Overnight sleeper trains between Auckland and Wellington and passenger services between Christchurch and Dunedin are part of a $4 billion Green Party plan to put people back on New Zealand's existing rail lines.
The party also wants to extend the Te Huia train to Tauranga, which it estimated would cost $3.5 billion over two stages.
The passenger rail plan includes routes from Auckland to Wellington, Christchurch to Dunedin and extending the current Te Huia train to Tauranga. (Source: 1News)
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson believed new train networks were worth investing in when they ensured passengers a cost-effective way of travelling.
"Where public transport has been invested in, it's well used, saving people time and money every day. But for a lot of New Zealand, public transport options remain expensive and infrequent, especially when travelling long distances," she said.
Restoration rather than from scratch
Instead of building new tracks, the proposal outlined goals to primarily restore pre-existing rail infrastructure to modern, operational standards.
The first stage of the Te Huia extension to Tauranga wouldn't need new trains, with freight schedules to be adjusted so passenger trains could safely pass through the Kaimai tunnel.
The Green Party said it would "upgrade ventilation in the Kaimai tunnel so it's safe for passenger trains, construct stations, provide additional passing loops and make some targeted track improvements to begin to bring down the travel time from Auckland to Tauranga," as part of the two-stage plan for the extension.
New sleeper trains would be needed for the overnight train between Auckland and Wellington, while the South Island would need more stations, passing loops and improved signals and level crossings.
Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said there would be no need to build additional tracks if existing ones could be utilised.
"These tracks are already there, so we should use them," she said.
"Restoring commuter rail will give smaller regions and towns the benefits of more travellers stopping at their town stations, creating more economic opportunities and connecting them to main centres and other towns."
Davidson said the proposed restoration was needed to reverse the decline of NZ's rail services, comparing the future plans to past uses of the railways.
"Aotearoa was once connected by a reliable passenger rail system, with fast, frequent services linking communities across the country," she said.
"Now, our aging rail infrastructure is suffering from a generation of underinvestment, leaving the rail network in a state of decline with cancellations, delays and bus replacements. We should restore these systems so we can have an efficient, comfortable and affordable alternative to experience our country."
'White elephant' - Luxon
National Party leader Christopher Luxon believed a new intercity rail network could be too risky, raising concerns about taxpayer funding and money going into less popular routes.
"You cannot have that being underwritten by taxpayers, by hardworking folk that are paying their taxes into something that is a white elephant and not commercially viable," he said.
"How will they fund the loss-making associated with passenger rail services that don't make money? That don't cover their own costs?"
The Greens said fares would cover the bulk of the overnight service's operating costs, and that economic consultancy Infometrics had reviewed the party's costings and found them reasonable.
The railway announcement was part of a wider transport policy the Greens released on Saturday.
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