Save Our Trains Campaign says Taumarunui is the first town to be added back to the national long-distance passenger rail network in decades.

Save Our Trains spokesperson Paul Callister says the people of Taumarunui have been strong advocates for rail and it's paid off with a scheduled stop for the Northern Explorer starting next month.

Mr Callister says “this is a win for people (both locals and visitors) and the planet.”

He says while the new initiative by KiwiRail is aimed at tourists with a number of tour packages on offer, it also will benefit local travellers simply wanting to get from A to B.

Mr Callister says a Save Our Trains campaign goal is to make sure that rail is a convenient, low emission and cost effective transport option for all New Zealanders throughout the regions.

“We are moving slowly in the right direction, and what is needed now is a commitment from the Government and KiwiRail to get the cost of fares down and have this train running at least one day a week to make this a reality.”

Previously the Northern Explorer would only stop at Taumarunui if 10 or more passengers were going to join or leave the train.

The reopening of Taumarunui for scheduled stops is a great symbolic step, as the station has an iconic heritage as a popular stopover point for trains heading north and south throughout the twentieth century.

It was immortalized in “Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line”, the well-known folk song by Peter Cape.

Mr Callister says other towns along long-distance passenger rail routes should be added and at prices the widest range of people can afford.

“New services should be added, such as a night sleeper train service between Auckland and Wellington, and other routes reintroduced including services to Tauranga, Napier and Dunedin.”

The Save Our Trains campaign was started in late January by concerned members of the public focused on maintaining and developing passenger rail services.

© Scoop Media