Reopen Onehunga Rail
Our campaign to reopen the dormant Onehunga branch railway line between Penrose and Onehunga to passenger services.
Latest News
NZ Herald: Freight back on the tracks by next year
Long sections of replacement railway track have been delivered to the western end of the Onehunga branch line, signalling full steam ahead for the return of passenger and freight trains... [more]
The Benefits
The expansion would meet the twin goals of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and our reliance on single occupant vehicles. Peak journey times for passengers would be faster than travelling by car, and about twice as fast and more reliable than the current bus journeys.
As well as passengers, the line could in the future also carry freight once again from Manukau wharf.
Establishing the Onehunga branch line also acts as a stepping stone to a rail link to Avondale. With construction due to start shortly on the SH20 extension, we want to ensure that the Auckland City Council stipulation to preserve the ability for rail along this corridor is honoured.
Lastly we believe that, with a concerted effort, we can re-establish this link within two years. After 32 years of lying idle, it is time we did something.
FAQs
What is the history of the Onehunga rail line?
The Onehunga branch line was one of the first Government funded railway lines in New Zealand, and it opened for the first time on Christmas Eve, 1873. Even in those days of steam, the very first trip from Auckland to Onehunga was made in just 22 minutes.
The last Onehunga passenger rail service ran in April 1973. The branch line has been dormant ever since, but in recent years a charter train has been run by a group of rail enthusiasts at Christmas time, proving the line still works!
Some of the factories at the Penrose end of the line still use the sidings for freight movements.
Who owns the Onehunga rail line?
The Onehunga branch railway line forms part of the Auckland rail network which central Government paid $81m to TranzRail for in December 2001. Ontrack is the central Government agency responsible for maintaining and upgrading rail track throughout the country.
The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) is a subsidiary of the Auckland Regional Council and is responsible for prioritising and managing all transport projects in the Auckland region.
How much will it cost?
The ARC estimates that over $10bn of transport funding is available from various sources over the next ten years.
An independent engineering report put the cost of reopening the line at somewhere between $6m and $11m dollars. This includes the cost of reballasting the track and two stations. When compared with the cost of other less beneficial roading projects, this cost is insignificant.