Weekly Review No.141
Inside this edition: It’s City Rail Link Madness, new timetables are released, first look events at stations are unveiled and the preview journey planner is set live.
Kia ora and welcome to the Weekly Review. Did you know we are on X, Bluesky and Instagram? Follow us @NZTransitBuzz.
Following an official opening by ministers and dignitaries, the Glen Innes Station pedestrian bridge opened late on Friday morning. Once the pedestrian bridge opened, the existing level crossing closed with teams on hand to move temporary barriers into place.
The upgraded underpass has also reopened. The upgraded underpass features CCTV, new painting, new lights and upgraded fencing.
NZTA has said the Silverdale bus priority lane will be complete later this year. The lane will be about 2.5 kilometres long and built within the existing highway corridor, alongside the existing lanes.
Construction has begun on the final 500-metre section of the Eastern Busway from Ti Rakau Drive to the Te Irirangi Drive/Te Koha Road intersection.
A special NZ Herald website for the City Rail Link has been published. The site is called ‘Your city, unlocked’ The site showcases the new CRL stations and some of their features and local connections.
Auckland Transport has announced that Westgate Te Waiarohia bus station will open in August 2026. Westgate Te Waiarohia bus station will be used by: WX1, 11T, 11W, 111, 112, 114, 115, 116, 122, 123, 125 and 126.
The route 12 bus will not interchange with this stop and there is no park and ride, but there will be pick-up and drop-off spaces outside the station on Gunton Drive.
After months of unrest from parents over changes to bus routes, the Government is coming up with funding to help schools pay for their own services.
Departure data for Drury and Paerātā train stations and new local bus stops have been added to the Auckland Transport Journey Planner ahead of the stations and stops opening on August 2.
TrackSAFE New Zealand is urging motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to take extra care at railway level crossings after three separate collisions involving trains and vehicles occurred across the country in a single day.
As public transport becomes more expensive, a Wellington student is petitioning the government for free student fares.
Bus lanes allowing cars with three or more people, contactless payment, fare capping, off-peak discounts and traffic-light priority. These are some of the changes being introduced in the Bay of Plenty to encourage more people to use buses and to help free up a key road.
As part of the new Otaki to North Levin (O2NL) expressway, NZTA will be constructing a new level crossing on the North Island Main Trunk Line at Tararua Road/SH1. Tararua Road will be realigned and the current Cambridge Street crossing will close. Construction is expected to start in late 2026.
Bluebridge has announced that a new premium Pōhutukawa Lounge and additional seating options on Deck 6 are coming to Livia. The upgrades open 21 December 2026 and increase passenger capacity on Livia by 10%.
Great Journeys New Zealand has swapped single-use plastic wine glasses for real glassware across their onboard services. The change adds up to around 5,500 single-use cups saved every year. GJNZ has also reported an increase in wine sales since the change.
From 10 August, Environment Canterbury will take over delivery of the trial Routes 84 & 85.
There will be timetable changes, able to pay with Metro and Motu Move fares, bike racks will be available, audio announcements, and services will run to inside the interchange. All other aspects of the routes will remain the same, including the availability of hail and ride.
The trial is set to continue until June 2027. Council will consider the future of the service through its upcoming Long-Term Plan process.
The Auckland Urban Development Office has released a video showcasing the areas around the new Paerātā and Drury stations.
Bayes Coachlines #149 was temporarily wrapped as the Tottenham Hotspur FC team bus while they were in Auckland. The bus was used by the ‘Spurs’ from Friday to Sunday. and 2 other Bayes coaches were used to transport other support staff.
Auckland Transport, City Rail Link and KiwiRail have announced the dates for the series of ‘First Look’ events at Maungawhau, Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu stations. These will be free, ticketed sessions, but numbers will be limited.
Aucklanders can pre-register their interest using this link. Tickets will be available one week ahead of each event. Those who pre-register will get an email alert as soon as tickets are available to sign up for.
The events will take place over consecutive Saturdays in August:
8 August – First Look at Maungawhau
15 August – First Look at Karanga-a-Hape
22 August – First Look at Te Waihorotiu
As reported earlier this month by NZ Transit Buzz, the functionality was previously published in error but is now officially available.
When viewing the Journey Planner on the AT website and you search for a journey, you will be given the option to ‘Switch on preview ‘. This can also be enabled under the ‘Refine’ tab.
Full post City Rail Link opening timetables have been published to the AT website. The weekday and weekend timetables for the South-City, East West and Onehunga West lines have been published, allowing passengers to get a full view of the upcoming service changes.
A potential solution may have emerged for Palmerston North secondary students who have lost their bus routes, but it could be up to their schools to arrange replacement transport services.
Auckland councillors are frustrated they are still in the dark about when the city’s new underground commuter train network will open, despite a meeting updating them on its progress.
