The Capital Connection should be an event train
The South Island based Mainland Rail has shown real initiative in its events train. Come on KiwiRail, let’s get even more creative in the use of your trains. Please give the Capital Connection some outings in the weekend.
POLICYEVENTSWELLINGTONPUBLIC TRANSPORTREDUCING OIL DEPENDENCYCONNECTION
Paul Callister
5/13/20263 min read
After its run to Palmerston North on Friday evening the Capital Connection goes to bed and remains there until its early start back to Wellington on Monday morning. Ideally, it would operate some scheduled weekend services between Palmerston North and Wellington. But if not doing this, what about using it as an events train on some weekends?
At the first game at the newly opened Te Kaha stadium in Ōtautahi/Christchurch on Friday April 24th, the local Canterbury Super Rugby team the Crusaders played the NSW Waratahs.
Crusaders, 2degrees and Mainland Rail teamed up to launch Crusaders Express to deliver fans ‘in style’ to home games. Using old Capital Connection carriages.
The announcement of the excursion included:
‘To elevate the journey further, Gerry's Bakery and Moa Brewing Company are on board, offering Moa’s Southern Alps Ultra Low Carb Lager and Gerry’s Great Southern Pies – a little southern hospitality before fans steam into the stadium.
Mainland Rail has confirmed a temporary solution to support the Crusaders Express with passengers set to disembark via a pop-up ramp at Pilgrim Place, approximately 1km from One New Zealand Stadium.
Christchurch City Council has supported the initiative with a grant of $51,053 from its Capital Endowment Fund to help fund the temporary infrastructure, enabling safe and accessible access for passengers, including those using lightweight mobility devices.’
Tickets for the train to the Waratahs game were $49 adults, $29 children, and $129 family.
For a good overview of the excursion see Benjamin Love’s Linkedin post.
Photo credit: Patrick Dunford
We explore the issue of temporary platforms here.
Plans are underway for the Crusaders Express to run for the three other Crusaders games at Te Kaha in May.
For games at the Hnry stadium in Wellington, there is no need for a temporary platform. It is next door to Wellington Railway Station, the station the Capital Connection runs to during weekdays.
There are various matches and other events planned at the stadium over 2026. But an ideal event to trial a train from Palmerston North would be the All Blacks versus Italy match on Saturday 11th July. There will be other weekends events, including at the Hnry stadium, that a train could bring in patrons.
Vintage railway groups already run many excursions, such as the recent Glenbrook Vintage Rail trip to Tauranga.
KiwiRail have also run an occasional event trains. Te Huia train was hired to transport mourners from Tūrangawaewae to the burial grounds during the funeral of Māori King Tūheitia, which took place on September 5, 2024. The train facilitated the journey of attendees to the traditional burial site at Mount Taupiri
Great Journeys have also run ‘event’ themed trains, for example to Wearable Art in Wellington. And now it is offering Mystery Murder excursions.
Mainland Rail has shown real initiative in its events train. Come on KiwiRail, let’s get even more creative in the use of your trains. Please give the Capital Connection more outings in the weekend.