Heidi Hughes and Michael Carter in Tauranga city centre, where advocates propose a future transport hub.
A push for a future passenger rail station and service in Tauranga is gaining momentum after strong interest in the Kaimai Express.
The heritage excursion on May 2 from Auckland to Tauranga marked the first passenger service on the route in 14 years.
Sold out in 48 hours, it reignited calls for more permanent rail connections in the Bay of Plenty.
Rail advocates claim the demand is there, but authorities highlight major barriers in cost, infrastructure, population and scheduling.
Heidi Hughes, director of the public transport-promoting Wednesday Challenge, said the Kaimai Express sell-out showed growing support for regional rail.
“May 2 is a proof of concept. We have the site, we have the tracks, and we have the need.”
Calling it “a no-brainer”, she said people have seen rail systems overseas and feel increasingly frustrated.
Hughes supported advocacy group The Future Is Rail’s call to develop Dive Cres as Tauranga’s transport hub, including a rail station, as outlined in Tauranga City Council’s 2022 City Centre Action and Investment Plan.
It called for “future-proofing for the return of regional passenger rail (and possibly metro rail) to Tauranga by future-proofing for a station at the south end of Taumata Kahawai/Dive Cres”.
Hughes, a former city councillor, said the site was central, close to existing infrastructure and walking distance to the city.
She said it could link buses, cycleways and shuttles into a wider network, bringing more people into the city.
“Better connectivity, better resilience, better health for communities, better city design."
Hughes said growth across Tauranga, Auckland and Hamilton supported regional rail, and that passenger services could co-exist with freight with the right planning and upgrades.
Green Party transport spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter said connecting Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga by passenger rail was an obvious step for a fast‑growing region.
“Decades of privatisation drained the network and left us playing catch-up. But the appetite is clearly there.”
She said rail was a more affordable, accessible alternative to flying, especially as costs rise.
“The infrastructure is already in the ground. Communities are telling us they’d use it.”
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan said the region’s rail lines were an underused asset.
He said the sold-out Kaimai Express showed strong public interest.
Nathan said improved rail links could enhance access for visitors from key markets such as Auckland and Waikato.
Local rail advocate Kelvin Eagleton said he wanted a passenger service between Auckland and Tauranga.
He had also developed a proposal for a Tauranga transport network, with 18 stops between Ōmokoroa and Te Puke.
A former paramedic, Eagleton has no background in the rail industry.
He said his interest came from living in Prague, where the convenience of trains highlighted how limited Tauranga’s options are.
“No one wants to get on a bus and just sit in traffic. It’s ridiculous. It’s slow. They want fast A to B.”
Michael Carter, The Opportunity Party candidate for Tauranga in this year’s election, said the current fuel crisis was a timely opportunity to invest in rail infrastructure in New Zealand.
Carter saw a long-term vision linking Ōmokoroa and Pāpāmoa with Tauranga’s city centre.
He said passenger rail offered an alternative to driving, allowing commuters to work while travelling and avoid peak-hour traffic congestion.
KiwiRail said the May 2 service was a one-off charter run by Glenbrook Vintage Railway, and it worked closely with the operator to slot the trip into the busy freight line safely.
A spokesperson said occasional charters differed significantly from running a regular passenger service.
A permanent service would require a full reassessment of the line, potential upgrades, improved tunnel ventilation and a new safety case.
KiwiRail noted the Auckland-Tauranga route passed through the 9km Kaimai Tunnel and a single-track line with no operational stations, making it more complex than the Te Huia service between Hamilton and Auckland.
That trial service started in 2021 and its Government funding, at a 60% assistance rate, was extended in February until June 2027. Advocates have called to make the service permanent.
Tauranga City Council’s general manager of operations and infrastructure Reneke van Soest said the council was working towards an accessible city supported by a range of transport options.
She said buses remained the backbone of the public transport network, though rail had been identified as a potential long-term option.
Previous assessments found challenges for commuter rail, including infrastructure constraints, freight demand, and the spread of jobs and housing.
Van Soest said rail infrastructure at Dive Cres was not currently considered cost-effective, but the council remained open to it if conditions changed.
A Ministry of Transport spokesperson said developing inter-regional passenger rail would require co-ordination between central and local government.
They said any proposal must go through a business case process to ensure viability and value for money.
They said geography, population patterns and travel times could make rail less practical than other transport options.
Zoe Blake is a multimedia journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post.