Te Huia has been funded on a trial period until 30 June 2024. The start-up service has been monitored from day one, with market research insights, demand and service performance dictating improvements over the trial period.

In May 2021, Waikato Regional Council approved the extension of Te Huia in response to public feedback on the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan | Mahere Whānui. More than 80 per cent of all submissions were on the proposal to extend the new Waikato to Auckland passenger rail service. Of those 1240 submissions, 95 per cent were in favour of improvements to the service with many wanting it to happen sooner than the proposed 2023/24 timeframe.

A staged improvements approach was approved for Te Huia in 2022. Extending the service to The Strand on weekdays, timetable changes that suit the Auckland market, and a new stop at Puhinui were implemented on 24 January 2022, while further improvements in the form of additional services and service hours, are subject to additional funding being approved.

 

New stations

Waikato Regional Council is working closely with Waikato District Council to explore opportunities for new stations. Waikato District Council provisioned funding in their Long Term Plan 2021 - 2031 to complete the business case work required to progress a station in Te Kauwhata.

Ngaruawahia and Horotiu communities are served by the Rotokauri and Huntly stations, while any new stations for the North Waikato are subject to local and central government funding.

KiwiRail has announced three new South Auckland stations will be built by 2026 - one in Paerata and two in Drury. You can view more information on these projects here. 

 

Rapid rail

Central government funding has been provided to complete the 'Hamilton to Auckland Intercity Connectivity business case'. This business case has proposed a number of options that consider the potential for rapid rail between the two cities, taking into account the condition of existing rail infrastructure. The next phases of the business case are being considered by the Ministry of Transport.