The railway network in New Zealand consists of four main lines, six secondary lines and numerous short branch lines in almost every region. It links all major urban centres except Nelson, Taupō, Queenstown, Whakatāne and (since 2012) Gisborne. The network is owned and managed by KiwiRail. The network was constructed starting in 1863, mostly by government bodies, initially provincial governments and later the central government (usually by the Public Works Department) under the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR or NZGR). In 1981 NZR was corporatised as the New Zealand Railways Corporation, and in 1991 New Zealand Rail Limited was split from the corporation. New Zealand Rail was privatised in 1993 (and later renamed Tranz Rail), with the New Zealand Railways Corporation retaining the land (due to Treaty of Waitangi claims on land taken for railway construction). In 2003 the government renationalised the network. KiwiRail operates all freight lines and a small number of passenger services primarily for tourists on certain routes in both islands; Auckland One Rail operates Auckland Transport "AT Metro" suburban passenger trains in Auckland and Transdev operates Metlink passenger trains in the Wellington region; Dunedin Railways (formerly Taieri Gorge Railway) operates tourist passenger trains in Dunedin.

New Zealand national rail network

Lines in bold type are currently operated by KiwiRail

Main trunk lines Name Route Length Usage North Island Main Trunk Wellington – Palmerston North – Taumarunui – Hamilton – Auckland Freight & passenger East Coast Main Trunk Hamilton – Morrinsville – Kaimai Tunnel – Tauranga – Kawerau Freight only Midland line Rolleston – Springfield – Arthur's Pass – Stillwater – Greymouth 212 km (131 mi) Freight & passenger Main North Line Christchurch – Kaikōura – Blenheim – Picton Freight & passenger Main South Line Lyttelton – Christchurch – Timaru – Oamaru – Dunedin - Invercargill Freight & passenger (Christchurch – Rolleston) Freight only (Lyttelton – Christchurch, Rolleston – Invercargill) The last two lines are sometimes referred to as the South Island Main Trunk Railway.

Secondary main lines Name Route Length Usage Marton–New Plymouth line Marton – Whanganui – Hāwera – Stratford – New Plymouth Freight only North Auckland Line Westfield Junction – Newmarket – Swanson – Waitakere – Helensville – Wellsford – Whangārei – Otiria Freight and Passengers south of Swanson Freight only Swanson to Otiria Palmerston North–Gisborne Line Palmerston North – Woodville – Waipukurau – Hastings – Napier – Wairoa - Muriwai – Gisborne Freight & Passenger(charter/cruise). Mothballed: Napier to Muriwai 2012. Open: Muriwai to Gisborne, leased by Gisborne Vintage Railway from June 2013New Zealand Railway Observer, June/July 2013 Edition Stillwater–Ngākawau line Stillwater – Reefton – Westport – Ngakawau Freight only Stratford–Okahukura line Stratford – Whangamōmona – Okahukura Passenger: leased to a private operator June 2012. Wairarapa Line Wellington – Upper Hutt – Featherston - Masterton – Woodville Freight & Passenger Wellington to Masterton Freight only Masterton to Woodville

Branch lines

Northland Name Route Usage Dargaville Branch Waiotira – Dargaville Closed leased to private operator Donnellys Crossing Section Dargaville – Kaihu – Donnellys Crossing Closed 1959 Kumeu-Riverhead Section Kumeū – Riverhead Closed 1885Okaihau Branch Otiria – Kaikohe – Ōkaihau Closed 1987Onerahi Branch Whangārei – Onerahi Closed 1933Opua Branch Otiria – Kawakawa – Opua Closed 1985 Kawakawa – Taumarere operated by Bay of Islands Vintage Railway

Auckland Name Route Usage Newmarket Line Quay Park junction – Newmarket Freight & passenger Southdown Branch Westfield Junction – Southdown Freight Centre Freight only Mission Bush Branch Paerata – Glenbrook – Mission Bush Freight only Onehunga Branch Penrose – Te Papapa - Onehunga Passenger Manukau Branch Wiri – Manukau Passenger Waiuku Branch Glenbrook – Pukeoware - Fernleigh - Waiuku Closed 1967 Now Glenbrook Vintage Railway City Rail Link Waitemāta – Maungawhau Passenger

