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![]() Te Huia train travelling through Takanini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Service type | Inter-city | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Operating | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Waikato, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Predecessor | Waikato Connection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First service | 6 April 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current operator(s) | Waikato Regional Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ridership | 69,165 (2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | tehuiatrain.co.nz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | Hamilton Auckland (Strand) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stops | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance travelled | 138.37 kilometres (85.98 mi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average journey time | 2 hours, 36 minutes [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service frequency | Monday to Wednesday: Twice-daily return Thursday and Friday: Thrice-daily return Saturday: Twice-daily return Sunday: No serviceContents | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
On-board services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Seating arrangements | 147 [2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Catering facilities | Yes – a café / bar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other facilities | Wi-Fi, Bike Storage, and Toilets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | New Zealand DF class locomotive (1979) and SR, SRC and SRV class carriages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Te Huia is a passenger train service between Hamilton, Papakura, and Auckland (The Strand) in New Zealand. The service is a five-year trial with subsidies from the NZ Transport Agency and Waikato local authorities. The opening was delayed because of COVID-19 and the need to replace some rail track. A new starting date was announced, and the service began on 6 April 2021. [3] [4] Subject to consultation, the 2024 GPS, which sets out government spending plans for transport, does not include the $50m a year to 2026, for inter regional public transport, [5] which was in the draft GPS of August 2023, issued by the previous Labour government, and which was being used to fund Te Huia. [6]
After the June 2006 announcement of the Overlander's cancellation, there were proposals to re-instate the Waikato Connection, including from Dave Macpherson, Hamilton City Council's Passenger Transport Committee chairman. The Overlander's cancellation was subsequently rescinded, eliminating the possibility of using its rolling stock on a new Waikato Connection, but other proposals have remained due to increased vehicular traffic volumes straining road capacity. These proposals include using the Silver Fern railcars as in the original Waikato Connection, though they were at the time under contract for suburban commuter trains between Auckland and Pukekohe. Proposals were floated in 2007 to reinstate the service. [7] An interim proposal from the Rail Working Group in 2011 recommended further assessment of three options:
This proposal addressed cost concerns raised by the affected local government organisations by making use of existing rolling stock and infrastructure where possible and avoiding use of the Britomart Transport Centre which, because of capacity constraints, was not available for peak-time arrivals and departures of such a service. [8]
The proposal was dropped on a 2011 report [9] in favour of extension only from Pukekohe to Tuakau, but that was also shelved. [10] In 2016 the Transport Minister said, when starting work on a parallel section of Waikato Expressway costing over $2bn, "it will be some time before it makes its case economically". [11]
A further study to establish a strategic business case was started in 2017. [12] It identified the lack of a third line to Auckland and consequently, a journey time of over 2h 20m as obstacles. [13] Regional Council's 2018 Long Term Plan consultation also includes a question asking whether Hamilton ratepayers will pay about $11 a year for a skeleton commuter service from Hamilton to Papakura. [14] A paper for the same plan proposes a Hamilton–Papakura bus link, taking 1h 20m, 10 minutes faster and much cheaper, [15] at an estimated annual cost of $54,000. [16]
The Sixth Labour Government promised commuter rail in 18 months to Hamilton [17] and commuter rail to Hamilton and Tauranga. [18] Hamilton residents want a passenger service right into Auckland (Britomart if possible). [19] Labour MP Jamie Strange expected the service to be operating by the end of 2019. [20] A 2018 Waikato Regional Council plan aimed to have more than 95% of peak rail trips completed in less than 2h 30m (compared with 50% by road) within 5 years, 2h within 15 years and eventually 90 minutes (90 km/h (56 mph) average). [21]
In 2019, the unofficially popular name [22] of Tron Express was announced and the start date further delayed to mid-2020. [23] But Tron received fewest positive comments and was the least well liked in focus groups, [24] so Te Huia was then recommended by two Waikato councils. [25] In 2019, there was also discussion over the level of NZTA funding. [26]
Detailed planning in 2018 put the start date back to March 2020. [27] The delayed supply of new bogies from overseas delayed by two months the startup from March to May 2020. [28] [29] The service introduction was then delayed to November 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. [30] [31]
