Rail transport in New Zealand is an important part of the country's transportation system. A nationwide network of 4,375.5 km (2,718.8 mi) of tracks connects most major cities in the North and South Islands. These cities are linked by rail and road ferries that travel between the islands. Rail transport focuses on moving large amounts of goods, such as exports and imports. Each year, 19 million net tonnes of freight are moved by rail, which makes up more than half of all rail revenue.
Rail transport helped develop areas far from New Zealand's coastal settlements. The first public railway, the Ferrymead Railway, opened in 1863. At first, most public railway lines were short and built by provincial governments to connect major cities to nearby seaports, such as Christchurch and Lyttelton Harbour. Starting in the 1870s, the focus changed to building a nationwide network, especially during the Vogel Era, after provincial governments were abolished. A narrow gauge of 3ft 6in (1,067mm) was used across the country. As the national network expanded, bush tramways and light industrial railways were built to connect to it. Railways were controlled by the government as a department called New Zealand Government Railways or New Zealand Railways Department (NZR). From 1931, land transport was regulated by the Transport Licensing Act. Over time, NZR expanded into other areas of transport, such as road services, inter-island ferries, and rail air service. NZR also had many workshops. By 1981, NZR employed 22,000 people.
In the early 1980s, NZR was reorganized as the New Zealand Railways Corporation and changed its structure, especially after land transport was deregulated in 1983. The Corporation became a state-owned enterprise (SOE) in 1987 and was required to operate as a profitable business. In 1991, the rail, ferry, and infrastructure businesses of the Railways Corporation were separated into a new SOE, New Zealand Rail Limited. This company was privatized in 1993 and renamed Tranz Rail in 1995. Other parts of the Corporation, such as parcel and bus services, were also privatized. The Corporation continued to sell surplus land. In 2001, the central government took control of the Auckland metro railway network. In 2004, the rest of the network was also renationalized, and in 2008, rail and ferry operations were taken over by the government, forming a new SOE called KiwiRail.
Since 2008, KiwiRail has been the main provider of rail services in New Zealand. Its focus is on moving large amounts of freight, with a few tourist-oriented passenger services, such as the TranzAlpine, Coastal Pacific, and Northern Explorer, which are part of the "Great Journeys" brand. Urban passenger rail services are available only in Auckland and Wellington. These services are operated by Auckland One Rail and Transdev Wellington under contracts with Auckland Transport and the Greater Wellington Regional Council. Mainland Rail plans to offer a limited passenger service for special events in Christchurch, while Dunedin Railways runs tourist trains from Dunedin. Some heritage rail operators also provide charter train services from time to time.
Since KiwiRail was re-established in 2008, the government has invested heavily in rail. The two urban rail systems have been upgraded. In 2021, the government launched the New Zealand Rail Plan. Funding for rail projects comes from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF). KiwiRail remains a state-owned enterprise but pays Track User Charges (TUCs) to use the rail network.
History
Railway lines in New Zealand were first built by the provincial governments starting in 1863. The first public railway opened that year, connecting Christchurch to a wharf at Ferrymead. This line was built by the Canterbury Provincial Railways and used a broad gauge of 5 feet 3 inches (1,600 mm). In 1867, the Southland Province opened a branch line from Invercargill to Bluff, using the international standard gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches (1,435 mm).
A narrower gauge of 3 feet 6 inches (1,067 mm) was chosen for some railways because it was cheaper to build and better suited for crossing mountainous areas. However, the use of different gauges by provincial governments created problems, similar to those in Australia, where railways built by different colonial governments used varying widths. This issue became a major political topic as provincial railways expanded. In 1867, the House of Representatives formed a committee to study the problem. Engineers testified, suggesting that main lines should use the standard gauge while branch lines could use the narrower gauge. They cited the example of Queensland, which had used the narrow gauge since 1864. The committee did not recommend a single gauge for all railways but suggested that if one were chosen, the narrow gauge would be the most cost-effective.
By 1869, 78 kilometers (48 miles) of provincial railways were open, with another 30 kilometers (19 miles) under construction, mainly in Southland and Canterbury. Debates in Parliament focused on whether provincial railways could keep their wider gauges or if narrow gauge should be used. James Crowe Richmond, an MHR with experience in railway work, strongly supported a nationwide narrow gauge. In 1869, Francis Dillon Bell and Isaac Featherston, also MHRs, traveled to London to discuss railway gauge standards. By 1870, James Macandrew MHR called for another committee to investigate laws requiring a uniform gauge. The committee recommended adopting the narrow gauge nationwide but allowed the Canterbury Provincial Railways to continue using its broad gauge, with dual-gauge tracks where the two met. Despite opposition from some members, Parliament passed the Railways Act 1870 in September 1870, requiring all railways to switch to narrow gauge, except for the Christchurch-Rakaia section of the Canterbury network. Sections of the Canterbury railway were converted to dual-gauge, and new branch lines were built using the narrow gauge. By 1878, all broad gauge railways had been converted to narrow gauge.
