Future Rail

• Renew traction overhead power line systems - complete
• Improve station approaches and replace signalling system to increase capacity and safety

• Renew traction overhead power line systems - complete
• Renew signals power supply - complete
• Double tracking between Trentham and Upper Hutt - complete

• Renew traction overhead power line systems - complete

• Renew traction overhead power line systems - complete
• Renew sleepers within all seven tunnels - complete
• Slope stability improvement at Ngaio Gorge

• Renew signals power supply - complete
• Convert Plimmerton to an intermediate terminus station – New Year 2024
• Renew tracks and upgrading drainage in Tawa tunnels - complete
• Renew sleepers within the Paekākāriki tunnels - complete
• Slope stabilisation work

• Renew or refurbish three bridges – expected by New Year 2024
• Renew tracks, sleepers, and ballast
  • Remutaka and Māoribank tunnels
  • Between Upper Hutt and Masterton
• Build a signalling system between Upper Hutt and Masterton
• Level crossing renewal and safety upgrades
• New passing loops at Woodside and Maymorn

Whilst upgrades and improvements happen across the network, it will mean many evening, weekends and public holidays will have services that are replaced by bus. For those people who live close to the tracks, it might also mean some increased noise and disturbance whilst this work is taking place. However, once complete, these improvements will mean fewer speed restrictions and outages. They’ll also enable Metlink to schedule longer trains, and more services for commuters, and KiwiRail to schedule more freight services for local businesses.

To keep our trains running on time, the track and rail infrastructure must be inspected on a regular basis. When something is found to be substandard or worn out, it must be repaired or replaced, this is regular maintenance work. Future Rail is a separate programme of work made up of many projects to help improve our rail network by adding new infrastructure or undertaking significant renewal projects. Ongoing day to day maintenance work will continue alongside these Future Rail projects.

The rail network has been helping people get around the Wellington region for decades now. Some parts of it are worn out and need to be upgraded with newer technology. The Future Rail programme of work will involve replacing and modernising the overhead power system and signals power supply and improving sections of the track across the network including inside the four major tunnels.

Future Rail is split up into many different projects. It’s likely that significant infrastructure upgrade work will continue until at least 2030.

Future Rail infrastructure work, in combination with the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility project, aims to reduce speed restrictions and outages, and allow longer trains and more services on the network to allow for growth. Adding capacity to the network is not just about providing more vehicles. Future Rail infrastructure upgrades will provide a foundation for the rail network to cater to an increased quantity of vehicles with newer age technology.

The fleet that Metlink uses to deliver its Wairarapa rail service, and KiwiRail uses to deliver its Capital Connection service, is nearly 50 years old and is nearing the end of its life. These services are currently hauled by locomotives that burn fossil fuels for the entire journey and no longer supports the strategy for carbon neutrality. In addition, the old carriage fleets don’t have enough seating capacity for the increasing number of commuters travelling to and from the Wairarapa, Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Manawatū – and we expect those numbers to continue to grow.

In comparison to the current diesel locomotives, the new hybrid trains will dramatically reduce emissions. In addition, with a more attractive and higher-frequency, longer-distance rail service we expect more people would choose to use the train rather than their car, which would in turn reduce private vehicle emissions.

A better customer experience in many ways. There will be increased seating capacity and more frequent services. Commuter journeys will have improved punctuality and reliability, and journeys will be shorter with improved on-board passenger amenities.

Extending the electrified network from Upper Hutt to Masterton, and from Waikanae to Palmerston North, was found to be significantly more expensive and would take much longer to build than a hybrid. Our hybrid trains will use the existing electrification and if the electrification was to be extended in the future, they would be compatible.

$874m has been allocated for these new hybrid trains and the infrastructure upgrade work required to get these vehicles on our network. Extra funding will be required to operate and maintain the new trains because they will be providing additional services.

Farepayers and ratepayers in the Wellington Region, Horowhenua, Palmerston North and Manawatū alone can’t meet the cost of such a long-term investment. Greater Wellington Regional Council and Horizons Regional Council have secured additional support from central government.

We hope to see the new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū lines from 2028. The trains need to be highly customised to suit our network - these unique requirements require time to design, manufacture and be thoroughly tested. We will then build up the fleet to support increased timetabled frequencies across both lines which is anticipated for 2029.

Funding is approved for eighteen 4-car hybrid units. The timetable they will be running is still under development however will feature higher frequency of peak-time services as well as regular off-peak and weekend services.

The new trains will service the Wairarapa Line (Wellington to Masterton) and Manawatū Line (Palmerston North to Wellington) and will stop at the same stations the Wairarapa Line and Capital Connection trains currently stop.

Relevant stakeholders and user groups will be engaged on certain design decisions to help inform the design specifications for these trains.