Auckland Suburban passenger rail lines Name Route East West Line (E-W) Swanson – City Centre – Glen Innes – Manukau North Auckland Line, North Island Main Trunk Line (includes City Rail Link), Manukau Branch South City Line (S-C) Newmarket – City Centre – Newmarket – Papakura – Pukekohe Newmarket Line, North Island Main Trunk Line (includes City Rail Link), Newmarket Line, North Auckland Line, North Island Main Trunk Line Onehunga West Line (O-W) Henderson – Newmarket – Penrose – Onehunga North Auckland Line, Newmarket Line, North Auckland Line, Onehunga Branch

Waikato / Coromandel Name Route Usage East Coast Main Trunk Original sections from Paeroa Frankton – Morrinsville – Paeroa – Waihi – Tauranga – Tāneatua Closed Paeroa to Apata, September 1978. Waikino to Waihi reopened 8 November 1980 by Goldfields Railway. Hawkens Junction to Tāneatua became Taneatua Branch. Cambridge Branch Ruakura – Hautapu – Cambridge Freight only. Closed Hautapu – Cambridge 1999 Glen Afton Branch Huntly - Rotowaro - Pukemiro Junction - Glen Afton Closed, partially remains as the Bush Tramway Club's Pukemiro Line. Remainder became Rotowaro BranchKimihia Branch Huntly - Kimihia Coal only. Closed 2015. Rotowaro Branch Huntly - Rotowaro Coal only Thames Branch/Waitoa Branch Morrinsville – Waitoa – Te Aroha - Paeroa – Thames Morrinsville to Paeroa part of East Coast Main Trunk, 1928 to 1978. Freight only. Closed Waitoa – Thames 1991. Mothballed Morrinsville to Waitoa, reopened 2004 as Waitoa Branch. Glen Massey Branch/Wilton Collieries LineNgāruawāhia - Glen Massey Closed, 1958 (Line owned by NZ Mines Dept, operated by NZR after 1940)

Bay of Plenty Name Route Usage Kinleith Branch Waharoa – Kinleith Mill Freight only Mount Maunganui Branch Te Maunga - Mount Maunganui Freight only Murupara Branch Hawkens Junction - Murupara Freight only Rotorua Branch Putāruru – Rotorua/Koutu Leased to a Private Operator, 2010 Tāneatua Branch Hawkens Junction - Taneatua Mothballed 2003 Whakatane Board Mills line Awakeri – Whakatane mill Closed 2003 Leased to private operator

Gisborne – Hawke's Bay Name Route Usage Napier Port Branch/Ahuriri Branch Napier - Ahuriri Freight only Moutohora Branch Gisborne – Makaraka – Moutohora Freight only. Closed Makaraka – Moutohora 1959, Makaraka – Gisborne mothballed 2012. Ngatapa Branch Gisborne – Ngatapa Closed 1931

Central North Island Name Route Usage Raetihi Branch Ohakune – Raetihi Closed 1968

Taranaki Name Route Usage Castlecliff Branch Whanganui – Castlecliff Freight only. Opunake Branch/Kapuni Branch Eltham – Kapuni – Opunake Freight only. Closed Kapuni – Opunake Mount Egmont Branch Waipuku - Mount Egmont Closed 1951 Waitara Branch Lepperton – Waitara Closed 1999. Leased to private operator. Waitara Railway Preservation Society Wanganui Branch Aramoho – Whanganui Freight only

Manawatū Name Route Usage Foxton Branch Longburn – Foxton Closed 1959 Taonui Branch Taonui – near Colyton Closed 1895

Wairarapa Name Route Usage Greytown Branch Woodside – Greytown Closed 1953

Wellington Name Route Usage Gracefield Branch Woburn – Hutt Workshops – Gracefield Freight only. Hutt Workshops – Gracefield mothballed 2002 Johnsonville Line Wellington – Khandallah - Johnsonville Passenger only. Former North Island Main Trunk Line Melling branch Petone – Melling Passenger only. Former Wairarapa Line Te Aro Branch Lambton – Te Aro Closed 1917

Wellington Suburban rail lines

Name Route Johnsonville Line Wellington - Johnsonville Johnsonville Line Kāpiti Line Wellington – Waikanae North Island Main Trunk Line Hutt Valley Line Wellington – Upper Hutt Wairarapa Line Melling Line Wellington – Melling Wairarapa Line, Melling branch Wairarapa Line Wellington – Masterton Wairarapa Line

Nelson Name Route Usage Nelson Section Nelson – Glenhope - Kawatiri Isolated from South Island network. Closed 1955

