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Auckland’s planned summer train shutdown has been labelled frustrating and disappointing, with one community leader calling for free rail replacements.
Partial closures or reduced services have already started on the Western Line, while the Southern Line faces the same from December 13.
However, all four train lines in Auckland willbe completely closed from December 27 to January 18.
After this, the Western Line will be closed from January 19 to 29 and the Southern Line and the Eastern Line will be partially closed from January 19 to 27 while the Onehunga Line is reopened.
All four lines will be closed again from January 27 to 29.
Auckland Transport (AT) said the work is scheduled for summer holidays because it’s when the fewest people are travelling.
Auckland's train network will be significantly disrupted over summer. Photo / Jason Oxenham
However, Matt Lowrie, director and spokesman for transport advocacy group Greater Auckland, said the closures are “frustrating”.
“Train users have been suffering from significant disruption for the last five years – plus lengthy Christmas/New Year shutdowns for nearly two decades now,” Lowrie said.
Chair of Public Transport Forum New Zealand, Chris McKellar, told the Herald the shutdown was disappointing and wouldn’t help to increase public transport patronage.
“People just turn around and say, ‘Oh, well, why should I bother? The trains are unreliable’,” McKellar said. “So, it’s not helping.”
Much of the closures involves work to get the City Rail Link (CRL) up and running, while other maintenance work will also take place.
Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck told the Herald it’s essential city travel is easy and reliable and rail is a key part of this.
Much of the Auckland train network will be closed in December and January. Photo / Auckland Transport
“It needs to operate safely and efficiently – which means regular maintenance is vital,” Beck said.
“While it’s disappointing that train services will be closed over the New Year period for essential works, we encourage everyone to keep visiting the city centre using the replacement bus services”.
Elsewhere, Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board member Apulu Reece Autagavaia told the Herald he’s “very concerned” how the closures will impact the South Auckland community.
“Our communities often aren’t in jobs that have shutdown periods and so are dependent on public transport during these summer months,” he said.
“When transport operators talk of the periods of least impact on the least number of people, invariably those people are our people.”
Autagavaia mentioned his local board had previously advocated for free public transport and argued for Auckland Transport to offer this to help make the “inconvenience bearable”.
“We understand that there are still many Aucklanders who do need to work and travel around our region during this time,” AT said, “and we acknowledge that service changes and bus replacements affect their journeys.”
AT said it tries to run trains whenever possible and the group has been working with KiwiRail to deliver the rail network rebuild.
“This programme is replacing foundations and providing modern drainage for train tracks.
“This is needed to enable more frequent train services that AT will provide across Auckland after City Rail Link opens.”
AT said it was in the final push towards completing the City Rail Link and wider upgrades, with fewer closures of the network likely in the second half of 2026 when the CRL opens.
