Imagine, travelling from Kaitaia to Bluff, as you ‘tap’ and travel on an unified national public transport network connecting Aotearoa New Zealand’s six main cities with provincial cities, major towns, semi rural towns and rural communities, across the country’s 16 regions, traveling on subsidised regional and inter-regional, frequently scheduled bus, passenger rail and local ferry services, with accompanying mobile device app containing national travel information and schedules. \
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Can this happen? Yes it can. \
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In October 2022, the previous government announced the introduction of a national ‘open’ integrated ‘tap and travel’ payment system – [Motu Move](https://www.motumove.govt.nz/) from 2024, for subsidised ‘turn and go’ urban metro rail, bus, ferry, on-demand buses and intra/inter regional passenger rail services across the country’s 16 regions. \
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In September 2023, that government passed the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill, that changes the Land Transport Management Transport Act 2003, to allow regional council’s who operate as a Public Transport Authority, to work together in providing better inter-regional public transport services.
With passing of the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill, the planned introduction of the nationwide ‘tap and travel’ payment/ticketing system from 2025, allows for the creation of an unified national passenger transport network, linking regions with frequent regional and inter-regional travel connectivity and flexibility, with less fossil fuel emissions, allowing for population growth and spread across the regions, as Aotearoa New Zealand population increases to 6 million by 2030.
**What is *CityConnect***
*CityConnect* concept is a modern version of the former New Zealand Railways Department, who operated regional, inter-regional long-distance passenger rail and bus services, later becoming New Zealand Railways Corporation (1982-1985), when long-haul passenger rail and coach services was rebranded to *InterCity* (1987 to 1991), with operational and funding inspiration from State of Victoria [V/Line](https://www.vline.com.au/) state wide regional coach and passenger train network.
*CityConnect* as a concept brand, would be a national integrated inter-regional public transport network, connecting majority of communities in Aotearoa New Zealand 16 regions, operating subsidised, frequently scheduled inter-regional coach and passenger train services connecting with the country’s existing 13 regional Public Transport Authority’s urban metro, regional, inter-regional ‘tap & travel’ bus, ferry, passenger rail services, using the national contactless ‘tap & travel’ payment/ticketing system – [Motu Move](https://www.motumove.govt.nz/) for seamless travel and a national travel information and schedule website with accompanying mobile device app. \
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*CityConnect* services would consist of the following:
\- *CityConnect* branded regional and/or inter-regional bus/coach and passenger rail services not currently funded and/or operated by a regional Public Transport Authority
\- *CityConnect* branded urban and/or semi rural, rural bus, local ferry and passenger rail services not currently funded and/or operated by a regional Public Transport Authority
**What would be *CityConnect* passenger rail and coach network routes** \
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*CityConnect* is a conceptual network, not an implemented network, so no routes are currently “fully integrated” under it.
The concept outlines a core network of planned regional and inter-regional coach and passenger rail routes not currently operated by a regional Public Transport Authority/s for the North and South Islands forming the backbone to an integrated national ‘tap and travel’ public transport system.
***CityConnect* branded Passenger Rail Services**
**North Island**
\- between Auckland and Whangarei \
- between Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Te Puke, Kawerau and Murupara \
- between Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua+ \
**\-** between Auckland, Hamilton, Matamata and Tokoroa \
**\-** between Tauranga, Matamata and Rotorua+ \
- between Tauranga, Matamata and Tokoroa \
- between Hamilton and Palmerston North \
- between Palmerston North, Whanganui and New Plymouth \
- between Palmerston North, Woodville, Hastings, Napier and Gisborne* \
- between Palmerston North and Wellington \
- between Wellington, Masterton, Woodville, Hastings and Napier \
- between Wellington, Masterton and Woodville (Wellington regional)
+ Subject to upgrading of the track within the Rotorua city boundaries
\* Subject to rebuilding the rail line between Napier and Gisborne
**South Island**
**\-** between Christchurch, Blenheim and Picton \
- between Christchurch and Greymouth \
- between Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill \
- between Christchurch, Timaru, Ashburton and Waipa (Canterbury regional) \
- between Christchurch, Rangiora, Rolleston, Burnham and Darfield (Christchurch Metro) \
- between Dunedin, Mosgiel and Port Chalmers (Dunedin Metro)
***CityConnect* branded Coach Services**
**North Island Routes**
**\-** Whangarei to Paihia (Bay of Islands) \
- Tokoroa to Taupo \
- Hamilton to New Plymouth
**South Island Routes**
**\-** Blenheim to Nelson \
- Westport to Punakaiki, Greymouth and Hokitika \
- Hokitika to Franz Josef and Fox Glacier \
- Invercargill to Te Anau and Queenstown
All *CityConnect* inter-regional passenger rail and coach services would connect with Aotearoa New Zealand’s existing 13 regional Public Transport Authority’s branded urban metro, semi rural, rural and regional public transport service’s or a *CityConnect* branded bus/coach service if a community is not serviced by a regional Public Transport Authority.