West Coast Name Route Usage Blackball Branch Ngahere - Blackball Closed 1966 Cape Foulwind Railway Westport, New Zealand – Cape Foulwind Closed 1930 Conns Creek Branch Waimangaroa – Denniston Closed 1967 Hokitika Branch/Ross Branch Greymouth – Hokitika – Ross Freight only. Closed Hokitika – Ross 1980 Ngakawau Branch/Seddonville Branch Westport – Ngakawau – Seddonville – Mokihinui Mine Freight only. Closed Seddonville – Mokihinui Mine 1974, Ngakawau – Seddonville 1981 Rapahoe Branch Greymouth – Rapahoe Freight only Rewanui Branch Greymouth – Runanga - Rewanui Closed 1985

Canterbury Name Route Usage Eyreton Branch Kaiapoi – Wetheral – Horrelville – Bennetts Junction Closed Horrelville – Bennetts Junction 1931, Wetheral – Horrelville 1954, Kaiapoi – Wetheral 1965 Fairlie Branch Washdyke – Pleasant Point - Eversley Closed 1968 Pleasant Point section operatred by Pleasant Point Museum and Railway Proposed Fairlie Rail Trail Ferrymead Branch Christchurch – Ferrymead Closed 1868 Now Ferrymead Railway Hornby Industrial Line/Southbridge Branch Hornby – Prebbleton – Lincoln – Southbridge Freight only. Closed Lincoln – Southbridge 1962, Prebbleton – Lincoln 1967, mothballed 2012. Little River Branch Lincoln – Little River Closed 1962 Now Little River Rail Trail Methven Branch Rakaia – Methven Closed 1976 Mount Somers Branch/Springburn Branch Tinwald – Mount Somers – Springburn Closed Mount Somers – Springburn 1957, Tinwald – Mount Somers 1968 Tinwald – Frasers Road section operated by Plains Vintage Railway Oxford Branch Rangiora – Oxford – Sheffield Closed Oxford – Sheffield 1930, Rangiora – Oxford 1959 Waiau Branch Waipara – Waiau Closed 1978 Waipara – Waikari section operated by Weka Pass Railway Waimate Branch/Waimate Gorge Branch Studholme – Waimate – Waihao Downs Closed Waimate – Waihao Downs 1953, Studholme – Waimate 1966 Whitecliffs Branch Darfield – Whitecliffs Closed 1962

Otago Name Route Usage Catlins River Branch Balclutha – Finegand – Tahakopa Freight only, Closed 1971 beyond Finegand Dunback and Makareao Branches Palmerston – Inch Valley – Dunback/Makareao Closed Inch Valley – Dunback 1968, Palmerston – Makareao 1989 Fernhill Branch Abbotsford – Fernhill Closed 2003 Kingston Branch Kingston – Fairlight Passenger only – Kingston Flyer Ltd. Kurow Branch/Hakataramea Branch Pukeuri – Kurow – Hakataramea Closed Kurow – Hakataramea 1930, Pukeuri – Kurow 1983 Moeraki Branch Hillgrove – Moeraki Closed 1879 Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches Waiareka Junction – Windsor Junction – Ngapara/Tokarahi Closed Windsor Junction – Tokarahi 1930, Taylor's Siding – Ngapara 1959, Waiareka Junction – Taylor's Siding 1997 Ocean Beach Railway Dunedin – Forbury Park Closed beyond Gas works and Andersons Bay Rd warehousing 1942. Closed as far as Strathallan Road level crossing 1990. One rail shared with DCC Tramways and electrified 1908 along Royal Crescent. Otago Central Railway Wingatui – Middlemarch – Clyde – Cromwell Passenger only beyond Taieri. Closed Clyde – Cromwell 1980, Middlemarch – Clyde 1990 Taieri – Middlemarch operated by Dunedin Railways, Middlemarch – Clyde now Otago Central Rail Trail Outram Branch Mosgiel – Outram Closed 1953 beyond Woollen Mills private siding, remainder closed 1990 Port Chalmers Branch Sawyers Bay – Port Chalmers Freight only Roxburgh Branch Milton – Lawrence – Roxburgh Closed 1968 Shag Point Branch Shag Point – Shag Point Coal Mine Closed 1934 Tapanui Branch Waipahi – Tapanui – Heriot – Edievale Closed Heriot – Edievale 1968, Waipahi – Heriot 1978 Walton Park Branch Burnside – Walton Park Closed 1957

Southland