King's Birthday Rail Closure – Passengers Encouraged To Plan Ahead And Expect Delays
Buses will replace trains over King's Birthday weekend, as KiwiRail carry out planned infrastructure upgrades and rail improvements across all rail lines.
Buses will replace all trains from Saturday 31 May to Monday 2 June, with rail services resuming on Tuesday morning, 3 June. Works include bridge repairs, track replacement, and level crossing safety upgrades.
King's Birthday is also a big weekend for rugby fans, with Hurricanes playing Moana Pacific on Saturday night; additional bus replacements will help fans get to and from the game.
This work builds on major upgrades completed over the Easter and Anzac Day holidays, continuing the progress being made to address overdue rail renewals. New infrastructure can take a day or two to settle or 'bed in' which can affect travel times.
Metlink passengers are advised to plan ahead using the latest travel information on the Metlink website, app, or by calling 0800 801 700.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Hurricanes brace for "cold, dark and hostile" Canberra in Super Rugby finals
Cam Roigard celebrates with Ngatungane Punivai. Photo: Mark Evans/ActionPress Brumbies v Hurricanes Kick-off: 9:35pm Saturday 7 May GIO Stadium, Canberra Live updates on RNZ Sport The Hurricanes wanted the Brumbies first up in the Super Rugby finals and they're confident of claiming a second win in Canberra this season. Hurricanes players celebrate the win over Moana Pasifika. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / Much has been made of the match and its potential to become a dead rubber due to the scheduling of the game and the new playoff format. If results go to seedings in the earlier games and the Chiefs beat the Blues and the Crusaders beat the Reds, then the Brumbies and Hurricanes will play each other knowing that no matter what the result they will both qualify for the semi-finals. However, if either the Crusaders or Chiefs lose a home semi-final would be on offer for the Hurricanes and All Blacks halfback, Cam Roigard, said the visitors are intent on maintaining their winning momentum. "There's potentially a lot to play for and just like the regular season there's never dead rubbers even if the result doesn't matter. The games are so tight and there's still so much to play for," Roigard said. "Momentum's huge heading into the semi-finals. We've been lucky to get some good results leading in to the playoffs and regardless of the previous results (between the Crusaders and Reds and Chiefs and Blues), we're going to be trying to do what we can to get a result." Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes celebrates a try. Photo: Masanori Udagawa / PHOTOSPORT He believes if the Hurricanes focus on anything other than winning, they will set themselves up to fail. "We know how hard it is to win in Canberra. So, if you're thinking it's a dead rubber leading into the match and then there's an upset in previous games, that can shake things up completely and it could turn into the game of the round. So, yeah, who knows? We're just going to control what we can control." The Hurricanes won in Canberra earlier this season with the 35-29 victory in April their first in the Australian capital since 2017 and Roigard believes that drought-breaking result will give them confidence heading into this weekend's clash. "It's massive. We don't take that stuff for granted and hopefully we've broken the curse of winning over there," Roigard said. "We know it's going to be cold. It's going to be dark. The crowd get behind their team, so it's going to be loud and hostile too. "We know how tough it is to win over there. We've had some great Hurricanes sides go over there and not be able to win. I've played there a couple times in quarter finals and been there when the team has played there. It always seems to be in the Hurricanes script that we're playing the Brumbies in Canberra for a quarter final." Cam Roigard of the Hurricanes runs in to score a try, Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika, round 16 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 31 May 2025. Photo: Elias Rodriguez / Photosport Photo: Elias Rodriguez / Despite the added travel of going to Australia and the Brumbies impressive home record, Roigard is adamant the visitors are more than happy to be playing in Canberra. "They (Brumbies) are probably the team that we want to play in the quarter final, given the position that we are on the table. It's probably the best that we could have done considering the average start that we had to the season." Roigard believes the Hurricanes will have to be accurate and as error free as possible to claim back to back wins over the Brumbies. "I think our kicking game is massive. They've got some talented backs and they're such a set piece orientated team. "The more opportunities we give them, the harder it's going to be for us, especially if we're defending our goal line for eighty minutes. If we can manage where we play the game that will be huge for us and for giving momentum to our forwards and for getting around the corner and playing in the right areas of the field. "We know that they're hugely reliant on set piece and they're very good at it. If we can manage that as best we can, then we'll have a good chance on the weekend."
