About Te Huia

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does 'Te Huia' mean?
  The name 'Te Huia' is inspired from the treasured native bird to Aotearoa New Zealand, called 'huia' which is now extinct. Huia feathers were known to be very beautiful and were worn as a marker of high status. According to digitalnz.org, "A European craze for huia feathers led to increased hunting, and by the 1920s this beautiful bird was extinct."

  The history of this native bird is featured in many museums throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. The image of the Huia bird can be viewed promonently along the external livery of the train and onboard the carriages.
• How much of the total cost of Te Huia is for infrastructure (captial) and annual running costs (operational)?
  • $68.7m was capital (all spent prior to service launch in 2022)
  • $29.3m is the approved operational costs for operational cost for five years of the trail.
  • The total annual operational spend is as follows:
    • 2021/22 = $5,311,020
    • 2022/23 = $6,971,006
    • 2023/24 = $7,086,888
• Why doesn't Te Huia run on Sundays?

  We appreciate our communities are keen to see Te Huia operate every day – we are too! But Te Huia is a time-limited trial service which operates within a finite budget. There is currently no additional money available to increase service frequency or time spans.

  To introduce services on Sundays and/or public holidays we’d be faced with a tough decision of cutting already existing services. Given the increased service frequency on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays has successfully attracted additional passengers to Te Huia, we are reluctant to cut them.

  However, as part of efforts to secure a permanent Te Huia operation beyond the end of the trial in mid-2026, Waikato Regional Council will be considering improvements to service levels – including the introduction of services on Sundays and public holidays. Funding will need to increase, requiring support from the NZTA and favourable feedback from the community following public consultation in early 2026.

  As well as the availability of more funds to cover the cost of additional services, we will need confidence that rail lines will be frequently open on Sundays and public holidays. Right now, that’s not the case.

  Major engineering works continue on the Auckland metro network to prepare it for the opening of the new City Rail Link tunnel. As with previous years, there will be blocks of line over the upcoming summer period and in 2025. Within this environment it would be challenging to plan and deliver additional services, even if funding was not a constraint.
• Does Te Huia run on public holidays and statutory days?

  No. Scheduled track maintenance is usually carried out by Kiwirail on public holidays (both actual and observed) to ensure minimal disruption to regular services across the network. Please check the Disruptions page for more information about planned and unplanned closures.