Fast rail link Tauranga to Auckland?

[artemis]

Tauranga CC has suggested this as possible part answer to big city housing prices. A 400 kmh train would need new infrastructure. cost billions, but put Auckland jobs some 30 minutes away from the Bay and Waikato.

Would it work?

Good on Tauranga CC for thinking outside the box though.

[PTILoveYou]

Who the hell came up with such silly idea?

Who's going to fund that?

Hamilton doesn't have a bullet train service, nor does Whangarei, so Tauranga should just shut up and wait in the line haha!

[genius]

Hahaha every city is allowed to dream. So keep dreaming Tauranga!

[donna]

Yeah good on them - why wouldn't they want some of the AKL wealth. Spread it around AKL. The air link between AKL and Kapiti has bridged the gap nicely for folk here who want or need to leave this end of the island and we have an Aucklander to thank for it.

cheers,

Donna

[PTILoveYou]

They should just market themselves as the top retirement destination, just like what Hamilton was trying to do (heard it on NewstalkZB last week), to attract more Aucklanders (retirees) moving to Tauranga.

[John the builder]

seriously Whangarai to Auckland would be a good idea and open up the north!

[PTILoveYou]

seriously Whangarai to Auckland would be a good idea and open up the north!

Need to build the CRL, then a new line under the Harbour, and then through to Northshore =)

But seriously, the bullet train like the new ones in China are dedicated bullet train lines that are in addition to the existing railway network.

It costs A LOT of money to build those things!!!

[ptamanz]

Rather than 300kph+ trains, intercity trains like Vlocity in Australia could be viable. There has been discussion about it here: transportblog.co.nz/?s=waikato+rail&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=Searc h

The rising house prices are pushing average workers out to the fringes and beyond into Waikato. There is a case for a train of some sort, at least to Hamilton.

[eri]

auckland can't even manage a slow train to its airport

[HouseWorks]

Nor a commuter service from south Auckland ... before 7AM the SH1 motorway heading north is completely jammed from Drury to Takanini. Now I hear that there's a lack of parking at the papakura park n ride and probably at other stations too.

[chrisgoh]

To be viable, need more population to support the bullet train idea. At least another 2 million in Auckland.

[muppet]

Fast rail between Auckland and Tauranga?
And it isn't even April the First.

[Maccachic]

The Council here just loves spending our money on nice to haves - things like stormwater, parking buildings etc can wait. We now have a redeveloped harbour front area (ex carparking) a few meters from train tracks but no where to park. We are also putting a Uni campus in Central City with no thought to traffic, accommodation, parking etc. Not to mention the Hotel development we have paid who knows what for that keep falling over with partners because of lack of viability.

[elguapo]

Tauranga CC has suggested this as possible part answer to big city housing prices. A 400 kmh train would need new infrastructure. cost billions, but put Auckland jobs some 30 minutes away from the Bay and Waikato.

Would it work?

Good on Tauranga CC for thinking outside the box though.

Not billions, tens of billions.

There is no need for a fast train at all. A 120-150km/hr train running on existing tracks would cost a tiny fraction of the money and provide everything anyone needs. Only a faction of people work in Auckland CBD, it makes no sense to have a 400km/hr train to that one location when jobs are actually far more widely distributed. The Taurananga CC could afford to do that themselves if they really thought it was a good idea.

[elguapo]

auckland can't even manage a slow train to its airport

Why do you need a train? The bus is $16 and takes 1/2 hour.