The need to replace some rail track in the Auckland area (including Papakura) where slow (40 km/h (25 mph)) speed limits would otherwise be required had meant that the likely start month has been put back to February 2021. [3] [32] It was later announced to begin 6 April 2021. [33]
In November 2018, the proposed service from March 2020 was expected to take 91 minutes from Frankton to Papakura, stopping at Rotokauri and Huntly; and transferring at Papakura to another train to take 2h 29m total to Britomart. [34]
In 2018 KiwiRail planned that the service would run Monday to Friday (two trains) and Saturday (one train), with a running time of 88 minutes, between Hamilton railway station and Papakura railway station, with stops at Rotokauri (a new station near The Base shopping mall on the outskirts of Hamilton and the site of the former Te Rapa railway station) and Huntly railway station (to be upgraded). [35]
In late 2020, Waikato Regional Council published Te Huia's website. The new planned journey time was extended to 98 minutes (Frankton to Papakura), with intermediate stops at Rotokauri and Huntly. [36] The fares are Adult $12.20 (Hamilton Stations-Papakura) with a Bee Card, or $17 without. [37] Cheaper or Free fares are available for Children, Students, SuperGold (Saturdays), and Accessibility. [37] From 12 July 2021 the Hamilton-Papakura fares were $12 with a card and $20 without [37] and the same fares applied to Saturday services to Strand. [38] Fares in 2023 were $9 and $15 respectively. [39]
Year | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Ridership | 5,506 | 4,981 | 7,609 | 5,805 | 6,677 | 7,147 | 6,231 | 4,864 | 3,056 | 3,825 | 7,120 | 6,692 | 5,707 | 5,813 | 4,994 | 8,164 | 6,433 | 6,172 | 6,000 | 5,189 | 3,428 | 6,340 | 7,471 | 9,212 | 9,466 |
On the first day up to 106 passengers were on the trains, but for the rest of the first week of operation passenger numbers on each train ranged between 12 and 48, with the earlier trains generally more popular than the later. [41] On the first Saturday, passengers were standing and others were unable to join at Huntly. [42] Average daily loadings in the first seven weeks were 153, 118, 222, 287, 123, 130 and 149. [43] On 9 July 2021 it was announced that the Saturday service would from then on run to Strand [44] Saturday services were still close to seated capacity in July, when extension to Strand allowed capacity to be doubled. [38] After another lockdown, trains ran from 24 January to 28 February 2022 with an average of 83 passengers on weekdays and 60 on Saturdays. Te Huia has suffered from a decline, like other public transport, due to COVID-19. Late running was also a problem in early 2022, with 47 trains on-time and 32 late, due to speed restrictions, heat speed restrictions and delays in track tamping work. [45] Although schedules have been eased, they are sometimes not sufficient. Due largely to Cyclone Hale and Cyclone Gabrielle, 11% of trains were more than 15 minutes late in January 2023, but, even without the bad weather, 3 to 5% of trains were that late for most of 2022. [46]
The new schedule and extension to the Strand, from 24 January 2022, [47] increased patronage significantly, with record numbers in April 2022, an average of 265 passengers a day - an average of 240 passengers on weekdays and 353 on Saturdays. [48]
On 11 July 2023, Te Huia was banned from entering the Auckland metro area by Waka Kotahi after two signal passed at danger (SPAD) incidents (one each in Penrose and Hamilton), forcing the service to terminate at Papakura. Waka Kotahi requires the locomotives are fitted with ETCS to operate in the area. [49] [50] Full service from Hamilton to Auckland Strand resumed on 6 August 2023, with one week of free promotional fares. [51] 60 to 80% of services arrive on time (or within 5 minutes). [52]
On 17 May 2024, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency announced that it would reduce funding for the Te Huai service from 75.% to 60%, commencing 1 July 2024. [53]
Te Huia uses two consists of four refurbished SA and SD carriages, each with capacity for 147 commuters and a café car. The refurbished (by Hutt Workshops) former Auckland Transport SA and SD cars (ten SA and three SD, which became redundant in 2015) have been refitted into KiwiRail SR class. [54]
The two consists have two SR, one SRC and one SRV carriages; with an overall capacity of 300 passengers each way daily. This could increase to two five-carriage consists with a capacity of 400 passengers each way daily.
The three carriage designs are:
Te Huia sets as delivered from Hutt workshops:
The carriages retain the modern metro-style doors from their former Auckland Transport SA and SD class days, which are easier for wheelchair users and cyclists to use, so do not have the wide windows as fitted to the Wairarapa Connection carriages which have traditional “quarter” doors (this slightly reduces the number of seats, but the cost of door conversion was prohibitive). Carriages are painted with a livery consisting largely of gloss grey, with a depiction of the extinct huia bird.
The service uses overhauled DF locomotives (two operating and one spare). The empty trains run to Otahuhu railway station and the Westfield marshalling yard during the day, and will be serviced at a carriage depot at the Rotokauri railway station (Te Rapa) at night.
Upgrades are being built and several proposals made for further improvements.
