Final Green Light Given For Sunday Te Huia Services
Final approval has been given and the date set for the first Te Huia Sunday service between Waikato and Auckland stations. Te Huia (Photo/Supplied) The first Sunday service will depart Frankton station at 2.45pm on Sunday, 27 July, arriving at central …
Final approval has been given and the date set for the first Te Huia Sunday service between Waikato and Auckland stations.
The first Sunday service will depart Frankton station at 2.45pm on Sunday, 27 July, arriving at central Auckland's Strand station at 5.17pm. It will leave Auckland for the return journey at 6.15pm, arriving in Hamilton at 8.37pm.
'This is a significant step forward for our Waikato to Auckland rail service as it enters the final year of its trial,' said Phil King, Waikato Regional Council's Regional Transport Connections Director.
'It will strengthen connectivity, support tourism, and make the service better for workers, students and families travelling between both regions. It will especially provide an alternative travel option to large sporting and cultural events and provide connection seven days a week to the Auckland Airport.
'Just as importantly, it comes in time for us to assess its success ahead of a decision being made early next year on the future of Te Huia by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Board,' Mr King said.
KiwiRail's Executive General Manager Passenger Tracey Goodall welcomed the new service.
'KiwiRail is proud to operate Te Huia on behalf of Waikato Regional Council. Patronage on Te Huia has continued to grow, and its service offering continues to improve – initially stopping at Pukekohe Station and now a return service between Hamilton and Auckland on Sundays.'
'A final push to upgrade the rail network in Auckland is ongoing for the rest of this year and into 2026, ahead of the City Rail Link opening and at times KiwiRail's Waikato maintenance teams will need more time working on the tracks between Hamilton and Pukekohe. This means occasional disruption to the Te Huia service, but we are trying to keep this to a minimum wherever possible, while still delivering the much-needed Auckland upgrade.'
In May, a proposed timetable for a Sunday afternoon Te Huia service was approved by the Auckland Metro Timetable Committee, which includes representatives from Auckland Transport and metro operator Auckland One Rail, as well as KiwiRail and Waikato Regional Council.
Waikato Regional Councillors approved the reallocation of reserve funds to cover the costs of the Sunday return service during a full council meeting in late May.
KiwiRail's National Timetable Committee has since unanimously approved the Sunday travel for the line between Hamilton and Pukekohe as part of a standard process for new train services or changes to existing services.
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