Last train standing

• Published date: 16 February 2022
• Publication title: West Coast Messenger, The

A key driver has been achieving transport emission reductions. Despite the on-going pandemic, considerable investment has been going into long distance passenger rail. This includes the revival of many night train services

By contrast, 2021 in this country marked the end of the Northern Explorer passenger train service that linked Auckland and Wellington.

Gone too is the Coastal Pacific, which once linked Picton and Christchurch.

Instead Kiwi Rail has plans to use the trains "to create multi-day experiences that showcase the best of New Zealand, both on and off the track".

Rather than allowing everyday New Zealanders the chance to lower their carbon footprint, the trains will cater to the elite end of the tourism market.

A passenger rail network of eight lines and 2700km in 2001, which shrank to four lines and 1340 km by 2020, now just has three short routes left, Wellington-Palmerston North, Wellington-Masterton, and Hamilton-Auckland, totalling 348km.

For tourists, there is still the train from Christchurch to Greymouth.

By comparison, Australia has 27 intercity rail lines, some of which run at up to 160kmh, plus seven additional tourist...