not cover the loops, so ask Nelson City Council for a current route map.
From locals
Do I have to share the Stoke Railway Reserve path with walkers?
Is it easy to find a park near the playground at the Annesbrook roundabout?
No answers yet. If you know, a local would love to hear it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Stoke Railway Reserve?
It is 4.3 km from the playground by the Annesbrook roundabout to just past Saxton Road West, which the trust puts at 15 to 30 minutes of riding.
Is it hilly?
No. It follows the old railway line and is flat and sealed, graded 1 (easiest).
Where can I get on?
At the playground beside the Annesbrook roundabout, which you reach by a pedestrian overbridge from the east or a pedestrian underbridge from the north.
Does it connect to the Great Taste Trail?
Yes. It links to the Nelson to Richmond section of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail.
Can I ride from the city centre?
The council’s off-street Railway Reserve runs from Victory Square to Beatson Road, and the trust’s Great Taste Trail route out of town uses the St Vincent Street cycle route through the historic railway reserve.
Can I walk my dog on it?
The national tracks dataset lists dogs on lead on the Railway Reserve. Check the council’s dog control policy for the current rules.
What is the Stoke Legacy Trail?
Three short council loops in Stoke, the Isel, Saxton and Seaview loops. The national tracks dataset records rail and road sections on the Saxton loop.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Heart of Biking: Other trails: the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust’s guide to Nelson’s other rides, including the Stoke Railway Reserve with its grade and length.
- Nelson City Council: Bike Nelson cycling maps: the council’s off-street cycleways and the Old Railway Route and City to Annesbrook ride maps.
- Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa: national track data for the Railway Reserve and the Stoke Legacy Trail loops. Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, Outdoor Access Commission, from LINZ and DOC data (CC BY 4.0).