New Zealand First will continue to deliver the goods for rail by maintaining and improving the national network, removing bottlenecks, strengthening regional connections, and putting existing rail assets to better use, Leader Winston Peters announced.
“New Zealand First has always backed rail, and unlike the other parties that sold it off, ran it down, or talked about it without delivering, we have the track record to prove it,” Mr Peters says.
“We have spent years rebuilding the foundations, and our ten-point rail programme locks in what we have already delivered and funded, then takes the next practical steps.”
The policy commits New Zealand First to delivering the $1.35 billion Rail Network Investment Programme, building the Marsden Point Rail Link, and introducing the two new Cook Strait ferries, Kupe and Cook, in 2029.
New Zealand First will make Te Huia permanent, support passenger rail in Christchurch if the trial proves its worth, remove dangerous level crossings, and increase Golden Triangle capacity through the Kaimai Tunnel for freight and passenger trains.
New Auckland Rail and Wellington Rail companies will be established to bring metropolitan rail infrastructure and passenger services under clear, accountable council/government shared ownership, while protecting freight, inter-regional and heritage access.
The final commitments are to begin planning Auckland’s third and fourth main lines and protect the Avondale-Southdown rail corridor for future passenger and freight services.
“Rail contributes $3.3 billion to New Zealand every year, moves a quarter of export freight, and supports more than 24 million metropolitan passenger journeys annually,” Mr Peters says.
“The national network is now in its best condition in decades because we changed the law to fund rail infrastructure in the same way as state highways, and put the priority back where it belongs - maintaining and renewing what we already have.
“Rail freight volumes are growing faster than road freight volumes, KiwiRail has exceeded its earnings target for the second year in a row, and brand new locomotives and wagons will shortly ply the national network in the service of our economy – that is our record.
“We invested more than $2 billion in Auckland to prepare it for the City Rail Link, and rebuilt and upgraded Wellington’s network as well as committed the thick end of a billion dollars to new regional trains for the Wairarapa and Palmerston North.
“Across the regions, our investments rebuilt tracks, bridges, tunnels, and workshops, including Hillside in Dunedin where the 1,000th new wagon recently rolled off the production line where 50 Otago locals have been trained and employed.
“We believe in getting more out of what New Zealanders already own, not spending $1.5 billion electrifying the Golden Triangle to save just $15 million in fuel each year in an already low-emissions technology – that sort of ideological idiocy is best left to the Greens.
“We are the Commonsense Express, and we have always delivered for rail and New Zealanders and we will keep doing so,” Mr Peters says.
Ten-point rail policy
The Commonsense Express: Building on our record, delivering for New Zealand
New Zealand First backs a reliable, efficient national rail network that moves more freight, connects more communities, and delivers value for taxpayers.
Our ten-point policy builds on the investment already made in renewing New Zealand’s rail infrastructure and sets out the next practical steps.
Other parties sold rail off, left it to rot, want to sell it again, think it’s only for passengers, or don’t know what it is. New Zealand First rebuilt rail and reinstated the Minister for Rail.
1. Deliver the $1.135 billion Rail Network Investment Programme
Deliver the 2027-2030 Rail Network Investment Programme, backed by $1.075 billion from Budget 2026 and $60 million from Track User Charges. Freighters and families need reliable infrastructure that can withstand heavy trains and storms.
More than 66 cents in every dollar currently goes to maintenance and renewals – exceeding the recommendation from the Infrastructure Commission. Our investment will end the fiscal cliffs and stop-start uncertainty that have undermined rail in the past, giving the network the long-term certainty it needs.
Cost: already fully funded and reflected in the PREFU.
2. Build the Marsden Point Rail Link
Connect Northport to the national rail network, providing the critical connection sought by major international shipping lines and strengthening New Zealand’s export supply chain.
Cost: The $410 million already allocated will support delivery and is already reflected in the PREFU, with the remaining funding determined following the current KiwiRail competitive design and tender process involving Acciona, Downer/HEB, and Martinus Rail which will result in a firm construction price substantially below KiwiRail’s previous $1.1 billion estimate.