*CityConnect* passenger rail services between Invercargill and Bluff, Greymouth and Hokitika, between Greymouth. Stillwater and Westport and Dunedin metro services to Mosgiel and Port Chalmers using ‘Light Rail for Branch Lines’ using 56 seat single carriage bi-directional railcars.
**What type of trains would be used** \
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*CityConnect* passenger trains could be a mixture of 56 seat single carriage, 120 seat twin carriage and 220 seat 5 carriage bi directional railcars using sustainable, environmentally friendly fuels, designed and built to suit Aotearoa New Zealand conditions and the existing national rail network.
**Who would own the inter-regional passenger rail fleet**
The *CityConnect* branded intra and inter regional passenger rail fleet would be jointly owned by the New Zealand Railways Corporation, a statutory government corporation and the various private contractors through the creation of a joint venture partnership entity.
**Who would own the inter-regional coach fleet**
*CityConnect* branded intra and inter iregional coach services would be operated under contract by local and/or national coach/bus operator’s like Ritchies Coachlines, Tranzit Group, Nelson Coachlines/SBL Group, etc,who would provided the necessary coach’s and driver’s.
**How will *CityConnect* be funded**
The day to day operational funding of *CityConnect* national inter-regional coach and passenger rail transport network would be from fares collected, regional rate payer subsidies based on population density of the region and from taxpayers, through a government national public transport funding agency, who would ensure clarity around lines of accountability and responsibility through standardised procurement and operational guidelines, employment contracts, etc, with its regional council partners through their respective Regional Public Transport Plan’s, are aligned with central government strategies, for national-level planning and funding of public transport.
**What happens to current regional public transport services**
There will be no changes to those region’s who have locally branded public transport services like Auckland’s AT Metro bus, ferry, train services, Wellington’s Metlink bus, train, ferry services, Waikato’s Busit bus and Te Huia train services, etc, as they will be connecting components to *CityConnect* inter-regional public transport network, retaining their respective branding.
Regions like Marlborough, etc who don’t have branded public transport services, their services would have *CityConnect* branding.
**What about travel on long distance buses, ferries and passenger trains** \
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These services will not be part of the *CityConnect* national inter-regional public transport network, as they are non subsidsied, commercial ‘book and travel’ services, where a passenger makes a reservation/s and pay directly with the bus, inter-island ferry and/or train operator they are planning to travel on. \
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If any ‘book and travel’ bus and/or train service operating any route/s, that is providing essential rural community connections, like between Fox Glacier to Wanaka, it would receive funding and be part of the *CityConnect* national inter-urban passenger transport network, as these services would be deemed to be essential service/s.
For further information concerning the points raised in this concept:
\- [Golden Triangle Passenger Rail Initiative](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/golden-triangle-passenger-rail-iniative-08-10-2026/) \
- [](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/new-zealand-unified-public-transport-strategy-05-01-2024)[National Public Transport Strategy](https://publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/national-public-transport-strategy-18-09-2026/) \
- [New Zealand unified passenger transport initiative](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/new-zealand-unified-public-transport-strategy-05-01-2024) \
- [Time for a new regional passenger rail network](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/new-zealands-regional-passenger-rail-network-20-08-2022/) \
- [Time for a national public transport network](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/national-public-transport-network-07-06-2022) \
- [Lets Connect Communities](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/connecting-communities-2030-01-02-2022/) \
- [Future of New Zealand’s land transport and communities](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/the-future-of-new-zealand-land-transport-08-03-2024) \
- [Can semi rural towns and small rural communities have public transport?](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/articles/article/can-small-semi-rural-towns-and-rural-communities-has-public-transport-10-08-2022/)
If you support a national public transport network concept, [have your say](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/get-involved/) or become proactive by getting involved in local [better public transport campaign groups](https://www.publictransportforum.nz/about/). \
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The *CityConnect – inter-regional public transport network* is a Better Passenger Transport New Zealand initiative and supported by Public Transport Forum New Zealand.
