Hamilton-Auckland train: Service celebrates carrying 100,000 passengers

Te Huia operates two return services on weekdays and one return service on Saturdays from Hamilton to Auckland. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer

Just-released performance results for Waikato’s commuter train Te Huia confirm the rail service is contributing to lowering carbon emissions and is on track to meet patronage targets despite setbacks.

Te Huia operates two return services on weekdays and one return service on Saturdays from Hamilton to Auckland. Figures for April 2023 show an average of 321 passengers each weekday, reaching the year 2 one-way demand goal.

Chair of Waikato Regional Council’s climate action committee, Jennifer Nickel, said: “For April, emissions were offset on 80 per cent of Te Huia trips due to greater than 55 passengers being on board each service.

“Public transport has a vital role in connecting people with others, as well as jobs, education, shopping and services. The greater the uptake of public transport, the more cars we’ll remove from our roads and the better it will be for the climate.

Te Huia has cracked its two-year performance target of 320 passengers per day, ahead of time, despite the impacts of Covid-19. Photo / Te Huia

“If an average car has 1.2 people in it and Te Huia is carrying 320 passengers every day, this means it is saving about 37,000 kilometres of car travel every day – that’s almost a quarter of a million kilometres saved each week!

“I’ve been really excited to see Te Huia patronage grow, despite being a bare-bones service, and to know that as a result we’re making a difference for the environment, and this is just the start,” Nickel said.

Also, the service also tipped 100,000 passengers on Tuesday, May 23 with a special celebration for travellers on board.

Waikato regional councillor Angela Strange, deputy chair of the future proof public transport subcommittee, said: “We’ve cracked our two-year performance target of 320 passengers per day, and ahead of time, despite the impacts of Covid-19 and having to delay the rollout of service improvements.

“We’re receiving excellent feedback from passengers and expect to be able to sustain these patronage levels and possibly even improve on them.

“This is important because we have to complete a two-year performance review at the end of the year and patronage is one of the key measures by which Te Huia’s success will be measured.

“It shows that when they have the option, many people prefer to travel by train and make good use of that time – or just relax – rather than sit in ever-worsening Southern Motorway traffic and fight for a park at the other end.

“It is also good for Auckland not to have these extra cars on their roads. If we can improve services, we hope it will work better for Aucklanders wanting to travel south too.”

While Te Huia has just notched up its second birthday, the service has not yet operated for two years due to stoppages when Auckland was locked down after Covid-19 cases spiked in August 2021.

Delivery of Te Huia is led by Waikato Regional Council, working with partners KiwiRail, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Hamilton City Council, Waikato District Council, Auckland Transport and the Ministry of Transport.