Auckland Transport media release

19 December 2013

Major upgrade work for rail network

Train services in Auckland will be replaced with rail buses over the Christmas-New Year period as preparation work steps-up ahead of the launch of Auckland’s electric trains.

Over the holidays the lines will be closed so vital work can be done to get the rail network ready for Auckland’s new state of the art trains. This work includes electrification preparations on the lines between Newmarket and Britomart; various platform extensions needed for the longer new trains; work at Ellerslie needed because of motorway widening being undertaken by NZTA; finishing touches on the new Panmure Transport Interchange and general maintenance work on the network.

Up to Tuesday 24 December 2013

Evening rail network closure between Otahuhu and Manukau/Papakura/Pukekohe. Buses will replace trains.

Christmas Day

No train or rail-bus services.

Thursday 26 December to Sunday 5 January 2014

Rail replacement buses will operate across the rail network.  

Monday 6 January to Sunday 12 January 2014

There will be a partial shutdown with buses replacing trains.

The Western Line will be closed between Newmarket and Britomart, shuttle buses will operate between Grafton and Britomart.

The Southern and Onehunga Lines will be closed between Newmarket and Britomart with shuttle buses operating.

The Eastern and Manukau Lines will be closed between Sylvia Park and Britomart. All Eastern Line train services will be diverted to/from Newmarket. A train service will operate between Manukau and Sylvia Park. Bus replacements will operate between Otahuhu and Britomart via the Eastern Line.

Monday 13 January to Sunday 19 January 2014

The Western, Southern and Onehunga Lines will be open with a special timetable.

The Eastern and Manukau Lines will be closed between Sylvia Park and Britomart. All Eastern Line train services will be diverted to/from Britomart via Newmarket. A train service will operate between Manukau and Sylvia Park. Bus replacements will be used between Otahuhu and Britomart via the Eastern Line.

Monday 20 January 2014

Full train services resume on all lines.

Saturday, 25 January to Monday, 27 January 2014 (Anniversary Weekend)

Buses replace all trains

From Tuesday, 28 January 2014 until further notice

Monday to Friday from 9pm all Eastern/Manukau Line services will be diverted via Newmarket – Bus replacements between Britomart-Otahuhu via Eastern Line.

Calendar of closures: http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/service-updates/rail-network-closures-over-christmas-and-new-year-holiday-period.aspx

Special Events

On Thursday 26 December  there will be additional buses for the BlackCaps vs West Indies ODI at Eden Park.

On Saturday 11 January additional bus services will also operate for the BlackCaps vs West Indies Twenty20 match at Eden Park.

On both days the additional buses will run a direct service between Britomart and Eden Park ($5 return wristband available for purchase).

The info for the cricket games can be found here: http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/events/blackcaps-anz-international-series.aspx

On Friday 17 January there will be additional train and bus services for the Big Day Out at Western Springs.

Ticketing instructions:

All valid rail tickets and passes will be accepted on rail replacement buses.

AT HOP card holders with monthly passes or stored value:

Customers with monthly passes loaded on their AT HOP card do not need to purchase a paper ticket (they have already paid). Customers travelling on stored value will be sold the appropriate stage paper ticket at the discounted AT HOP price.

Staff will be on hand to assist with ticketing. But please note because rail buses do not yet have the facility to tag on and off, customers will need to pay cash for their rail bus journey. For a partial network closure, customers should tag on and off for the rail portion of the journey and then pay cash on the rail bus as usual.

For full details on the changes over the holidays go to: www.at.co.nz

Ticket offices will be open at Britomart/Newmarket every day except Christmas Day.  At New Lynn on 27, 28, 30, 31 December and normal hours from 3 January. At Papakura restricted hours until 13 January.

Auckland Transport and its partners Transdev and KiwiRail apologise for the disruption to services and any inconvenience this may cause.   

While there are no passenger trains operating, the public is reminded to keep off the railway lines at all times. There will still be a lot of activity within the rail corridor with engineering trains operating across the network delivering materials to various work sites.

Also, we will be testing Auckland’s new electric trains over the holiday period. These trains are much quieter and accelerate quickly, they are being tested day and night. Please be aware overhead power lines for the new trains are now live.

ENDS

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