Urban passenger trains
Wellington and Auckland have an urban rail network. This means thousands of passengers can travel between suburbs and the central city. Transdev operates these services.
Long distance passenger trains
KiwiRail operates long-distance passenger trains under the Great Journeys of New Zealand brand. These include:
- The Northern Explorer (Wellington to Auckland) on the NIMT
- The Tranz Alpine (Christchurch to Greymouth)
- The Coastal Pacific (Christchurch to Picton).
Freight trains
Every week over 900 freight trains move around the country. These trains transport general freight and goods.
Electric trains
Electric propulsion is ideal for use in tunnels as there is no smoke build up. New Zealand’s first electrified railway was a 14-kilometre section through the Ōtira tunnel, which opened in 1923. In 1929 electric locomotives were used on the Christchurch to Lyttelton line. This included the Lyttelton tunnel. The Lyttelton line was switched to diesel in 1970 and the Ōtira line was also switched to diesel in 1997.
Currently all electrified rail is in the North Island and includes:
- The Wellington Metro Line
- 65% of the North Island Main Trunk Line NIMT
- The Auckland Metro Line.
The Wellington Metro Line includes the Johnsonville, Kāpiti, Hutt Valley and Melling lines.
460 kilometres of the North Island Main Trunk Line is electrified in three separate sections. These sections are between:
- Wellington and Waikanae
- Palmerston North and Te Rapa (Hamilton)
- Papakura and Auckland Britomart.
The Auckland Metro Line was completed in 2015 and runs from Swanson in the west to Papakura in the south. This includes the Manukau and Onehunga branch lines. This line is helping to reduce road traffic in Auckland by providing more public transport.
Train Control
The Train Control Centre is in Wellington. All of New Zealand’s trains are controlled from here. Trains are located using GPS and tracked so train controllers can manage signal changes.
Upgrading New Zealand's Rail Network
The government will invest a billion dollars to support the redevelopment of KiwiRail. This includes:
- $375 million for new wagons and locomotives
- $331 million to invest in track and other supporting infrastructure
- $300 million for the development of rail outside of large cities
- and $35 million to begin the process of replacing current ferries that are nearing the end of their lives.
The Auckland City Rail Link also has funding. When completed this link will provide the equivalent of 16 extra lanes of traffic into the city centre during peak times.
The railway is private property
Railway tracks and rail yards are private property. You are trespassing and can be prosecuted if you;
- Cross railway tracks anywhere other than on an official level crossing.
- If you enter railway property without permission.
Ready for a quiz? Try the 'Trains in New Zealand' activity.
