(Almost) all aboard for Hamilton to Tauranga passenger rail trips

Monday, 2 February 2026

Benson Waghorn and Carol-Ann Torrie of Cambridge were excited to support Te Huia - and also came prepared for some time in the sunshine.

All three Hamilton MPs appear to be united behind the retention of the Te Huia passenger rail service between Hamilton and Auckland, as well as potentially expanding it to Tauranga.

But whether Hamilton East’s Ryan Hamilton, Hamilton West’s Tama Potaka and soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey have the combined power to shunt transport minister Chris Bishop and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon onto their line of thinking remains to be seen.

The Future is Rail spokeswoman Lindsey Horne addresses the crowd as the lone dissenter, clad in a Bunnings T-shirt, does his best to speak over her.

The trio were the three guest speakers at a pro-Te Huia rally at the Frankton Railway Station on Sunday afternoon. Dubbed Stack the Station, the event was attended by an estimated 400 supporters - and one objector.

The man, who would not give his name, did his best to disrupt the speeches by the three MPs with repeated interjections of “This is not what I want my rates to be used for”, “You owe me an apology,” and similar sentiments.

For the most part he was steadfastly ignored by the MPs, who had the added benefit of a microphone amplifying their own voices - until the patience of one of the other attendees evidently ran out and he began loudly bellowing “shut up” at the man.

Some of the crowd at the rally posed for a photo in front of Te Huia, before the train departed for Rotokauri.

Between this exchange and the engine noise of Te Huia itself - which had not long earlier pulled into the station - some parts of what the elected members were saying was indiscernible to those not close by.

Their general sentiments, however, were clear.

Hamilton East MP Ryan Hamilton speaks to the crowd, as others try to dissuade the sole objector from expressing his own views.

Hamilton told the crowd he intended to advocate for an extension of an ongoing trial of the Te Huia service - due to end in June this year - for another 12 months. This news was met by a big cheer from those within earshot, and further grumbling from the dissenter.

“There’s always one of these characters here,” smiled Hamilton.

Potaka told the crowd he wanted the Hamilton City Council to develop more residential development in Rotokauri, within walking and cycling distance of the train station there.

He also wanted to see an eventual widening of the rail tunnel under the Kaimai Ranges, to allow space for vehicular traffic.

“My children love catching the service to North Hamilton - also known as Auckland,” he said, to a round of applause.

Rose Cook was one of many who made her feelings about the Te Huia Service clear.

Dansey took a similar line.

“I’m thrilled the National MPs have just committed to advocating for our train,” she said.

However, the true test of their support was whether they could get Luxon on board.

Soon-to-be Labour list MP Georgie Dansey also spoke to the assembled train supporters.

“From what I have seen his focus is on roads.”

Lindsey Horne, a spokesperson for advocacy group The Future is Rail, which organised the rally, said Te Huia had “probably saved a lot of lives” and prevented many car crashes, as well as emissions from vehicular exhausts.

The intention of the rally was to call for not only the continuation of the Auckland-Hamilton service, but to extend it to a “golden triangle” route that connected to Tauranga as well.

“Isn’t she beautiful? We love her. A classy train,” Horne declared, before leading the crowd in a chant of “Te Huia to Tauranga”.

There were many others at the rally who were enamoured with the service.

“They have to look forward, not back,” said Rose Cook, who was one of many who had brought home-made signs for the occasion and had taken to trip to Auckland “numerous times”.

“It’s fabulous … There’s no traffic. No accidents. It might take a bit longer, but it’s great.”

Fellow rally-goer Carol-Ann Torrie, from Cambridge, said she used the train “as much as I can”.

“I don’t want it to fold before it comes into its own. I don’t think it’s met its potential yet.”

The rally was held as Waka Kotahi prepares a pivotal funding decision on whether to extend the Te Huia trial, make it a permanent service, or abandon it altogether.

A petition was being passed around at the station to gather signatures

Since its 2021 launch, Te Huia had become a regional success story, boasting a 99% customer satisfaction rate and a farebox recovery rate that surpassed the national average.

Despite this, the future of the service - which is funded by the Waikato Regional Council as well as Waka Kotahi - is uncertain.

The trial period had been disrupted by the Covid pandemic, which had put many off train travel. There had also been disruption from works on Auckland’s City Rail Link infrastructure - and the advocacy group said this meant the service had not been given a fair trial.

In December the Waikato Regional Council formally requested an extension of the trial for another 12 months.