3. Unlock capacity through the Kaimai Tunnel
Ventilate the Kaimai Tunnel and construct passing loops on either side, enabling more frequent freight trains through one of New Zealand’s most important freight corridors.
These improvements will also provide infrastructure needed to reconnect the Bay of Plenty to the wider passenger rail network.
This practical investment offers a substantially better return than $1.5 billion to electrify the Golden Triangle, where estimated fuel savings are just $15 million annually.
Cost: Less than $100 million, primarily for additional passing loops.
4. Reform Auckland and Wellington metropolitan rail
Establish Auckland Rail and Wellington Rail as companies co-owned by taxpayers and ratepayers, bringing metropolitan rail infrastructure and passenger trains under clear, accountable ownership that responds to taxpayers and ratepayers.
The companies will:
· Have responsibility for metropolitan rail infrastructure and passenger trains in their respective cities.
· Share a common chair to provide a strong metropolitan rail voice.
· Protect guaranteed access for freight, inter-regional and heritage rail services.
· Provide clear accountability for performance, investment and asset management for metropolitan rail operators and track maintainers.
These reforms will replace fragmented responsibilities with a more coherent metropolitan rail system, and allow KiwiRail to focus on being a successful rail, ferry, and property freight business. Ownership of railway land will remain unchanged.
Cost: $5 million establishment and transition costs.
5. Make Te Huia permanent
Extend the Hamilton-Auckland passenger rail contract beyond its current 2027 end date, securing the future of this important inter-regional connection that New Zealand First started.
Add three train units to Greater Wellington Regional Council’s new rolling-stock contract to provide Te Huia with modern trains for the long term.
Cost: $130 million from capital allowance to purchase new trains, Government's operating co-funding from the National Land Transport Fund.
6. Back permanent passenger rail in Christchurch
Deliver on the 12-month Rangiora-Christchurch-Rolleston passenger rail trial.
If the service demonstrates sufficient patronage and value, establish passenger rail as a permanent part of Canterbury’s public transport system with Government co-funding.
Cost: $4 million per annum for Government's operating co-funding for commuter rail, low millions in commercial finance deal to procure new locomotives for Mainlander.
7. Continue removing dangerous level crossings
Work with Auckland Council to progress further level crossing removals and upgrades above the 16 we have already delivered, improving safety and enabling more frequent passenger services.
Continue investing in better protection at high-risk crossings throughout the national network.
Cost: national level crossing upgrades included in the Rail Network Investment Programme, $300 million fund from the capital allowance to progress the next three-year stage of level crossing removals in Auckland and Kapiti.
8. Deliver the new Cook Strait ferries
Deliver the two new road and rail Interislander ferries, Kupe and Cook, and their associated port infrastructure to protect the vital road and rail freight connection across Cook Strait.
The ships are under fixed-price contract and will enter service in 2029, with the replacement programme costing taxpayers $2.3 billion less than the previous iReX programme.
Cost: $1.7 billion upper limit already fully funded and reflected in the PREFU.
9. Plan Auckland’s third and fourth main lines and protect the Avondale-Southdown rail corridor
Begin planning additional main lines through Auckland’s southern rail corridor, the busiest in New Zealand, so construction can progress during the 2030s. Additional tracks will enable more passenger services and provide greater capacity and reliability for freight moving to and from the country’s largest domestic market.
Secure the designation of the Avondale-Southdown rail corridor before it expires in 2029. Protecting this strategic corridor will allow a future rail connection between west and south Auckland, providing more direct passenger trains and an alternative freight route across the city, ahead of construction progressing during the 2040s.
Cost: $50 million to progress engineering planning, with bulk of funding allocated to land acquisitions.
10. Protect heritage rail
Continue ‘rare and reasonable’ discounted network access for heritage rail operators, alongside annual funding of $500,000 for the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand to restore historic railway buildings and structures -- having already saved the Mataura Railway Station so far.
Cost: $500,000 per annum already allocated and reflected in the PREFU.