About the Rail Network Rebuild

Key information

KiwiRail are upgrading assets across Auckland’s rail network. They need to rebuild the network’s aging foundations and complete essential maintenance work. The work will be done one section at a time.

When the Rail Network Rebuild is complete and the City Rail Link (opens in a new tab) opens, Auckland will have a more modern and reliable rail network. This will bring you more frequent services and faster journeys on all-electric trains.

A significant amount of work has been completed. The rebuild is entering its final stages.

Rebuilt sections of the Southern and Eastern lines are now faster and more reliable. They are now the best performing services on the Auckland rail network.

Stage 4 of the rebuild between Papakura and Pukekohe began on 19 May 2024. Work will be carried out mostly at night. This will allow us to complete more work in a shorter period.

Why we need to close the lines

For teams to work safely and get work done more quickly, we need to close rail lines. This work is intensive. KiwiRail lifts the rails and sleepers, replaces the foundations, improves drainage, and then puts the rails and sleepers back down.

KiwiRail and Auckland Transport (AT) are working together to plan the work and limit the impact on customers. We are delivering a huge scale of work before City Rail Link opens.

Stages of the Rail Network Rebuild

KiwiRail has completed the first 3 stages on the RNR.

This work has been on the inner core of the rail network:

• the Southern Line from Penrose to Newmarket
• the Eastern Line from a rail junction just south of Sylvia Park Station
• the Western Line from Newmarket to New Lynn.

Work is underway on Stage 4 between Papakura and Pukekohe. We are completing work on the rail line to allow electric trains. Find out more about Stage 4.

Stage 1

We closed 6 stations on the Southern and Onehunga Lines between 16 January 2023 and 19 March 2023.

During this work, we:

• excavated and replaced 3,198 metres of formation (the rock foundation below the track)
• replaced 5,547 metres of ballast (the larger rocks the tracks sit on)
• improved 4,018 metres of drainage
• replaced 4,939 metres of sleepers
• replaced 1,309 metres of rail.

Around 130 KiwiRail staff and contractors worked on the rebuild.

Stage 2

We closed 5 stations on the Eastern Line from 20 March 2023 until 14 January 2024.

During this work, we:

• excavated and replaced 5,288 metres of formation
• replaced 8,546 metres of ballast
• improved 10,986 metres of drainage
• replaced 1,091 metres of rail.

Around 130 KiwiRail staff and contractors worked on RNR Stage 2.

Stage 3

Stage 3 was carried out on parts of the Western and Southern lines. Previously, stages 1 and 2 involved lengthy closures of parts of the Southern and Eastern Line. To lessen customer impact during stage 3, most trains continued to run on weekdays. Some ran with reduced frequency. Closures happened in the evenings and at weekends. We carried out work overnight.

On the Western Line alone, we:

• excavated and replaced 1107 metres of formation
• improved 6922 metres of drainage
• replaced 479 metres of track
• replaced 1197 metres of ballast.

Stage 4

KiwiRail is rebuilding the rail network between Pukekohe and Papakura from 19 May 2024 until early February.

Remaining stages

Find out more about work on the Auckland rail network in 2025.

We know you've dealt with a lot of rail closures lately

We understand it can be difficult and stressful changing the way you get around Auckland.

We’ll be there to help you get where you need to be, and we’ll be providing a range of alternative services throughout all stages of KiwiRail's Rail Network Rebuild.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while KiwiRail carry out these important works.