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Petition To Bring Back The Southerner Passenger Train Launched
Press Release – Save Our Trains Save Our Trains Southern spokesperson Dave Macpherson said there are 750,000 New Zealanders living along the rail route between Christchurch and Invercargill who are starved of reasonable public transport links between their communities. A petition has been launched in the South Island calling for the restoration of The Southerner regular passenger train, running from Christchurch to Invercargill, via Dunedin. The passenger rail service would also stop at key towns and cities such as Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Balclutha and Gore, and possibly other stops such as Temuka, Palmerston, Mosgiel (for bus connections to Dunedin Airport) and Milton, should demand warrant. The petition will be presented to a cross-Party group of South Island MPs at Parliament in early July, and calls on the 'House of Representatives [to] urge the Government to restore The Southerner Train, from Invercargill, via Dunedin to Christchurch, as a regular public transport service, supporting South Island towns and cities along the route' Save Our Trains Southern spokesperson Dave Macpherson said 'there are 750,000 New Zealanders living along the rail route between Christchurch and Invercargill who are starved of reasonable public transport links between their communities.' 'Rail is a preferred choice of travel for large numbers of them, judging by the very positive early reaction we are getting to our petition out in the streets and on the airwaves. We are starting to collect signatures in the streets of Oamaru, Dunedin, Balclutha and Milton already, and are adding volunteers for that task in Invercargiull, Ashburton, Christchurch, Gore and Timaru.' 'We have today launched the petition online as well, and are making that available to people around the country.' [see Petition link: ] Mr Macpherson said 'we are being told by tertiary students, retired people, families, businesspeople, and especially disabled people that rail will provide them affordable, safe and comfortable links to friends, relatives, study and work activities that are not well served – if at all – by expensive airliinks, unsafe car journeys and slow, uncomfortable private coach links.' 'The North Island already has three Government-supported long distance rail links, but the South Island has nothing. It is about time that this part of NZ Inc. received some transport support.' He pointed out that, 'unlike new highways, the rail route is already in place; the Hillside (Dunedin) and Waltham (Christchurch) KiwiRail workshops are in place to support passenger rail services, rail-enabled ferries are being bought, and tourist trains in the South Island are a roaring success. Everything points to passenger rail being successful in the South Island.' 'Local people need passenger trains providing affordable local services.'
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Petition To Bring Back The Southerner Passenger Train Launched
Press Release – Save Our Trains Save Our Trains Southern spokesperson Dave Macpherson said there are 750,000 New Zealanders living along the rail route between Christchurch and Invercargill who are starved of reasonable public transport links between their communities. A petition has been launched in the South Island calling for the restoration of The Southerner regular passenger train, running from Christchurch to Invercargill, via Dunedin. The passenger rail service would also stop at key towns and cities such as Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Balclutha and Gore, and possibly other stops such as Temuka, Palmerston, Mosgiel (for bus connections to Dunedin Airport) and Milton, should demand warrant. The petition will be presented to a cross-Party group of South Island MPs at Parliament in early July, and calls on the 'House of Representatives [to] urge the Government to restore The Southerner Train, from Invercargill, via Dunedin to Christchurch, as a regular public transport service, supporting South Island towns and cities along the route' Save Our Trains Southern spokesperson Dave Macpherson said 'there are 750,000 New Zealanders living along the rail route between Christchurch and Invercargill who are starved of reasonable public transport links between their communities.' 'Rail is a preferred choice of travel for large numbers of them, judging by the very positive early reaction we are getting to our petition out in the streets and on the airwaves. We are starting to collect signatures in the streets of Oamaru, Dunedin, Balclutha and Milton already, and are adding volunteers for that task in Invercargiull, Ashburton, Christchurch, Gore and Timaru.' 'We have today launched the petition online as well, and are making that available to people around the country.' [see Petition link: ] Mr Macpherson said 'we are being told by tertiary students, retired people, families, businesspeople, and especially disabled people that rail will provide them affordable, safe and comfortable links to friends, relatives, study and work activities that are not well served – if at all – by expensive airliinks, unsafe car journeys and slow, uncomfortable private coach links.' 'The North Island already has three Government-supported long distance rail links, but the South Island has nothing. It is about time that this part of NZ Inc. received some transport support.' He pointed out that, 'unlike new highways, the rail route is already in place; the Hillside (Dunedin) and Waltham (Christchurch) KiwiRail workshops are in place to support passenger rail services, rail-enabled ferries are being bought, and tourist trains in the South Island are a roaring success. Everything points to passenger rail being successful in the South Island.' 'Local people need passenger trains providing affordable local services.'
