KiwiRail has quietly announced its Auckland to Wellington and Picton to Christchurch same-day train services will resume after a vocal campaign to "save" them.
The state-owned enterprise had stopped the Northern Explorer and Coastal Pacific for several months citing Covid-19, and sparked concern among rail advocates some of the last remaining inter-regional passenger trains would grind to a halt permanently.
Transport minister Michael Wood maintained at the time they hadn't been cancelled.
KiwiRail has said it would reveal new multi-day tourist packages on the routes in July, but on Tuesday made the call to announce the same-day trains would begin running again.
They'll resume in September, while the luxury tourist-focused packages will be offered "in the coming months".
The two services will join the Christchurch to Greymouth TranzAlpine train which has been operating since January.
“Our three services will cater for a range of travellers, both domestic and international," KiwiRail general manager for scenic journeys Tracey Goodall said in a statement.
"People will be able to book tickets between Auckland and Wellington, Picton and Christchurch, and Christchurch and Greymouth as they previously have, but we will also be offering new products on all three trains to appeal to more people and different travel styles."
READ MORE: Road to rail: Can NZ get back on track with trains?
Advocacy group Save Our Trains, which is campaigning for a better national passenger rail network, has welcomed the reinstatement of the services.
"We still have a few questions around ticket prices and ensuring the same stops are included. But make no mistake, this is a win for the travelling public. We've managed to save the husk of a long distance passenger service," a statement on Twitter read.
"The next step is to grow and develop passenger services. That requires government to take a leadership role in planning for an integrated public transport network across New Zealand, taking into account accessibility, climate action, and regional development."
KiwiRail noted the disappointment of many when it paused the services, and says it made the right decision "to get through Covid".
“KiwiRail wants to see more people move by train. We are proud to run Te Huia and the Capital Connection as local commuter services and we continue to work with councils and government to explore more opportunities for passenger rail," Goodall said.
Public transport has been thrust into the fore in recent weeks with the release of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report into the environmental crisis showing it is a key sector where emissions could be brought down quickly.
The Government has also made all public transport fares half price for three months, with the Green Party calling for it to be made completely free, permanently.
Bookings for all Great Journeys trains open from April 26.
The Government is set to reveal its long-awaited first Emissions Reduction Plan next month alongside the Budget, where public transport is expected to be a focus.
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