The $207,000,000 upgrade of the North Auckland Line was completed and freight trains started running between Auckland and Whangarei again on the 11th of January 2021.
To find out more about Northland's rail infrastructure , check out the pages on the drop down menus.
4th of June 2021 Northport gets a long-awaited rail link
The KiwiRail North Auckland Line upgrade was a major infrastructure project improving the 181km rail corridor between Swanson and Kauri , north of Whangārei to allow taller freight containers and heavier loads.
Key Upgrade Details
Hi-Cube Containers: Lowered track floors through 13 tunnels to enable the transport of modern high-cube shipping containers for the first time. []
Track and Bridges: Replaced 5 aging bridges, laid 150,000 new sleepers, and installed nearly 63,000m³ of ballast. []
Weather Repairs: Repaired over 200 weather-damage sites following extreme storms and Cyclone Gabrielle, including stabilizing embankments near local spots like Wellsford, Kaiwaka, and Topuni. [1, 2]
Regional Hubs: Upgraded the Whangārei rail yard and completed track work north to Kauri to support regional freight like dairy and forestry. [1]
Future Proposals: Proposals include a potential 19km rail spur to Northport at Marsden Point and reopening the line further north to Otiria