In 1870, Sir Julius Vogel, the central government leader, proposed a national railway network funded by overseas loans of £10 million under the "Great Public Works Policy." He believed that selling land to British immigrants would pay for the project. The first narrow-gauge line opened in 1873 in Otago, the Port Chalmers Branch. Auckland’s first railway, between Auckland and Onehunga, opened in 1873. Vogel also arranged for British contractors, known as "Brogden’s Navvies," to build rail lines.
Vogel’s vision of a national railway network connecting major cities was never fully realized. Even after provinces were abolished in 1876, local interests often took priority over national goals. The government built many branch lines to sparsely populated areas instead of focusing on major interprovincial routes. As a result, many of Vogel’s proposed routes remained incomplete by 1920.
Bush tramways were privately owned railways used for logging in forests. These lines had light tracks and simple equipment and were often moved as forests were cleared. The last logging tramway closed in 1974. These should not be confused with urban trams, which were common in New Zealand cities in the 20th century. Most tram networks were replaced by buses by mid-century. Today, there are plans for new light rail systems in Auckland and Wellington, but no rapid transit metros exist.
After provinces were abolished in 1876, railway lines were managed by the central government, first under the Public Works Department and later under the New Zealand Railways Department. A Minister of Railways, part of the Cabinet, oversaw the department.
Some private companies built railways in New Zealand, such as the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, which was the only one to succeed before being nationalized in 1908. Other companies were purchased by the government before completing their lines. The Ohai Railway Board in Southland, owned by the State Mines department and a local council, operated until 1990.
The first major railway route, between Christchurch and Dunedin, was completed in 1878 and extended to Invercargill in 1879. The North Island Main Trunk, connecting Wellington and Auckland, opened in 1908 after 23 years of construction. At its peak in 1952, the network had about 100 branch lines. Large-scale closures began in the 1960s and 1970s. The network was protected from road competition under the Transport Licensing Act 1931, but this protection ended in 1983 with the deregulation of land transport.
The railway networks of the North and South Islands operated separately until 1962, when the Railways Department introduced an inter-island roll-on roll-off rail ferry service, now called The Interislander.
In 1982, the Railways Department was reorganized into the New Zealand Railways Corporation as part of land transport deregulation. The Corporation reduced staff and cut unprofitable services.
Operations
Freight is transported by KiwiRail and provides most of its income. In the 2017–2018 financial year, freight brought in $350.7 million, which was 57% of the company’s total income. Most freight is bulk goods meant for export industries, while general freight mainly involves containers and pallets on the main rail route. Major bulk freight includes coal, lime, steel, wood and wood products, paper pulp, dry and liquid milk, cars, fertiliser, grain, and shipping containers.
Freight levels have returned to the amount they were when the railway had most of the control over land transport before 1983. In 1980, 11.8 million tonnes of freight were moved by rail. By 1994, this had dropped to 9.4 million tonnes. By 1999, freight carried had risen to 12.9 million tonnes, slightly more than the 1975 peak. In the 2006–2007 financial year, 13.7 million tonnes of freight were moved. This was equal to 3.96 million net tonne kilometres (or the difference in freight carried in 2008–2009 compared to 2006–2007).
In recent years, the amount of freight moved by rail has grown significantly and is now taking more market share in non-bulk areas. On the North Island Main Trunk line between Auckland and Palmerston North, freight volumes increased by 39% from 2006 to 2007. Five daily trains on the 667 km line reduced truck traffic on the route by about 120 trucks per day.
A 2008 study by the Ministry of Transport predicted that by 2031, rail freight would reach 23 million tonnes per year, which is 70% more than the 2006–2007 level. In 2018, the same report found that freight levels had increased by 17% between 2007 and 2012.
As of 2025, there are six long-distance passenger routes: the Northern Explorer (Auckland to Wellington), the TranzAlpine (Christchurch to Greymouth), the Southerner (Christchurch to Dunedin), Te Huia (Hamilton to Auckland), the Coastal Pacific (Picton to Christchurch), and the Capital Connection (Wellington to Palmerston North). From 2026, a seventh service called the Mainlander will start, operating between Christchurch and Invercargill.
Dunedin Railways runs tourist trains from Dunedin, with frequent services on part of the former Otago Central Railway line and occasional services north to Palmerston. This service was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic but has since restarted with a smaller schedule.
