Politics
Winston Peters Backs More Frequent Passenger Trains Between Invercargill And Christchurch
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has announced plans to support more frequent passenger train services between Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch, building on the existing Mainlander service operating along the historic Southerner route.
Speaking at a public meeting in Christchurch on Sunday, 18 October, Peters said New Zealand First wanted to help expand passenger rail connections across the South Island by working with the operators of the Mainlander.
The announcement follows a petition signed by 12,800 people last year calling for the reinstatement of the Southerner passenger train, which once connected Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Peters said New Zealand First supported bringing back more regular passenger rail services.
“We support bringing it back. And as Minister for Rail, we've been working on precisely that.”
He acknowledged that the Mainlander was already operating along the route, run by a Christchurch family business, but said the operators wanted to increase the frequency of services.
“At present it's a monthly service, but the operators want to run it more frequently.”
Peters said access to locomotives was one of the issues that needed to be addressed before additional services could operate.
“We're going to work with them to secure a commercially sound agreement that gets more trains running in the South Island.”
He said the aim was to provide South Islanders with more transport choices and strengthen connections between cities and towns.
“We want to see the Mainlander become a more frequent service, reconnecting the cities and towns of the South Island.”
Peters also criticised the cost of domestic air travel, arguing that passengers should have alternatives to flying or travelling by bus.
“A new generation of Cantabrians should be able to catch the train to Otago once again.”
Mainlander Already Operating Invercargill Services
The Mainlander is already providing passenger rail journeys between Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, with several upcoming services advertised on its official website.
Its published timetable lists five Invercargill return journeys between 1 November and 6 December 2026.
The scheduled Sunday services are on 1, 8, 22 and 29 November, and 6 December.
According to the published timetable, trains depart Dunedin at 8.05am, arriving in Invercargill at 11.40am.
Return services leave Invercargill at 1.50pm, arriving back in Dunedin at 6pm.
The Mainlander also offers journeys between Christchurch and Dunedin on selected Fridays and Mondays, allowing passengers to travel between the South Island's major centres.
The proposed expansion would build on these existing operations, potentially providing more frequent services for Southland residents.
However, no additional timetable or commencement date has been confirmed.
Canterbury Commuter Rail Trial Announced
Peters also used the Christchurch meeting to announce a separate New Zealand First commitment to a 12-month commuter rail trial in Canterbury.
The proposal would connect Rolleston and Rangiora with central Christchurch, using existing railway corridors.
Peters said the ambition was to reduce the journey between Rolleston and central Christchurch to approximately 20 minutes by train, compared with the 50-minute road journey he cited.
The proposed services would stop near Colombo Street, providing passengers with access to central Christchurch.
However, Peters acknowledged that a permanent commuter rail network would need sufficient passenger demand to justify the investment.
He said the trial would give Cantabrians an opportunity to demonstrate whether commuter rail could work.
“If hundreds of you use these trains every day, that will build the business case for a permanent service.”
Peters said growing passenger numbers could eventually support more frequent trains, additional stations and improved connections.
“We're not proposing to spend years and billions of dollars studying whether Cantabrians might catch a train. We are proposing to put the trains on and we're going to find out.”
New Locomotives For South Island
Peters also highlighted investment in New Zealand's railway network, including the rebuilding of Christchurch's Waltham Railway Workshops and Depot.
He said 66 new locomotives were being introduced nationally, with 55 intended for South Island operations and 11 for the North Island.
The first locomotives had already arrived, he said.
Peters also discussed the Government's plans to replace the Interislander ferries, claiming the revised project would save $2.3 billion while maintaining the ability to transport both road vehicles and rail freight across Cook Strait.
What The Announcement Means For Southland
For Invercargill and the wider Southland region, the announcement raises the prospect of more frequent passenger rail connections with Dunedin and Christchurch.
The existing Mainlander service has already demonstrated that passenger trains can operate along the route, although the commercial viability of a substantially expanded service has yet to be established.
Peters' announcement signals New Zealand First's intention to work with the operators to overcome some of the practical barriers to increasing services.
However, the proposal remains subject to reaching a commercially viable agreement.
No confirmed funding arrangement, additional timetable or start date was announced.
Passengers wanting to travel on existing services can view upcoming departures and booking information on the Mainlander website.