This list is of railway crashes in New Zealand sorted chronologically.
Level crossing and trespasser crashes are not included unless the crash was investigated by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC).
2020–present 10 September 2026, Mount Albert, Auckland – a Mount Albert Grammar School student was killed after being hit by a Western Line train at the Baldwin Avenue railway station level crossing. 6 June 2026, Khandallah, Wellington – a Johnsonville line passenger train partially derailed after failing to return to the main line between Khandallah and Box Hill stations, instead the train moved onto the runaway line colliding with a concrete block. 6 people were injured and transported to hospital, 4 in a moderate condition and 2 in a serious condition including the driver. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is investigating the collision. 23 January 2026, Addington, Christchurch – an e-scooter rider was killed after being hit by a train at the Lincoln Road level crossing. 15 October 2025, Waikanae, Wellington – a truck broke down on the Elizabeth Street level crossing and was hit by a northbound freight train. There were no injuries reported to either driver. 4 April 2025, Penrose, Auckland – an AM class electric multiple unit collided with a car at the Maurice Road level crossing in Penrose, killing the sole occupant.Gordon, Natasha (8 April 2025). "Police name man killed in Penrose train and vehicle collision". NZ Herald. Retrieved 14 July 2025. 17 March 2025, Invercargill, Southland – a pedestrian was killed after being struck by a northbound freight train at the Ness Street pedestrian level crossing. 12 March 2025, Matamata, Waikato – a Matamata College student was killed after being hit by a train near the intersection of Firth Street (State Highway 27) and College Street. 4 September 2024, Parnell, Auckland – two track workers received an electric shock and were hospitalised after the boom basket of the elevated work platform they were working in hit overhead power lines. 9 October 2023, St Johns, Auckland – a tamper machine derailed in the Purewa Tunnel. The tamper group were travelling to a work site when they entered the tunnel, however the rails had already been removed and the first tamper derailed. No injuries were reported. 17 June 2023, Penrose, Auckland – the Te Huia passenger train passed a red signal (SPAD – Signal Passed At Danger) at Penrose station and damaged points that had been set for an AT Metro train from a converging track. It stopped in the junction fouling zone, in danger of being hit side-on by the AT Metro train, which was authorised to occupy that section of track. 29 January 2023, Te Puke, Bay of Plenty – floodwaters washed away an embankment on the East Coast Main Trunk east of Te Puke. As a result, a loaded KiwiRail freight train derailed, including "at least 10" wagons and caused significant damage to the rail infrastructure. 10 January 2023, Te Puna, Bay of Plenty – two Hi-Rail vehicles were involved in a collision while undertaking track work. One vehicle occupant was injured and both vehicles were damaged. 7 December 2022, Whangārei, Northland – a shunt train collided with a heavy road vehicle at the Fertilizer Road level crossing. The train derailed and the truck's trailer was toppled. One train crew member was seriously injured. 1 June 2022, Tāmaki, Auckland – at 1:30 a.m., a shunting locomotive travelling from the Ports of Auckland to Westfield Junction with three crew members on board derailed, rolling onto its right side near the Tāmaki siding. The crew members escaped with minor injuries, and the crash closed the Eastern Line for a day. 13 December 2021, Marton, Manawatū–Whanganui – a freight train derailed north of Marton at 11:30 p.m. due to flooding of the line. Several wagons derailed and some overturned. No injuries were reported. 1 September 2021, Picton, Marlborough – a remote-controlled shunting locomotive and a wagon fell into the sea after running off the linkspan without a ferry present. No-one was on board at the time, but the linkspan sustained some damage. 17 August 2021, between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay, Wellington – a Kāpiti Line passenger train derailed due to a landslip covering the track. The carriages remained upright and all 82 passengers and three staff disembarked with no injuries. 19 July 2021, Pukekohe, Auckland – a Te Huia train experienced decoupling of carriages. Passengers disembarked at Pukekohe station and the service continued empty to Hamilton, where it experienced a second decoupling. No injuries were reported. A report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission identified issues with KiwiRail's safety testing and training of train staff. 13 May 2021, Marton – a freight train collided with a utility truck at the Saunders Road level crossing at around 3:30 p.m. The truck caught fire as a result of the collision and the driver was killed. The line was closed for 4½ hours after the collision. 10 April 2021, on board ferry Aratere, Wellington Harbour – a worker was hit by a moving wagon during shunting operations, requiring hospitalisation. 11 January 2021, Invercargill, Southland – at 8:30 a.m. a coal train derailed at Wrights Bush, leaving seven wagons off the track. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the derailment is not yet known. 16 September 2020, Bunnythorpe, Manawatū–Whanganui – a Palmerston North to Feilding public bus collided with a light locomotive at the Clevely Line level crossing near Bunnythorpe. The driver of the bus died at the scene and several passengers suffered minor injuries. The infrequency of the train and bus encountering each other (the train was running 15 minutes early and the bus several minutes late) and the driver concentrating on turning right off Railway Road into Clevely Line and failing to notice the crossing alarms were the likely causes of the crash. 24 April 2020, between Milton and Henley, Otago – express freight Train 132 collided with a hi-rail vehicle near the Limeworks Road level crossing. The hi-rail driver was able to jump clear before impact. The vehicle suffered major damage, with minor damage to the freight train. No injuries reported. 10 February 2020, Flaxton, Canterbury – a Coastal Pacific train carrying 95 passengers collided with a truck at the Mulcocks Road level crossing, resulting in the death of the truck driver.
