Mode Shift: Spotting orca from her Wellington commuter train

Tuesday, 7 June 2022

Juvena Jalal​ once saw orcas from the window of the train as she was commuting from Lower Hutt into Wellington.

Although it was a few years ago, it is a story the Maungaraki resident likes to tell as she recounts why she loves catching the train.

A long time supporter of public transport, Jalal got out of the habit when she had two children to organise and ferry around Lower Hutt for after school activities. She found it was easier to use her car, and over time she simply fell out of the habit of using public transport.

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**

Now that her kids are more independent, Jalal has returned to catching the train to Wellington, where she works as a researcher at the Education Review Office, at the railway station end of Lambton Quay.

“I like the fact that I don't have to struggle with peak hour traffic and then find a park.”

She uses the 10-minute commute to relax and describes the trip home as a “nice separation” from her busy day.

During peak hours, the trains are very reliable and with a 10-trip ticket costing only $21 while public transport fare are half price, it makes good sense economically to hop on board a train, she says.

By comparison, parking near her work would costs more than $130 a week, without petrol and other car running costs.

“The cost of parking is ludicrous, just ludicrous.”

As well as convenience, there is another reason Jalal enjoys the commute that hugs Wellington Harbour.

There is always something interesting to look at, she says – including the occasional orca.

“There were a couple of orcas in the harbour and I actually saw them pop up out of the water. Initially, I thought they were large divers and then there was general excitement, it was an absolute treat.”

Having got back into the habit of using the train, Jalal thinks others would also like it if they gave it a chance – including those who, like her, might have fallen out of the habit.

“It is definitely much more reliable than it used to be. People should definitely give it a go.”

Although the ride from Petone to Wellington is short, she says there is enough time to connect with other commuters.

“I really enjoy commuting, I love the fact I can chat with people and check my messages. My train ride is a joy.”

She only has one gripe about public transport. She would like to be able to take the bus from her home to Petone station, but the connections don’t match up. That means she can sometimes spend 20 minutes at the station – after a 10 minute journey – waiting for a bus to show up.

So for now, Jalal drives to the station. But she says she’s more than ready to make her next mode shift.