ATAP, Auckland's 2018–2028 plan provided for Pukekohe electrification, a third line from Westfield to Wiri and further new electric trains, [55] part of up to $205m a year proposed by government for "transitional rail" spending, [56] which allowed for the possibility of a Hamilton service. [57]
In 2019, the New Zealand government approved a review into upgrading the rail line to accommodate a maximum speed of 160 km/h, which would halve the journey times between Auckland and Hamilton. [58] [59] Also in 2019, a group made up of local councils and the Ministry of Transport issued a 'Shared Statement of Spatial Intent'. It envisages that suburban electric services may extend to Pokeno within 10 years and that, beyond that, the whole route would be electrified and faster alignments be created via the Bombay Hills, around the Whangamarino wetland and east of Huntly. It also suggests a spur to Hamilton Airport. [60]
On opening day in 2021, Waikato Regional Council chair, Russ Rimmington said, "Te Huia is only the start of big things, as opportunities are investigated to expand the service and make it faster.” [61] Around $98 million is being spent by national and regional government, over 5 years, to collect data and help with planning the next steps. [62] However, criticism has been made of the slow journey and paucity of intermediate stops. [63] An indicative timetable published in 2018 showed 1h 26m, [64] but the 2021 timetable allowed 1h 39m; [44] the first train arrived 4 minutes early at Papakura, yet a car, leaving Hamilton at the same time, arrived at Britomart 35 minutes earlier than the train connection. [65] The only competing public transport service is by InterCity bus. [66] Bus schedules vary between 1h 35m and 2h 30m. [67] The 2023 Te Huia timetable shows 2h 40m. [68] Car travel can be as little as 1h 20m, though, due to congestion, 15% of peak hour car journeys exceed 2h 50m. [69]
An interim business case released by the minister in August 2020 said that "Rapid Rail" could cost between $2.2 billion and $14.4 billion, and said there was a strong case for further investigation. Electrifying the present rail corridor would cost an estimated $2.157 billion with additional operating costs of $725 million, having trains travelling at up to 110 km/h (68 mph) with a travel time between the two centres of 1h 53m. A new standard gauge corridor would cost $14.425 billion; having trains travelling at 250 km/h (160 mph) and taking 69 minutes.
In 2020 the Ministry of Transport noted that slow and unreliable travel between Hamilton and Auckland is, "limiting the opportunity to strengthen economic integration and productivity of the two metropolitan areas. This is evident in: Long and unpredictable travel times due to worsening traffic congestion; Lower than expected demand between Hamilton and Auckland cities due to unpredictable travel times". The Ministry predicts car travel times north of the Bombay Hills will be about 10% slower by 2048, despite motorway widening. The Ministry also found that car dependency put a disproportionate cost on the poor and hampers efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and accidents. It concluded that inter-city rail is the only option able to make improvements to all of these. [69] Therefore in July 2020 the Ministry was instructed to develop the next stages for train travel in greater detail, [70] including a possible extension of Hamilton to Auckland rapid rail to Tauranga. [71]
The Ministry suggested that improvements could be made to cut the Hamilton-Auckland journey to 1h 7m, but estimated initially a 1h 22m train journey between Hamilton and Papakura and 32m for an express journey from there to Britomart. [70] There were two intermediate options, with trains travelling at 160 km/h (99 mph) and taking 1h 28m, or at 110 km/h (68 mph) in 1h 41m. Previous options included "Tilt Trains". All four options include a new underground rail station in the Hamilton CBD [72] and all allow 32 minutes for the 35 km (22 mi) between Papakura and Britomart. [69]
KiwiRail, operator of Te Huia and the Capital Connection , states that support from local government and central government is critical for any inter-regional passenger services. [73]
On 19 October 2023, it was announced on the Te Huia website that, beginning on 8 February 2024, an additional return service will operate every Thursday, Friday, Saturday. At the time of the announcement, the specific timetable was still to be released. [74] At the same time Hamilton station was to get a cafe and other improvements. [75] Most of the services continue with a 2hr 40min schedule, though the new train from Auckland on Thursday and Friday afternoons is timed to be 13 minutes faster. [76]
If the trial service has proved a success by mid-2026, Waikato Regional Council plan to add an additional five 4-car units to the order for new Wellington trains, which would be delivered from around 2029/30, after those for Wellington start to run. The cost is estimated at $130m. [52] [77]
The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is 682 kilometres (424 mi) long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of 1,067 mm and serves the large cities of Palmerston North and Hamilton.
Waitematā railway station, formerly known as Britomart Transport Centre, is the public transport hub in the central business district of Auckland and the northern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk railway line. It combines a railway station in a former Edwardian post office, extended with expansive modernist architectural elements, with a bus interchange. It is at the foot of Queen Street, the main commercial thoroughfare of the CBD, with the main ferry terminal just across Quay Street.
