Te Huia, at Frankton Station, Hamilton. Photo / Tom Eley
For Hamilton resident Carol-Anne Torrie, the Te Huia train service to Auckland means avoiding the stress of driving and using travel time to work or handle everyday “admin”.
She said better transport coverage was “exactly” what the region needed and supporting the service was the only way to secure it.
“We want more coverage, more transport, and the only way to get it was to support it absolutely,” Torrie said.
“I take my knitting, and I take my computer, and I do all my personal life administration.”
On Sunday, that personal convenience became part of a broader public fight.
Rail advocates and passengers gathered at Frankton Station in Hamilton for a “Stack the Station” rally, calling for the Auckland–Waikato passenger rail service to be made permanent, as its future hangs on an upcoming NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) funding decision.
Despite delivering high customer satisfaction and improving financial performance, Te Huia remains officially classified as a “trial” and is funded only until June 2026.
Since launching in 2021, the service has recorded a 99% customer satisfaction rate and a farebox recovery that exceeds the national average.
The protest at Frankton Station also marked the launch of a petition calling for a permanent, three-way passenger rail connection linking Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton, of National, said the rally reflected years of investment in regional public transport, pointing to the development of the Rotokauri Transport Hub in 2019 under then Hamilton mayor Andrew King.
He also acknowledged the presence of former Mayor Russ Rimmington, whom he described as a long-time supporter of public transport in the city.
Hamilton said a key aim of the rally was advocacy for a one-year extension of the Te Huia trial, arguing the service had never been able to operate under normal conditions.
“The trial is coming to an end, and a big part of today is advocating for an extension because of the impact Covid had,” Hamilton said.
Waikato Regional Council is seeking NZTA board approval for a one-year extension to June 2027, arguing the service has yet to complete the full five-year trial originally approved.
Council staff said Covid-19 disruptions, limited station access and major rail network works in Auckland had significantly constrained the trial period.
“Te Huia isn’t just a train, it’s a lifeline for commuters, students and families,” spokesperson for national advocacy group The Future is Rail, Lindsey Horne, said.
“The real question is no longer whether the service is needed, but how we scale it into the backbone of a Golden Triangle transport network linking Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga for the long term.”
The Golden Triangle is home to more than half of New Zealand’s population.
Advocates said the completion of Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL), expected to open in 2026, presents a critical opportunity to move beyond a trial mindset and establish permanent regional passenger rail.
“We can no longer afford to be a global outlier in rail investment,” Horne said.
“Governments around the world are investing in modern passenger rail as a driver of economic growth.”
“It is time for New Zealand to do the same.”
A report to Waikato Regional Council said staff had worked with NZTA to identify an opportunity to extend the trial by 12 months, allowing Te Huia to recover from service disruptions caused by Auckland engineering works throughout 2025.
If approved, the extension would lengthen the trial to four years and nine months, enabling the service to be tested under the post-CRL timetable expected in 2026.
The report also said the additional time would allow further measures to be implemented to lift patronage and revenue.
Councillors unanimously supported a draft letter to NZTA requesting the extension and the retention of the current 60% funding assistance rate.
Waikato Regional Council chairman Warren Maher said the council appreciated the agency’s support to date.
“We acknowledge the significant support the agency has provided Te Huia and look forward to receiving the results of the board’s conversations in February,” Maher said.
Support for the extension has also been signalled across the region.
Councils within the Future Proof partnership — including Auckland Council, Hamilton City Council, Waipā District Council and Waikato District Council — have all backed the proposal.
Hamilton West MP Tama Pōtaka said Te Huia also had an opportunity to grow into a wider regional network, eventually connecting Tauranga with Hamilton and Auckland.
“It is very important, not only for the productivity of the country, but also to get goods in and out of Hamilton and Waikato over to the Port of Tauranga,” Pōtaka said.
New Hamilton-based Labour list MP Georgie Dansey said she would advocate for Te Huia in Parliament after being involved in supporting the service and its passengers.
Tom Eley is a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. He previously worked for the Weekend Sun and Sunlive.