Northland rail
The North Auckland Line (NAL) from Whangārei to Auckland was reopened and rail freight services to and from Northland resumed in September 2024. The rail line was closed for 10 months after suffering extensive damage during Cyclone Gabrielle and other extreme weather events.
Prior to the storm recovery work, KiwiRail was committed to improving Northland’s rail and providing sustainable transport connections with Auckland and the rest of New Zealand. The Northland Rail Upgrade supports the movement of more freight by rail, helping to lower transport emissions.
Freight volumes in Northland are expected to increase to 23 million tonnes by 2042. Rail is crucial to developing an efficient, integrated transport system for the region. Each tonne of freight carried by rail has 70 per cent fewer emissions than that carried by road. It also helps reduce road congestion and road maintenance costs through fewer truck journeys.
The benefits of rail are opening up to Northland as KiwiRail delivers several stages of work, made possible by significant Government investment.
These two videos illustrate the level of damage. The first was a massive 35,000 cubic metre slip over the road and rail line at Tahekeroa. The second video highlights a range of other repairs going on
Kauri to Otiria
Work to reopen the mothballed rail line between Kauri (just north of Whangārei) and Otiria (near Moerewa) has been paused and will now be built into the proposal to build the Marsden Point Rail Link.
The link would mean forestry and other export goods the Far North produces would have direct access to Northport, without having to go all the way to Auckland or Tauranga’s ports. The alternative of rail-freighting from Otiria to Whangārei and then road-freighting to Northport is less efficient. Combining the two rail projects means rail could offer an Otiria to port service.
Swanson – Whangārei
Around 30,000 containers leave Northland each year and rail can now tap into this market. KiwiRail upgraded the North Auckland Line between Swanson and Whangārei, allowing hi-cube shipping containers to be carried on the line for the first time.
Highlights of the project:
- Lowered track through 13 tunnels
- Replaced five aged bridges
- Laid 150,000 new sleepers and nearly 63,000m3 of ballast to provide a more secure base for the track
- More than 400,000 hours went into construction phase of the project
The line re-opened in early 2021 after a four-month closure to allow for the tunnel and bridge upgrades.
Marsden Point Rail Link
Northport is one of the few ports in New Zealand that is not rail connected. A short spur is needed to join it to the national rail network, adding much needed resilience to the wider North Island supply chain by creating more transport options.
The route, designated for rail use in 2012, is approximately 19km and runs between Oakleigh, south of Whangārei, and Northport. The width of the designated rail corridor future proofs for double tracking.
Government investment has enabled KiwiRail to purchase the necessary land for the route and undertake detailed design of the link.
In July 2025 KiwiRail submitted a detailed business case to the Government for building the spur line and reopening the mothballed rail line between Kauri and Otiria, north of Whangārei. These two initiatives complement each other, will help get more freight on rail and will stimulate wider economic development in the region.
To inform the Government’s considerations, KiwiRail has made the spur project data and reference designs available to interested investors and construction companies, on a confidential basis.
The Marsden Point Rail Link is a major civil construction project, which includes building in part of the coastal marine environment, major cut and fill earthworks and a number of road and farm access overbridges and underpasses.
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Newsletter: Northland Rail Upgrade June 2026
The North Auckland Line continues to stand up to Northland weather events, as we continue our work improving its resilience.