Westfield railway station was a station of the Auckland railway network in New Zealand. The station closed to all services on 12 March 2017, following an announcement by Auckland Transport on 17 January 2017, because fewer than 330 passengers used it daily and it required a costly upgrade.
The Strand Station, also referred to as Auckland Strand Station, is a railway station located on the eastern edge of the Auckland CBD. It serves as the long-distance railway station for Auckland. It is the northern terminus of the Northern Explorer service between Auckland and Wellington, and the northern terminus for the Te Huia service between Auckland and Hamilton. Suburban services are not scheduled to pass through the station, however, it serves as a backup for Britomart Transport Centre during times of disruption.
Papakura railway station is a railway station in Papakura, New Zealand, on the Southern Line of the Auckland railway network.
Pukekohe railway station is a temporarily closed railway station in Pukekohe, New Zealand. It is the southern terminus of the Southern Line of the Auckland railway network. The station has an island platform between the main lines and an original wooden station building complete with signal panel.
The Capital Connection is a long-distance commuter train operated by KiwiRail between Palmerston North and the capital city of Wellington on the North Island Main Trunk.
The Waikato Connection was a short-lived express passenger train between Hamilton and Auckland in New Zealand's North Island. It consisted of a weekday single return service using diesel multiple unit railcars.
Urban bus transport is the main form of public transport in New Zealand. Two of the country's largest cities, Auckland and Wellington, also have suburban rail systems, while some cities also operate local ferry services. There are no rapid transit metros and no remaining tram systems active anywhere in New Zealand, though trams once had a major role in New Zealand's public transport.
Public transport in Auckland, the largest metropolitan area of New Zealand, consists of three modes: bus, train and ferry. Services are coordinated by Auckland Transport (AT) under the AT and AT Metro brands. Waitematā railway station is the main transport hub.
The Southern Line in Auckland, New Zealand is the name given to suburban train services that operate between Waitematā railway station in central Auckland and Pukekohe via Newmarket.
Papakura is a suburb of South Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) south of the Auckland City Centre. It is under the authority of the Auckland Council.
Auckland railway electrification occurred in phases as part of investment in a new infrastructure for Auckland's urban railway network. Electrification of the network had been proposed for several decades. Installation started in the late 2000s after funds were approved from a combination of regional and central government budgets.
The New Zealand British Rail Mark 2 carriages were built by British Rail Engineering Limited for British Rail in the early 1970s. From the mid-1990s, 150 were exported to New Zealand. After being rebuilt, refurbished and re-gauged, they entered service with a variety of operators on New Zealand's railway network. The carriages generally replaced older NZR 56-foot carriages, some of which had been in use for almost 70 years.
Public transport in Hamilton and the Waikato Region consists mainly of bus services, as well as some limited train and ferry services. Services are mainly infrequent, and investment hasn't been sufficient to compete with cars, so that subsidies, first introduced in 1971, have increased.
Railway electrification in New Zealand consists of three separate electric systems, all on the North Island. Electrification was initially adopted by the New Zealand Railways for long tunnels; the Otira Tunnel, the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel and the two Tawa Tunnels of the Tawa Flat Deviation. Electrification of Wellington suburban services started with the Johnsonville Line and Kapiti Line out of Wellington from the 1930s. Auckland suburban services were electrified in 2014–2015. Electrification of long-distance services on the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) dates from 1986. New long tunnels, for example the Rimutaka Tunnel and the Kaimai Tunnel, were operated by diesels, and the Otira and Lyttelton Tunnels have converted to diesel operation.
Jamie Ross Strange is a New Zealand politician. He is a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.
Rotokauri railway station, also known as The Hub, is a railway station, park and ride, and bus station in north Hamilton, New Zealand serving Rotokauri and Te Rapa. Located on the North Island Main Trunk, it was previously a flag station, and was closed in January 1971. It reopened as an integrated transport hub in 2021 as part of Te Huia services between Hamilton and Papakura. Services started on 6 April 2021.
Te Kauwhata was a flag station on the North Island Main Trunk line, in the Waikato District of New Zealand, 54 mi (87 km) south of Auckland. It was 591.52 km (367.55 mi) north of Wellington, 3.32 km (2.06 mi) north of Rangiriri, 6.72 km (4.18 mi) south of Whangamarino and 12 m (39 ft) above sea level.
The Bee Card is an electronic fare payment smart card that is used on bus services in ten regions of New Zealand, along with Queenstown Ferries and the Te Huia train service between Hamilton (Waikato) and Auckland. It is used as a tag-on tag-off card on buses, with paper tickets remaining available for use for each of the individual region’s public transport network systems.
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