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Important Update: Interislander industrial action

Interislander services continue to operate as scheduled. As strike notices remain in place, if industrial action proceeds, there is a risk of disruption from 18 September onwards including short-notice cancellations of Interislander services. We are working with KiwiRail rail freight customers directly. We will contact affected customers directly if their booking or freight movement is impacted.

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How It Works
Network & Timetable

Where do you
want to go?

Move freight around New Zealand – between islands, through ports and beyond. A nationwide rail network with the flexibility and scale to adapt to your business, regardless of your size or setup.

Our Network

Whatever you're moving and wherever it needs to go, we’ll get you there. Spanning north and south islands, our network gives you access to 17 container terminals, major ports and inter-island connections.


So whether you’re just starting out or scaling up fast, KiwiRail has the reach and capacity to support your next move.

KiwiRail Freight Network at a glance.

Working with KiwiRail to access rail

No matter where you’re based, getting your freight onto rail is more straightforward than you might think.

With 17 container terminals from Whangarei to Invercargill, there's likely a site near you. Book in and bring your freight to us, and we'll handle the rest. Or contact one of our partners.

You may have a rail siding which allows you to load and unload directly at your premises – no trip to a terminal needed. A direct line between your facility and the national network.

Whatever container volumes you're moving through the port, we're set up to handle them.  KiwiRail carries 23% of New Zealand's exports and moves more than 15 million tonnes of freight every year - so you're in good company.

  • Container Terminals

    Book in and bring your freight, or we can arrange pickup. Either way, we'll handle the rest.
    Find out more

  • Rail Siding

    A direct line between your facility and the national network.
    Find out more

  • Ports

    We offer direct rail access to 10 ports across New Zealand.
    Learn more

Book it your way.

Prefer a predictable supply chain

Our scheduled services run fixed routes across New Zealand's key rail corridors - linking you to major ports, inland hubs and regional centres. Consistent and easy to plan around.

We offer a Standard delivery: freight delivered within 3-5 days.  Cost-effective and dependable for most shipments.  But when your timeline is tight, our Priority* service gives you a guaranteed delivery window.

Got a custom requirement

We can build a solution from the ground up - a dedicated train run, a bespoke schedule, or bulk freight like coal or forestry. If timetabled doesn't fit, we'll help you find a solution that does. 

View the latest timetable.

Flexible booking options.

Guaranteed - want certainty over flexibility? Lock it in and your freight moves as planned - ideal when volume and consistency matter most.

Flexi - Need room to adapt? If your volumes or timings change, our flexible booking option lets you adjust things without the stress.

Priority booking service is only available on the following routes and corridors:

Inter-Island

Auckland – Christchurch (Southern Express)

Christchurch – Auckland (Northern Express)

North: Intra-Island

Auckland – Wellington (Wellington Express)

Auckland – Palmerston North (Palmerston North Express)

South: Intra-Island

Christchurch - Invercargill

Christchurch - Dunedin
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