The Hamilton to Auckland commuter train is tipped to have a new and improved service when it returns to the track in October. Te Huia has been parked up since the country went into Covid-19 Alert Level 4, and has remained unused due to people not being allowed to cross the Waikato\/Auckland border. \\
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\nHowever, Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington is confident service will resume in October with Labour Weekend earmarked as the train\u2019s return and normal daily function to continue after that. \\
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\nTe Huia has $85.8 million of funding from the Government. Local authorities provided $12.2 million for the train which can seat up to 147 people and entered service in April 2021.<\/p>\n
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\nWith its impending resumption, Te Huia should be allowed into The Strand in central Auckland, before the latest Covid outbreak the service stopped at Papakura. \\
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\nThere is also a plan for it to stop at Puhinui, so people can then catch a shuttle to nearby Auckland Airport. \\
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\nRimmington said they are in negotiation with a number of interested parties like KiwiRail and Auckland Transport on confirming their slot into Auckland. \\
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\n\u201cI am really excited about the co-operation we are receiving to get into Auckland, it might not be a lot in it for Auckland Council, but I think for the bigger scheme of things and for the future of Te Huia, and future of commuter rail in New Zealand, this is what New Zealand\u2019s watching. \\
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\n\u201cThis is the breakthrough that we always planned, and it’s coming a little ahead of time, and this will be the turning point of the service and Te Huia, and I am confident that it will be a huge success.\u201d \\
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\nWaikato Regional Council\u2019s public transport manager Andrew Wilson said the improvements will be implemented in phases. \\
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\n\u201cThe first being the Covid restart which will be a reconfigured timetable but all services going to and from The Strand, which is a major improvement with current services terminating at Papakura. \\
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\n\u201cWe are very close to access at Puhinui Station, so we expect that will happen in early 2022, it\u2019s just pending a ticket installation at that station,\u201d Wilson said. \\
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\nHe also hopes that early next year they hope to enable some additional morning and afternoon departures, which will also include weekends. \\
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\n*This article was originally published on 20 September 2021 on* [](https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/business\/kiwi-property-plans-540-build-to-rent-apartments-at-sylvia-park-lynnmall\/XI56FHXNZXGKCXUWW7QLRBSF3I\/)*[Stuff](https:\/\/www.stuff.co.nz\/national\/126524298\/te-huia-is-returning-to-the-track-with-scheduling-improvements).*<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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