Winston Peters wants heavy rail to Auckland Airport

New Zealand First wants conventional trains to run from the CBD to Auckland Airport. Photo / Auckland Transport

Aucklanders are being offered the choice of driving, catching a bus, modern trams and going by train to the city's airport by the political parties at the elections.

New Zealand First is the latest party to comment on public transport to the airport, with leader Winston Peters saying it is committed to a conventional rail line along the Puhinui route.

A new rail line could be built from Puhinui station on mostly undeveloped countryside to connect with the airport, Peters said in the letter to the Herald today.

We are committed to having heavy rail from the central city to the airport along the Puhinui route

Winston Peters, NZ First leader

He said cities overseas have heavy rail connections between their airports, city centres and rail networks, saying New Zealand First does not accept that the cost of heavy rail to the airport had increased from $600 million 10 years to more than $2 billion, as claimed by Auckland Transport.

Peters said Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, National, the Greens, Auckland Council, Auckland Chamber of Commerce, NZ Transport Agency and others have all jumped on the bandwagon for light rail, or modernised trams.

"In Auckland, light rail would not provide enough capacity in either the medium or long term, and would be 30 per cent or worse slower than heavy rail," Peters said.

Labour and the Greens are promising to build light rail to the airport from Wynyard Quarter, up Queen St and down Dominion Rd - an option supported by Auckland Transport and NZTA.

National says the new Waterview Tunnel has reduced driving times to the airport and has plans for rapid buses to the airport, possibly followed by light rail by 2047.

How the parties will transport you to the airport

National: Road and rapid buses. Possibly light rail by 2047

Labour: Light rail(modern trams) by 2027

Greens: Light rail(modern trams) by 2021

NZ First: Conventional rail