Upcoming rail network closures
Christmas Block of Lines
KiwiRail’s annual rail network-wide holiday shutdown will take place this year from 26 December 2022 until 15 January 2023. This closure enables KiwiRail and City Rail Link (CRL) teams to undertake vital project work and for KiwiRail to maintain the network.
All of Auckland Transport’s (AT) train services will be replaced by buses during the holiday period, as has been the case in previous years. AT is working closely with their rail operator Auckland One Rail to ensure there is appropriate capacity on rail replacement buses.
The extended access, without commuter trains running, allows the KiwiRail and CRL teams to get a huge amount of work done over a short period of time.
Go to the AT website to plan your journey during this holiday season or visit the KiwiRail website to find out what’s planned year you.
Rail Network Rebuild - Stage One
Auckland Transport (AT) has released detailed information about how Auckland rail passengers will be able to continue to travel during stage one of KiwiRail’s rail closures for the Rail Network Rebuild project.
The Rail Network Rebuild is an upgrade of the entire Auckland rail network, one section at a time. This is needed partly to replace old track and foundations, aid faster journey times and enable more frequent trains when CRL opens.
Stage one of the rebuild will happen after the Christmas shutdown on 16 January 2023 to 19 March 2023. During this time trains will be unable to operate on the Onehunga Line and the Southern Line between Ōtāhuhu and Newmarket, effectively closing six stations – Remuera, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Te Papapa and Onehunga.
During this time KiwiRail will be digging up and replacing the rock foundations under the tracks and improving drainage in the rail corridor.
Auckland Transport has released details for a range of alternative bus services for those customers unable to travel to and from the six stations where trains will not be running.
To ensure those replacement bus services will be able to give customers faster and more reliable alternative bus journeys, AT is also working to ensure traffic lights are optimised for buses travelling on those routes.
More information about train and rail bus services during stage one of the Rail Network Rebuild can be found on the AT website.