Summer Rail Upgrades Summer Rail Upgrades
Auckland's rail network will be closed from 27 December to 28 January 2026 for the Summer Rail Upgrades that will enable key upgrades ahead of City Rail Link in 2026.
Summer Rail Shutdown
To enable critical upgrades, Auckland's rail network will undergo a series of closures between Sunday 27 December and Wednesday 28 January 2026 for the Summer Rail Upgrades. The Summer Rail Upgrades are critical to enabling the delivery of the City Rail Link that will bring faster journey times, fewer delays and trains every 4-5 minutes at peak.
Timeline
- 27 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 - full rail network closure
- 19 January to 26 January 2026 - partial network open
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- Southern Line: trains running only between Newmarket and Puhinui, and to Manukau. Buses replace trains between Waitemata & Newmarket and Puhinui to Pukekohe
- Eastern Line: trains running only between Otahuhu and Manukau and served by Southern Line trains. Buses replace trains between Waitemata and Otahuhu
- Western Line: full line closure
- Onehunga Line: normal train service resumes.
- 27 to 28 January 2026 - full rail network closure for City Rail Link testing
- 29 January 2026 - normal train services resume.
Key Projects
The Summer Rail Upgrades closure will enable a month of work on big programmes including the Rail Network Rebuild, the Level Crossing Removal Programme and Henderson Station Upgrade.
These upgrades are essential to running reliable, and frequent train services the City Rail Link will bring in 2026.
In addition to maintenance and upgrades, network-wide City Rail Link timetable testing will take place at the end of the Summer Rail Upgrades from Tuesday 27 January to Wednesday 28 January 2026. This requires a full closure so the tests can be performed safely and reliably.
This is an exciting milestone for City Rail Link, the first round of trialling the full train timetable to ensure we can run new services well and passengers have a great experience from day one.
Rail replacement bus services
During the Summer Rail Upgrades, Rail Buses will run from station to station along the train routes instead of trains. In addition to rail buses, our AT scheduled buses will continue to run during the rail closures. They may serve your journey better than Rail Buses - find out which buses serve your local train station here by viewing the train station maps.
The Rail Bus West (RBW) is a rail replacement bus service that stops at each station along the Western Line when trains are not running. During the Summer Rail Upgrades, the RBW will operate on the following schedule:
27 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
| Rail bus service | Weekdays, weekends & public holidays | New Years Eve - 31 December 2025 |
| Rail Bus West (RBW) - all Western Line stations |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
On New Years Eve, there will be additional late-night services with the last RBW bus departing from Stop 7005 outside H&M on Customs Street at 1:15am. |
5 January to 28 January 2026
The RBW will increase in frequency from 5 January when many people return to work.
| Rail bus service | Weekdays | Weekends & Public Holidays |
| Rail Bus West (RBW) - all Western Line stations |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
Eastern Line
The Rail Bus East (RBE) is a rail replacement bus service that stops at each station along the Eastern Line when trains are not running.
During the Summer Rail Upgrades, the RBE will operate on the following schedule:
27 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
| Rail bus service | Weekdays, weekends & public holidays | New Years Eve - 31 December 2025 |
| Rail Bus East (RBE) - all Eastern Line stations |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
On New Years Eve, there will be additional late-night services with the last RBE bus departing from Stop 7005 outside H&M on Customs Street at 1:10am. |
| Meadowbank Loop shuttle (RBM) - Remuera Road to Meadowbank Station connection service |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
5 January to 18 January 2026
The RBE will increase in frequency from 5 January when many people return to work.
| Rail bus service | Weekdays | Weekends & public holidays |
| Rail Bus East (RBE) - all Eastern Line stations |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Meadowbank Loop shuttle (RBM) - Remuera Road to Meadowbank Station connection service |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
19 January to 26 January 2026
From Monday 19 January, Southern Line trains will serve parts of the Eastern Line between Otahuhu and Manukau. The rest of the Eastern Line will be served by buses instead of trains.
| Rail bus service | Weekdays | Weekends & public holidays |
| Rail Bus East (RBE) - Waitemata to Otahuhu |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Meadowbank Loop shuttle (RBM) - Remuera Road to Meadowbank Station connection service |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
27 January to 28 January 2026
Buses will replace trains on all lines for City Rail Link testing on Tuesday 27 January to Wednesday 28 January.
| Rail bus service | 27 January to 28 January 2026 |
| Rail Bus East (RBE) - Waitemata to Otahuhu |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Meadowbank Loop shuttle (RBM) - Remuera Road to Meadowbank Station connection service |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes
|
Southern Line
The Rail Bus South (RBS) is a rail replacement bus service that stops at each station along the Southern Line when trains are not running.
