KiwiRail to blitz network upgrades over summer closures
While many Kiwis are looking forward to a well-earned summer break, KiwiRail teams are ramping up in preparation for their busiest Christmas closure period to date.
The Auckland rail network will close from 27 December 2024 to 27 January 2025 (reopening on 28 January), to carry out critical upgrades to prepare for the faster, more frequent train services the City Rail Link will bring. Some areas will be impacted for a slightly longer period until full services run from 3 February 2024.
Over the extended closure period this year, more than 1350 KiwiRail staff and contractors will be working across over 110 sites on the Auckland metro network. This will allow them to make significant progress on key upgrade projects and carry out essential work to raise the standard of the rail network.
Network-wide shutdowns allow KiwiRail to blitz the network in the most effective, efficient way, providing teams with uninterrupted access and allowing them to safely deliver intensive work that is only possible when there are no trains running.
“It’s a massive feat, getting all the moving parts together so our teams can complete the work we need to do,” says Jon Knight, General Manager Metros, KiwiRail.
“This is part of a huge ‘final push’ to prepare for City Rail Link and ensure the metro network is ready to accommodate the increase in the number of trains. We’re grateful to our people who are giving up their summer break to work round the clock to get this done while we make the most of quieter travel periods to carry out the bulk of the closures.”
Auckland Transport Director Public Transport and Active Modes Stacey van der Putten says: "The CRL is New Zealand's largest public transport project. Once open in 2026, there will be new and easier connections by public transport, more reliable trains, and big cuts to journey times.”
“The rail upgrade work happening during summer is critical to making this happen, but we know having the rail network closed is frustrating for customers. We're working hard to keep Auckland moving. During rail closures, trains will be replaced with buses, including express services across the entire network, ensuring people can still get where they need to go.”
City Rail Link Ltd’s Systems Director Wayne Cooney explains: “Getting ready for City Rail Link’s passengers in 2026 requires a wide range of upgrades and renewals of Auckland’s rail network, in addition to fitting out new stations, and integrating, testing and commissioning of new systems. We ask Aucklanders to bear with us: It will be worth the wait.”
Where KiwiRail is working
During the summer rail closures KiwiRail will be delivering essential work across a number of rail projects. These include:
The summer rail closure in stats:
Freight by road
Because the network will be closed to all trains during this time it means the freight supplies usually moved by rail will go on trucks.
This will increase road movements around Auckland, particularly in the south around KiwiRail’s freight hub at Southdown. KiwiRail and Auckland Transport are working closely with NZTA and FENZ to minimise the impact on other road users, modelling alternative routes and traffic management and avoiding busy times whenever possible.
Alternative transport options
For detail on the alternative transport options Auckland Transport is providing while the rail network is closed please go this webpage: Christmas and New Year
Where KiwiRail is working
For information on where KiwiRail is working, click here
ENDS
For a short video explainer on the Summer Rail Closures see here
Safety message
While there are no passenger services running, there will still be work trains and rail vehicles operating along the tracks. We want to remind everyone to always expect trains and to only ever cross the rail corridor at an official level crossing.