Mixed trains were once a key part of New Zealand’s railway system on branch and main lines, but the last scheduled mixed train ran between Whangarei and Opua on 6 June 1977. These trains carried a mix of goods and passengers and often stopped to rearrange wagons along the way. They operated on the Midland line in the 1930s and between Christchurch and Dunedin in the 1950s. On the North Island Main Trunk, mixed trains ran during the day, while express trains ran at night. On the Okahukura-Stratford line, they lasted until the early 1970s.
In the 1950s and 1960s, most provincial routes had railcar and locomotive-hauled passenger services. In 1965, 25 million passengers used rail; by 1998, this had dropped to 11.7 million. Many services ended in the early 2000s, including the Waikato Connection (Hamilton to Auckland), the Kaimai Express (Auckland to Tauranga), the Geyserland Express (Auckland to Rotorua), the Bay Express (Wellington to Napier), the Southerner (Christchurch to Invercargill), and the Northerner night service (Auckland to Wellington).
Two long-distance passenger services, the Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific, ended in December 2021. On 12 April 2022, KiwiRail announced the return of these services in September 2022, along with new multi-day excursion trains.
Horizons Regional Council’s 2021–2031 Regional Land Transport Plan noted that KiwiRail is considering a "connector service" to link rural areas to urban services. It also suggested establishing a rail service between Whanganui and Palmerston North. The plan proposes replacing the Capital Connection, a commuter train, with a modern, larger train fleet that can operate more frequently.
Currently, Auckland and Wellington have suburban passenger services. In both cities, local governments own the suburban trains and contract operations to third parties. Auckland commuter rail is operated by Auckland One Rail, and Wellington commuter rail is operated by Transdev, with KiwiRail managing the rail network.
Wellington’s suburban network has five lines: Johnsonville, Kapiti, Melling, Hutt Valley, and Wairarapa. In 1938, Wellington became the second city (after Christchurch) to have electric suburban trains. From 1970 to 2014, it was the only city with them. Since July 2016, Transdev Wellington has operated the services. Before Transdev, KiwiRail’s Tranz Metro division held the contract. Wellington’s trains include electric multiple units, with diesel locomotive-hauled carriages used on the Wairarapa line. All rolling stock (except diesel locomotives) is owned by Greater Wellington Rail Limited, a subsidiary of Greater Wellington Regional Council. Transdev Wellington contracts KiwiRail to provide and operate the required diesel locomotives.
Infrastructure and mechanical
The New Zealand rail network has about 4,128 kilometers (2,565 miles) of track, of which around 506 kilometers (314 miles) is electrified. At its peak in 1953, the network had 5,689 kilometers (3,535 miles) of open track. A 2009 study found 1,787 bridges and 150 tunnels (totaling 80 kilometers (50 miles) in length) on the rail network. A 2011 study reported 1,636 bridges (totaling 63.8 kilometers (39.6 miles)) and 145 tunnels (totaling 87.4 kilometers (54.3 miles)). A 2021 report by Kiwirail listed 1,344 bridges and 106 tunnels. Difficult terrain made some railway lines take years to build and required many complex engineering projects, such as the Raurimu Spiral and Rimutaka Incline (the latter is no longer in use).
The network has undergone major upgrades several times. Important projects include the Westfield Deviation of the North Island Main Trunk, opened in 1930; the Tawa Flat deviation in Wellington, opened in 1937; the Rimutaka deviation to the Wairarapa, opened in 1955; and the Kaimai deviation in the Bay of Plenty, opened in 1978. These projects involved major tunneling work, with nearly 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) of tunnels in the last two cases. Significant improvements were also made to the North Island Main Trunk in the mid-1980s, some as part of the electrification project.
As part of a 10-year Turnaround Plan announced in 2010, some regional railway lines faced possible closure. These included all lines on the North Auckland Line in Northland, the Stratford–Okahukura line in Taranaki (closed since 2009), the northern part of the Wairarapa Line, and the Gisborne–Napier section of the Palmerston North–Gisborne Line (closed due to storm damage in 2012). Under KiwiRail’s 10-year long-term plan, most new funding will be used for locomotives, wagons, and the Auckland–Wellington–Christchurch freight corridor.
Six signaling systems are used in New Zealand: automatic signaling rules (ASR), double line automatic (DLA), single line automatic (SLA), centralized traffic control (CTC), track warrant control (TWC), and station limits. Signals are color light type and use speed signaling, meaning they tell drivers how fast to go but not necessarily the route to take. The Auckland suburban network also uses European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 signaling and train protection. Signal boxes and signaling were supplied by McKenzie & Holland from their factory in Melbourne. The largest mechanical signal box in New Zealand was Frankton Junction, 85 miles south of Auckland, with 70 levers.
From the start of the railway system until the 1950s, steam locomotives were the main power source. Most early steam locomotives were imported from the United Kingdom. The first major class was the F class tank locomotives, with 88 imported. From the 1870s, locomotives were also imported from the United States, which were found to be better suited to New Zealand’s conditions. However, the public and politicians preferred British locomotives. In 1889, New Zealand Railways (NZR) began making its own locomotives, starting with the NZR W class. A local engineering firm, A&G Price, also built many steam locomotives for NZR.
Diesel-powered trains began to replace steam in the late 1940s, starting with small shunting locomotives. The first mainline diesel locomotives, the English Electric D class, were introduced in 1954. Steam locomotives were largely replaced in the North Island after this. The last steam locomotive built by NZR, J 1274, entered service in December 1956. By 1967, steam had nearly disappeared from the North Island. Steam remained in the South Island until November 1971, when the last seven J locomotives on the Main South Line were retired.
From the mid-1970s, older diesel locomotives were replaced with new designs, mostly from North America. General Electric built the DX class from 1972 to 1975. The original DF class was replaced by a new General Motors DF class starting in 1979. Some DG class locomotives were also rebuilt. The newest DA class locomotives were rebuilt as DC class in Australia and New Zealand. The last of the first-generation diesel locomotives were retired in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
After land transport deregulation in 1983 and the introduction of electrification on the North Island Main Trunk, no new mainline diesel locomotives were added in the 1990s. Some used locomotives were imported from Queensland Rail in the mid-1990s and rebuilt as DQ class, but most were later sent to TasRail. The first new diesel locomotives imported since the 1970s were the DL class from China, arriving from 2010 onwards.
In the 1920s, two short sections of railway were electrified at 1500 V DC: Arthur’s Pass to Otira (1923) and Christchurch to Lyttelton (1929). Both were later decommissioned. Electrification of the Wellington suburban network at 1500 V DC began in 1938 with the Johnsonville Line, followed by the North Island
Accidents
Safety regulation is the responsibility of the NZ Transport Agency. The NZTA also investigates accidents and incidents to make sure that regulations and rules were followed. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission may also look into certain accidents and incidents to find out what happened, why it happened, and how similar events can be prevented in the future.
Advanced train systems, such as modern signaling and communication tools, along with fewer people traveling by rail, have greatly reduced the number of deadly accidents on New Zealand's railways.
New Zealand's most serious rail disaster happened on Christmas Eve in 1953 during the visit of Queen Elizabeth II. A lahar, which is a fast-moving flow of mud and debris, destroyed a bridge during the Tangiwai disaster. A train traveling from Wellington to Auckland was crossing the bridge when it collapsed, killing 151 people. The next most serious accident was the Hyde railway disaster in 1943. A train traveling from Cromwell to Dunedin derailed because it was moving too fast. Twenty-one people died. The train driver was found to have been drunk and was later jailed for manslaughter.
Heritage rail
Four groups that preserve and operate trains own and run their own trains, including steam or diesel locomotives approved for use on main railway lines. These groups are the Railway Enthusiasts Society, Steam Incorporated, Mainline Steam Trust, and the Otago Excursion Train Trust (Dunedin Railways). These groups have run special train trips on the country's main railway lines since 1978, and they have been allowed to use suitable locomotives to pull these trains since 1985.
About 60 groups manage heritage railway lines or museums, and most are members of the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand. These groups operate street trams, bush trams, and railways. Large-scale efforts to preserve trains in New Zealand began in the 1960s, when many steam locomotives were removed from service and smaller railway lines were closed.
Today, heritage railway operations include the Kingston Flyer, Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Bush Tramway Club, Waitara Railway Preservation Society, Weka Pass Railway, and Dunedin Railways. Dunedin Railways is a group managed by the local government, with 72% ownership by the Dunedin City Council. It operates the Taieri Gorge Limited, a railway line 60 kilometers (37 miles) long, and other services in Dunedin and Otago.
Other heritage railway lines are operated by volunteer groups. The Weka Pass Railway, at 13 kilometers (8.1 miles), is the longest of these lines. The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway is 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) long but is in poor condition. After operations stopped in 2000, the group briefly ran trains through Kawakawa from July 3, 2007, for two weeks. Now, the group is working to repair the track between Kawakawa and Opua.
In popular culture
David Sims, a film director from the New Zealand National Film Unit, made several films about the history of New Zealand railways. These include Main Trunk Century (2009), The Truth About Tangiwai (2002), Total Steam (1996), and North Island Main Trunk (1995). In 2004–05, Television New Zealand, with help from Jam Productions, aired "Off The Rails," a 12-part series that explored the rail network from Invercargill to Northland at that time. Marcus Lush presented the series.