A version of the Auckland Rail Crossing Programme posters have appeared near Henderson Station. Another version of these posters have been installed near Maungawhau Station.
The Paerata Rise development Facebook page has shared a quick tour of Paerātā Station ahead of its official opening on August 2. Paerātā and Drury Stations have open days on August 1 where locals and enthusiasts can check out the station prior to opening.
A Māngere parent has turned to her local board as a “last resort” to fight changes to a bus route impacting her 14-year-old son and other Onehunga High School students.
The Post understands that the consortium of Auckland rail agencies do have a date in mind, but they’re anxiously waiting final sign off on safety recommendations from NZTA.
ROMIC has assisted KiwiRail with the preparation and transportation of DFT locomotives 7104 & DFM 7226 to the Port of Auckland before they are shipped to their new home. ROMIC Group are specialists in the procurement & sale of new, used and overhauled locomotives.
As the City Rail Link wraps up, the media and community engagement team have sent a final farewell email & advised those who receive their emails what will happen to the email data after August 7. KiwiRail and AT will be given the email details to share engagement and updates about City Rail Link-related issues.
Wāhine is a 3.7 metre bronze sculpture of a Māori woman, created by master carver Arekatera (Katz) Maihi (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Tainui, Te Waiohua, Ngāpuhi) and Beronia Scott (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei).
Horotiu is 7.2-metre-long tuna kūwharuwharu (longfin eel) cast in silicon bronze. This taonga toi was created by artists Chris Bailey (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Porou, Te Aupouri) and Sally Smith.
Over the past few months, we have been given the privilege of exploring the newly completed City Rail Link stations. On Wednesday, we tackled the next station along the line, the redeveloped Maungawhau Station.
FEATURE: A look at Maungawhau Station
Over the past few months, we have been given the privilege of exploring the newly completed City Rail Link stations.Thanks for reading NZ Transit Buzz! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.
Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Tom James has shared more photos of the driver’s cab mock-up for the new Tūhono trains. Currently, drivers are reviewing the mock-up with Metlink in case any changes are needed.
KiwiRail, Mana Whenua partners, key stakeholders, and contractors gathered on Tuesday morning for the dawn karakia (blessing) of the new Drury and Paerātā Stations.
Drury and Paerātā will open for passenger service on August 2. There are open days for both new stations on August 1. Drury Station is open from 10 am to 12 pm and Paerātā Station will be open from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Getting rid of 60 bus stops, particularly in central Christchurch, could give the public transport network an affordable and much-needed reliability boost. It was one of several ideas raised with councillors this week and may form part of a network upgrade funding request to central government.
A proposed public transport service connecting Wānaka, Albert Town, Three Parks and Lake Hāwea has moved a step closer, with the Otago Regional Council responding to community interest and endorsing the business case to progress a trial bus service.
The business case recommends an introductory “skeleton” bus service operating eight trips a day, seven days a week. The estimated operating cost is approximately $1.07 million per year, with a further $100,000 required for implementation in the first year.
Endorsement of the business case does not mean the service has been approved to begin operating.
One of Palmerston North’s newest bus shelters has been attacked by vandals, cracking two glass panels that will have to be replaced. The double shelter on Main St between Princess St and Victoria Ave is one of about 20 being installed this financial year to service the electric bus routes introduced by Horizons Regional Council in early 2024.
In Dunedin, overall satisfaction was 89% in 2026, compared with 90% in 2025. The three-year rolling average is 89%, slightly below ORC’s target of 90% or higher.
Passengers rated several aspects of the service highly, including ease of getting on and off the bus (95%), current trip satisfaction (95%), driver helpfulness (93%), comfortable temperature (92%), personal security (91%), and seat availability (90%).
Areas identified for improvement included on-time performance (69%) and information about services and delays (71%).
In Queenstown, overall satisfaction was 91% in 2026, down slightly from 92% in 2025. The three-year rolling average remains at 91%, exceeding ORC’s target.
Passengers rated their overall trip experience highly, with strong results for the exterior of buses (96%), current trip satisfaction (95%), ease of getting on and off buses (94%), seat availability (91%), comfortable temperature (91%), personal security (91%), and driver helpfulness (90%).
Areas for improvement included on-time performance (61%), information about services and delays (69%), service frequency (69%), and value for money (78%).
Former Mainfreight New Zealand country manager Craig Evans has been appointed to the KiwiRail Holdings board. Evans will join the board on August 3.
There have been 1933 public submissions received by the ORC on its proposal to move to a new zone-based fare system for its public transport system. The proposals also included fare capping and potentially removing the ability to use cash to pay for fares.
The Council will consider a decision on the new zone and fare changes in September. If approved, it would be phased in between October 2026 and mid- 2027.
 | A guest post by
|