{"id":13804,"date":"2026-11-01T15:03:31","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T03:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=13804"},"modified":"2026-11-01T15:03:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T03:03:31","slug":"christchurch-commuter-rail-pilot-to-be-funded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nzchinesedailynews.co.nz\/?p=13804","title":{"rendered":"Christchurch commuter rail pilot to be funded"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest in supporting Mainland Rail to return passenger rail services to Christchurch for a 12-month trial and establish the Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill Mainlander as a regular service, Rail Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew Zealand\u2019s railways began in Christchurch in 1863, and it is time we put them back to use again for passenger rail, not just freight and tourism,\u201d Mr Peters says.<\/p>\n<p>Mainland Rail, which owns rail carriages, intends to provide a 12-month trial service to test Canterbury\u2019s appetite for rail as a public transport service and run more frequent trains from Christchurch-Dunedin-Invercargill. The Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) will provide a loan of $3.4 million to support these initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>The trains will run morning and evening commuter services on the main lines from Rangiora in the north and Rolleston in the south into central Christchurch starting in mid-2027. The Rolleston trip is expected to take less than 20 minutes by rail instead of 50 minutes by road, taking commuter traffic off are already busy roads.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew Zealanders are sick of transport proposals costing hundreds of millions or billions when pragmatic solutions such as using what we already have are staring us in the face, as is the case in Christchurch and its rail system,\u201d Mr Peters says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe fares will be announced closer to the start date, but we are talking about a public transport trial and would expect affordable fares similar to those paid by rail commuters in Wellington and Auckland.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a saying, \u2018it works in practice but will it work in theory,\u2019 and here is an opportunity for Cantabrians to prove their support for rail as public transport in practice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe service proceeding is subject to the local councils confirming their combined half of costs, and letters of support from the Mayors of Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri, and we look forward to engaging further with Environment Canterbury,\u201d Mr Peters says.<\/p>\n<p>The $3.4 million RIF funding will also support Mainland Rail to shift its Mainlander train from monthly excursions to a regular timetable between Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Gore and Invercargill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe South Island\u2019s rail corridors are regional infrastructure assets, and this funding is about putting them back to work for communities, tourism and local economies,\u201d Mr Jones says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is the type of commonsense investment people want to see \u2013 using what we already have, reinstating what we once had, and giving people choices in their lives once again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe economic development benefits are obvious: railing people into Canterbury, Otago and Southland towns to spend in the local economies, strengthening tourism in the South Island, creating employment, and putting assets New Zealanders already own to better use for the benefit of our economy,\u201d Mr Jones says.<\/p>\n<p>Mainland Rail will now start necessary planning processes with councils, the rail regulator, and KiwiRail \u2013 with start dates to be announced by Mainland Rail closer to the time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe look forward to the restored Mataura Railway Station reopening in late 2027 thanks to\u00a0our commitment to fund its restoration in 2025, and we are confident the Mainlander will return to Mataura then too,\u201d Mr Peters says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest in support 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