The Golden Triangle Passenger Rail Initiative, is frequent ‘tap’ and travel \u2018public transport\u2019 style intra\/inter-regional passenger rail services between Auckland, Hamilton, Te Kuiti, Tauranga, Rotorua and Tokoroa with connecting bus services to and from Taupo and between Hamilton and Palmerston North from 2030 onwards using next generation of 5 carriage, bi directional electric battery passenger train sets based on the production specifications of Wellington’s new ‘Tuhono’ passenger train sets. \\
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\nThe Golden Triangle passenger rail network would consist of the following lines – \\
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\n**a. Line 1 \u2013 Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Te Puke** \\
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\nStations – \\
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\nAuckland (The Strand), Middlemore (for Middlemore Hospital)\\*, Puihuni (Auckland airport), Papakura, Pukekohe, Tuakau\\*, Pokeno, Te Kauwhata, Ohinewai (Sleepy Head Estate)\\*, Huntly, Ngaruawahia\\*, Rotokauri, Frankton, Hamilton Central, Ruakura, Morrinsville, Otumoetai\\*, Tauranga, Te Puke\\*.<\/p>\n
\\* Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 3hrs 30mins \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 3 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 1 operational spare based in Tauranga.<\/p>\n
**b. Line 2 \u2013 Auckland, Hamilton and Te Kuiti** \\
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\nStations – \\
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\nAuckland (The Strand), Middlemore (for Middlemore Hospital)\\*, Puihuni (Auckland airport), Papakura\\*, Pukekohe, Tuakau\\*, Pokeno, Te Kauwhata, Ohinewai (Sleepy Head Estate)\\*, Huntly, Ngaruawahia\\*, Rotokauri, Frankton, Rukuhia (Hamilton Airport)\\*, Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, Te Kuiti.<\/p>\n
\\* Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 3hrs 15 mins \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 4 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 1 operational spare based in Te Kuiti. \\
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\n**c. Line 3 \u2013 Auckland, Hamilton and Tokorora** \\
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\nStations – \\
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\nAuckland (The Strand), Middlemore (for Middlemore Hospital)\\*, Puihuni (Auckland airport), Papakura\\*, Pukekohe, Tuakau\\*, Pokeno, Te Kauwhata, Ohinewai (Sleepy Head Estate)\\*, Huntly, Ngaruawahia*, Rotokauri, Frankton, Hamilton Central, Ruakura, Morrinsville, Matamata, Tirau, Putaruru, Tokoroa.<\/p>\n
\\* Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 4 hrs 15 mins \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 4 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 1 operational spare based in Putaruru. \\
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\nLine 3 would have connecting Busit bus services between Tokoroa and Taupo. \\
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\n**c. Line 4 \u2013 Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua** \\
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\nStations – \\
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\nAuckland (The Strand), Middlemore (for Middlemore Hospital)\\*, Puihuni (Auckland airport), Papakura\\*, Pukekohe, Tuakau, Pokeno, Te Kauwhata, Ohinewai (Sleepy Head Estate)\\*, Huntly, Ngaruawahia\\*, Rotokauri, Frankton, Hamilton Central, Ruakura, Morrinsville, Matamata, Tirau, Putaruru, Rotorua.<\/p>\n
\\*\ufeff Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 4 hours \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 4 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 1 operational spare based in Putaruru.<\/p>\n
**d. Line 5 \u2013 Tauranga, Matamata and Rotorua**<\/p>\n
Stations – \\
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\nTe Puke\\*, Tauranga, Otumoetai\\*, Matamata, Tirau, Putaruru, Rotorua<\/p>\n
\\* Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 2 hrs 50mins \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 2 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 1 operational spare based in Putaruru. \\
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\n**e. Line 6 \u2013 Hamilton and Palmerston North** \\
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\nStations – \\
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\nHamilton (Frankton), Rukuhia (Hamilton airport)\\*, Te Awamutu, Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, National Park, Ohakune, Waiouru, Taihape, Hunterville\\*, Marton, Feilding, Palmerston North.<\/p>\n
\\* Future stations \\
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\nJourney time approximately 5hrs 45mins \\
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\nService Frequency: Initially 2 return services per day. \\
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\nNumber of train sets required: 2 with 2 operational spares based in Hamilton and Palmerston North. \\
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\n**Total number of Trains sets \u2013** \\
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\n25 bi-directional electric (25kva) battery passenger train sets. \\
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\n17 operational train sets \\
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\n2 permanently allocated for full\/heavy maintenance at Hamilton Depot \\
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\n6 \u2018active\u2019 spare serviceable train sets at Hamilton Depot \\
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\n**Maintenance\/Stabling depots**<\/p>\n
Regional overnight stabling\/overnight slow recharging\/maintenance\/crew base –<\/p>\n
Tauranga \\
\nPutaruru \\
\nPalmerston North<\/p>\n
Overnight stabling\/overnight slow recharging\/crew base –<\/p>\n
Mercer\/Pokeno \\
\nTe Kuiti<\/p>\n
**Main operations\/administration centre, full maintenance, spares, stabling, training and crew base**<\/p>\n
Hamilton<\/p>\n
The Hamilton Operations Centre and Maintenance stabling facility would need to be future proofed for a total of 12 train sets. \\
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\nFor further information concerning the points raised in this concept:<\/p>\n
\\-\ufeff \ufeff[](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\/) \\
\n-\ufeff [Time for a national regional passenger rail network](https:\/\/www.publictransportforum.nz\/articles\/article\/the-future-of-passenger-rail-in-new-zealand-is-regional-rail-07-07-2025\/) \\
\n-\ufeff [Time for a national public transport network](https:\/\/www.publictransportforum.nz\/articles\/article\/national-public-transport-network-07-06-2022) \\
\n-\ufeff [L\ufeffets Connect Communities](https:\/\/www.publictransportforum.nz\/articles\/article\/connecting-communities-2030-01-02-2022\/) \\
\n-\ufeff [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) \\
\n-\ufeff [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\/)<\/p>\n
If you support a national public transport network concept,\u00a0[have your say](https:\/\/www.publictransportforum.nz\/get-involved\/)\u00a0or become proactive by getting involved in local\u00a0[better public transport campaign groups](https:\/\/www.publictransportforum.nz\/about\/). \\
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\nThe *CityConnect – inter-regional public transport network* is a Better Passenger Transport New Zealand initiative and supported by Public Transport Forum New Zealand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Golden Triangle Passenger Rail Initiative, is frequent 'tap' and travel \u2018public transport\u2019 style intra\/inter-regional passenger rail services betwee<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-571989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t