Passenger trains have returned to an upgraded Pukekohe Station for the first time in more than two years with the departure of the first train to Britomart at 5.11am this morning, connecting directly with other parts of Auckland to the central city in 75 minutes.
Services will be operating every 20 minutes between Pukekohe Station and WaitematÄ Station (Britomart) along the Southern Line.
Pukekohe Station closed in August 2022 for KiwiRail to electrify the rail line ahead of the three new train stations being developed on this section of track. The Southern Line was previously only electrified as far as Papakura, where Pukekohe passengers needed to transfer between an electric train and a diesel train.
Auckland Councilâs Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee Chairman, and Franklin Ward Councillor Andy Baker rode the first electric train from Pukekohe today.
Itâs been well worth the wait,â he says.
Getting to the city centre from Pukekohe is now one easy train ride thatâs 25 minutes quicker than bussing to Papakura and catching the train from there. Itâs a cleaner, quieter way to travel than the old diesel trains and means we no longer need to transfer at Papakura.