The express Rail Bus South service (the RBSX) will stop only at some train stations.
During the Summer Rail Upgrades, the RBS and the RBSX will operate on the following schedule:
27 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
| Rail bus service | Weekdays, weekends & public holidays | New Years Eve - 31 December 2025 |
| Rail Bus South (RBS) - all Southern Line stations |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
On New Years Eve, there will be additional late-night services with the last RBS bus departing from downtown at 1:15am. |
| Rail Bus Southern Express (RBSX) - only Papakura, Puhinui, Papatoetoe, Middlemore, Otahuhu, Newmarket and Waitemata |
Only between 6am - 8pm: every 20 minutes |
No service. |
5 January to 18 January 2026
The RBS will increase in frequency from 5 January when many people return to work. The RBSX will extend service to Pukekohe Station and will run on weekdays only.
| Rail bus service | Weekdays | Weekends & public holidays |
| Rail Bus South (RBS) - all Southern Line stations |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Rail Bus Southern Express (RBSX) - only Pukekohe, Papakura, Puhinui, Papatoetoe, Middlemore, Otahuhu, Newmarket and Waitemata |
Only between 6am - 8pm: every 20 minutes |
No service. |
19 January to 26 January 2026
From Monday 19 January, trains will resume service on parts of the Southern and Eastern lines between Newmarket to Manukau. The rest of the Southern Line will be served by buses instead of trains.
The following services will be available:
| Rail bus service | Weekdays | Weekends & public holidays |
| Rail Bus South (RBS) - Only Waitemata, Parnell and Newmarket. |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Rail Bus Southern Express (RBSX) - only Puhinui, Homai, Manurewa, Te Mahia, Takanini, Papakura and Pukekohe. |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Rail Bus Southern Express (RBSX) - only Manukau, Papakura and Pukekohe |
Peak times only: every 20 minutes |
No service |
| Train services |
Weekdays, weekends & public holidays |
|
| Southern Line - Newmarket, Remuera, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Otahuhu, Middlemore, Papatoetoe, Puhinui & Manukau. |
All day: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
|
27 January to 28 January 2026
Buses will replace trains on all lines for City Rail Link testing on Tuesday 27 January to Wednesday 28 January.
| Rail bus service | 27 January to 28 January 2026 |
| Rail Bus South (RBS) - all Southern Line stations |
Morning & afternoon peak: every 10 minutes Off peak: every 20 minutes Evening: every 30 minutes |
| Rail Bus Southern Express (RBSX) - only Pukekohe, Papakura, Puhinui, Papatoetoe, Middlemore, Otahuhu, Newmarket and Waitemata |
Weekday Morning & afternoon peak: every 20 minutes |
Onehunga Line
The Rail Bus Onehunga (RBO) is rail replacement bus service that stops at each station along the Eastern Line when trains are not running.
During the Summer Rail Upgrades, the RBO will operate on the following schedule:
27 December 2025 to 18 January 2026
| Rail bus service | Weekdays, weekends & public holidays | New Years Eve - 31 December 2025 |
| Rail Bus Onehunga (RBO) - all Onehunga Line stations |
All day & evening: every 30 minutes |
On New Years Eve, there will be additional late-night services with the last RBO bus departing from Newmarket at 12:45am |
19 January to 26 January 2026
The Onehunga Line will resume regular train service of every 30 minutes between 19 to 26 January 2026.
27 January to 28 January 2026
Buses will replace trains on all lines for City Rail Link testing on Tuesday 27 January to Wednesday 28 January.
| Rail bus service | 27 January to 28 January 2026 |
| Rail Bus South (RBO) - all Onehunga Line stations |
All day and evening: every 30 minutes |
Rail Replacement Bus Accessibility
Customers with wheelchairs or mobility scooters that are too large to take on rail replacement buses will be able to book a free mobility taxi by phoning our Contact Centre on 09 366 6400.
Visit bus accessibility to find out more about travelling by bus if you have access challenges or limited mobility.