The New Zealand government is funding a year-long commuter rail trial in Christchurch and a regular passenger service linking the city with Dunedin and Invercargill, RNZ reports.
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones said morning and evening trains would run linking central Christchurch with Rangiora and Rolleston from mid-2027, with the Rolleston trip taking under 20 minutes compared with about 50 by road. Fares have not been set but are expected to be similar to those in Wellington and Auckland.
The $3.4m project, which also includes the Mainlander service via Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Gore, is split equally between the Regional Development Fund and local councils, which still need to approve it. Operator Mainland Rail has already bought former Auckland commuter carriages. The campaign group Save Our Trains Southern welcomed the plan but said a 12-month trial was too short and five years would be fairer.
Source: RNZ