2010–2019 7 December 2019, Morrinsville, Waikato – a freight train collided with a car at the Piako Road level crossing, resulting in the death of the car's two occupants. An investigation found that the car driver was likely confused by unauthorised roadworks in the area. 2 July 2019, Wellington, Wellington – the ninth wagon of express freight Train 268 derailed near Wellington station, resulting in a 21-hour long suspension of passenger services in and out of the station. 4 April 2019, Milson, Manawatū–Whanganui – express freight Train 626, pulling 37 wagons loaded with logs, derailed at a set of points. There were no injuries. Closure of the North Island Main Trunk line caused significant disruption to rail freight traffic. 29 March 2019, Clinton, Otago – Three rear wagons of a freight train derailed on a crossing loop at Clinton. Excessive speed and driver distraction were found to be the main causes of the crash. 9 May 2018, Britomart, Auckland – The front three cars of an inbound train derailed in the Britomart tunnel on the approach to the platforms and stopped millimetres from a concrete wall. The emergency brakes were activated and no injuries were recorded. The derailed AM class units took several days to clear. The TAIC investigation found that a manufacturing defect in a rail caused the rail to fracture. 20 October 2017, Masterton, Wairarapa – A passenger train collided with the trailer of a logging truck. The collision scattered logs across the road, but no injuries were reported. 6 October 2017, Kawerau, Bay of Plenty – an empty log train collided with a rubbish truck at the Lambert Road level crossing, causing the truck to overturn. The truck driver was fatally injured after being thrown from the vehicle. An investigation found that the truck driver did not stop at the stop sign controlling the level crossing. 31 May 2016, Glen Innes, Auckland – a pedestrian was struck by a train and killed at the Glen Innes railway station 2 December 2015, Henderson, Auckland – a pedestrian was struck by a train and killed whilst attempting to cross the tracks near the Corban Estate Arts Centre. 29 January 2015, Morningside, Auckland – a pedestrian was struck by a train and killed at Morningside station whilst attempting to cross at a pedestrian level crossing. 27 May 2014, Melling, Lower Hutt – While operating a Wellington to Melling commuter service, "Matangi" FP/FT 4472 overshot Melling station and collided with the stop block and overhead traction pole at the end of the line. Two passengers were hospitalised for minor injuries and shock. This incident should not be confused with the almost identical incident at the same station on 15 April 2013 (below). 2 March 2014, Otahuhu, Auckland – An empty southbound passenger train returning to Westfield Depot derailed near Westfield Junction just before 2am. The DC locomotive and first SA carriage left the track, with the locomotive coming to rest on its side and the carriage remaining upright. The driver and train manager sustained minor injuries. The TAIC investigation identified two safety issues. 27 February 2014, Rangiriri, Waikato – The southbound Northern Explorer travelling from Auckland to Wellington with 108 passengers on board collided with an articulated truck at the level crossing on Te Onetea Road. The 28-year-old driver of the truck died at the scene. The TAIC investigation found two safety issues contributing to the crash. 3 September 2013, Mercer, Waikato – A northbound freight train derailed, leaving one wagon lying across the tracks, and two wagons blocking the Waikato Expressway (State Highway 1), causing significant traffic delays. It was found that a failed wheel bearing on the 20th wagon caused the derailment. 20 May 2013, Kaiwharawhara, Wellington – The rear car of a morning southbound commuter train derailed just south of Kaiwharawhara station. Split pins had not been fitted to bolts on a spring park brake cylinder when the train was serviced ten weeks earlier; the cylinder came off the car and jackknifed the nearby air reservoir tanks, pushing the car off the rails and punching a hole in the carriage floor. Four passengers suffered minor injuries. 15 April 2013, Melling, Lower Hutt – at approximately 7.54 a.m., the two-car "Matangi" FP/FT 4149 failed to stop and collided with the stop block at Melling station at a speed of approximately 25 km/h. Nine passengers and two crew were on board. The KiwiRail investigation determined that driver error was the cause. This incident should not be confused with the almost identical incident at the same station on 27 May 2014 (above). 9 January 2013, Glenbrook, Auckland – a freight train carrying steel from the Glenbrook Steel Mill, consisting of three locomotives and 36 wagons, derailed on the Mission Bush Branch near Glenbrook due to a wrongly configured brake control system. 18 March 2012, Halcombe, Manawatū–Whanganui - A freight train collided with a tractor on a private farm crossing. The 18-year-old tractor driver was helicoptered to Palmerston North hospital in a critical condition, but survived the crash.