A protest by climate activists engaged in a "Stop Coal" protest at Dunedin Railway Station this morning has ended.

Before 8am, several protesters took up position on the tracks with Extinction Rebellion flags and signs carrying anti-coal messages.

Police attended and had ongoing discussions with the protesters, on the tracks on on the station platform. 

A police officer talks with activists protesting at Dunedin Railway Station this morning. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

The protest, the most recent of several in recent months, aimed at disrupting the freight of coal from a mine in Southland to the Fonterra dairy plant near Clandeboye in Canterbury.

The train was halted for a time, but by 8.45am the protesters had left the tracks and the train was expected to pass through soon after.

At a protest last month, Extinction Rebellion Otepoti spokesman Liam Scaife said that if KiwiRail continued to haul coal, activists would continue to take disruptive action.

Protesters on the tracks at Dunedin Railway Station this morning. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery