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MARK TAYLOR / Stuff
A one-time charter service between Hamilton and Auckland was canceled due to track work on the Auckland railway lines.
Major repair work on Auckland’s worn-out railway lines has canceled an upcoming single trial of the Te Huia train journey between Hamilton and Auckland.
Recently, the Hamilton and Waikato regional councilors proposed a weekend charter service between Hamilton and Auckland for the weekend of January 16-17, 2021.
The service was designed to provide passengers with a tourist experience of the two cities and increase excitement about the next commuter train, scheduled to begin in February 2021.
But the single trip had to be canceled following news that KiwiRail must replace a section of the track between Otahuhu and the city of Auckland.
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“It’s devastating,” said Waikato regional councilor and rail governance group chair Hugh Vercoe.
The single service required Hamilton passengers to come directly to Auckland CBD by train.
Vercoe said the group had sought comment from Leisure Time Tours and Hamilton and Waikato Tourism. They supported the decision not to continue.
The recent cancellation is another in a series of delays in starting commuter service.
MARK TAYLOR / Stuff
Te Huia commuter service between Hamilton and Auckland is scheduled to start in February 2021, but work on Auckland’s worn-out rail lines may push the date back.
KiwiRail is trying to replace and repair some 100 km of old lines on the Auckland network, as well as start electrification of the lines between Papakura and Pukekohe.
Vercoe said the rail governance group did not want to promise an exact start date for passenger service, but said it would “definitely” go ahead.
“We are waiting for KiwRail to give us a firm date.”
He was hoping that Te Huia would depart in February, but could not confirm it.
“[KiwiRail] They think they have a lot of work to do on the lines, but as they go, they discover additional work that should be done. “
Vercoe said he was confident that travelers would remain interested in train travel, despite the growing number of people working remotely after Covid-19.
The train cars and upgrades to the Huntly, Rotokauri and Frankton station train stations will be complete in February 2021, Vercoe said.
