Coast to Vines Rail Trail SA

Coast to Vines Rail Trail near McLaren Vale

The Coast to Vines Rail Trail extends 33 kilometres from the end of the platform at Marino Rocks Railway Station to the Almond Train at McLaren Vale.

For me, coming from the northern suburbs of Adelaide, one of the delights of going to McLaren Vale is the ride on the Seaford Line train, with its lovely views of the ocean from Bright Station south.

View of the ocean from the Seaford line heading south
View from the Seaford line heading south
Marino Rocks to Hallett Cove Railway Station (3 km)

Although the Coast to Vines Rail Trail officially starts at Marino Rocks, I find the three kilometre section of the trail between Marino Rocks and Hallett Cove Railway Station to be unnecessarily undulating. Also frankly, the views from the train (a few metres higher) are better.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - ready to ride from Hallett Cove Railway Station
Ready to ride from Hallett Cove Railway Station

There are public toilets at Hallett Cove Station, which can be convenient if you have travelled a long way.

Hallett Cove to Old Reynella (7 km)

From the east side of the Hallett Cove Railway Station, the Coast to Vines Rail Trail heads south. Unfortunately this section deviates quite a bit from the original rail track, so you can expect a few steep climbs.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - Derek and Joy on the tandem pushing uphill towards Hallett Cove Shopping Centre
Derek and Joy on the tandem pushing uphill towards Hallett Cove Shopping Centre
Coast to Vines Rail Trail - bridge over the M2 at Sheidow Park
Bridge over the M2 at Sheidow Park

It’s quite a challenging start to the ride, so a break for a coffee at Old Reynella is welcome.

Two bike-friendly cafes at Old Reynella are Esculent (open every day except Monday) and Soul Good Cafe (open every day except Sunday).

It’s worth stopping at Old Reynella, as after that there are not many cafes near the Coast to Vines Rail Trail until you get to McLaren Vale.

Old Reynella to tunnel under M2 (10 km)

Leaving Old Reynella behind, the real fun begins with a wonderful twelve kilometre descent to the Onkaparinga River.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - almond blossoms late July near Honeypot Road
Almond blossoms in late July near Honeypot Road

Just before the tunnel under the M2 Expressway is the turnoff to the Adelaide Southern Veloway, now known as the Patrick Jonker Veloway. The Veloway is a good quality bitumen bikeway running alongside the M2, providing a useful link to the Sturt River Recreational Trail at Bedford Park.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - tunnel under the M2 - turnoff to the M2 Veloway on the right.
Tunnel under the M2 – turnoff to the Patrick Jonker Veloway on the right
M2 to Seaford Railway Station (4 km)

After the M2 tunnel, you leave the suburbs behind for a while as the Coast to Vines Rail Trail keeps rolling down to the Onkaparinga River Recreation Park.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - yellow soursobs beside the track
Yellow soursobs beside the track in winter
Coast to Vines Rail Trail - walkers in the foreground with the Onkaparinga wetlands to the right
Onkaparinga wetlands to the right of these walkers

The bridge across the Onkaparinga River is a highlight.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - bridge over the Onkaparinga River
The Uncool Cycling Club on the Onkaparinga Bridge in summer
View from the Onkaparinga Bridge towards the Adelaide Hills – photo by Desmond Brown

It’s not uncommon to see kangaroos in this area.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail near Seaford Meadows Railway Station
Site of former Noarlunga Station near the current Seaford Meadows Railway Station
Seaford Railway Station to McLaren Vale (9 km)

After the suburb of Seaford Rise, the Coast to Vines Rail Trail turns under Main South Road and heads east.

After Seaford Rise, the Coast to Vines Rail Trail turns under Main South Road and heads east.

In this section, there are some lovely green and shady cuttings, particularly welcome on a warm summer’s day.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - deep and shady green cuttings

Some steep embankments add to the enjoyment.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - steep embankments

And of course, there are the vineyards – green in summer, yellow and red in autumn and bare in winter.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - cyclist near McLaren Vale
Vineyards in early winter near McLaren Vale

In McLaren Vale, the Cottage Bakery is conveniently located close to the Almond Train where the Coast to Vines Rail Trail finishes and becomes the Shiraz Rail Trail.

The Cottage Bakery – I want to paint a mural on that blank wall!

There’s indoor and outdoor seating, with plenty of room for bicycles.

Coast to Vines Rail Trail - plenty of room for bikes at the Cottage Bakery

You can follow the Shiraz Rail Trail for a further eight kilometres to the delightful historic village of Willunga.

McLaren Vale back to Seaford Railway Station (9 km)

It’s a nine kilometre ride back to Seaford Railway Station. With trains departing every 30 minutes even on Sundays and public holidays, you won’t have to wait long for your train back towards the city.

From the train you can see the Onkaparinga River and Wetlands between Seaford Meadows and Noarlunga Stations.

Onkaparinga Wetlands - view from the train
View of the Onkaparinga Wetlands from the train
Summary of our Coast to Vines ride

With its excellent bitumen surface, the Coast to Vines Rail Trail is suitable for riding all year round.

The ride I have described here is 39 kilometres long and includes a cumulative climb of 348 metres.

Elevation chart of our Coast to Vines Rail Trail ride
Elevation chart of Coast to Vines Rail Trail ride – Hallett Cove – McLaren Vale – Seaford

Another very enjoyable ride, which minimises the suburban parts of the rail trail, is to catch the train to Seaford, then ride down to McLaren Vale on the Coast to Vines Rail Trail and continue on to Willunga on the Shiraz Trail (38 kilometres return, 340 metres of climbing).

The ride along Onkaparinga River to Moana Beach is also an excellent option in the area. Another iconic Adelaide rail trail is the Amy Gillett Bikeway.

8 thoughts on “Coast to Vines Rail Trail SA”

  1. Another lovely ride, thanks for sharing. We haven’t been on any trail rides recently, been doing other things, but we hope to ride a few here in the UK in September.

  2. I found your page while reading one of my favorites, “cycling to work”. While perusing his favorites, your page name got my attention. Reading it made me “friend” you to get more. It’s nice to find a group that likes the same kind of rides as me. I’ll be a regular

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