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Hope is high for the new train service running between Hamilton and Auckland launched today.
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Waikato Regional Council President Russ Rimmington says they will “give away tickets” if needed. Source: 1 NEWS
Waikato Regional Council Chairman Russ Rimmington says the service will usher in a “railroad renaissance.”
The Te Huia train service opens to the public in early April and runs roundtrip between Frankton and Papakura twice a day Monday through Friday. The service will also run once on selected Saturdays.
Rimmington says the service can accommodate 300 people per day in two full-capacity services.
When asked by 1 NEWS reporter Katie Bradford if the train risked becoming “a ghost train” if it didn’t prove popular, the Waikato Regional Council president questioned the idea.
“No, he won’t do that because we will give away the tickets if necessary, but I don’t think that’s the case because Waikato is growing so fast.”
Rimmington added, “This will not fail, this will grow from success to success.”
The trip from Frankton to Papakura will take around 88 minutes, with a stop at Huntly along the way.
People who want to travel to Britomart in central Auckland will need to take a second train, which will add an extra hour to the journey.
Rimmington says that this will not be a problem for some, as “not everyone wants to go to Britomart, some people have businesses in Ōtāhuhu, etc.”
Sue Trodden of The Rail Opportunity Network (TRON) is delighted to see that the service they campaigned for is launched.
“It is incredibly exciting that after eight years of lobbying and keeping this story alive we have a train on the tracks,” he told 1 NEWS.
“It opens Waikato to another part of the country and makes us feel like a grown city.”
The Government invested more than $ 80 million for the service, with another $ 12 million coming from local authorities.
