The Manawatū-Whanganui Region is currently served by a sparsely-developed

public transport Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whic ...

system but is beginning to see some new developments.

Overview

Public transport in the region is primarily provided by bus services that are managed by the regional council (which operates under the name

Horizons Regional Council Horizons Regional Council or Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council () is the regional council of the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's lower North Island. The council has 14 elected members, including a chair. The council was establishe ...

Passenger rail A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line, as opposed to a freight train that carries goods. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) push-pull train, ...

is limited, but the region is served by some services. The

Capital Connection The Capital Connection is a long-distance commuter train operated by KiwiRail between Palmerston North and the capital city of Wellington on the North Island Main Trunk. In 2018, the service faced funding issues, but the Government ensured th ...

links the city of

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...

, as well as the towns of Shannon and Levin, to the

Wellington Region Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori language, Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is the southernmost regions of New Zealand, region of the North Island of New Zealand. The local government region covers an area of , and ...

. The train runs daily as a single morning commuter service into Wellington, before operating a return service in the afternoon. Additionally, the

Northern Explorer The ''Northern Explorer'' is a long-distance passenger train operated by the Great Journeys New Zealand division of KiwiRail between Auckland and Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand, along the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT). Three se ...

stops in Palmerston North and

Taumarunui Taumarunui is a small town in the King Country of the central North Island of New Zealand. It is on an alluvial plain set within rugged terrain on the upper reaches of the Whanganui River, 65 km south of Te Kūiti and 55 km west of T� ...

six-times-a-week (three in each direction) while travelling between

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

and Wellington. Taumarunui had previously been removed as a regular scheduled stop in 2012, but was reintroduced in 2022 after extensive lobbying from locals. The region is unique in

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

for having an

elevator An elevator (American English) or lift (Commonwealth English) is a machine that vertically transports people or freight between levels. They are typically powered by electric motors that drive traction cables and counterweight systems suc ...

as a public transport mode. The Durie Hill Elevator, in the city of

Whanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is ...

, provides access between the city centre and the suburb of Durie Hill and has been operating since 1919.

Buses

As the region consists of two cities as well as numerous towns and rural areas, bus services operate as part of three distinct networks that interconnect. An urban network serves Palmerston North (as well as Fielding) while another separate urban network serves Whanganui. A network of regional bus services connect the two cities to each other as well as the wider region.

Palmerston North

The Palmerston North bus network consists of 12 lines, which converge in the city centre. Most lines are paired with another, and run in opposite directions along the same route. The neighbouring village of Ashhurst is connected to Palmerston North's urban bus services, as is the city's airport and

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

. Palmerston North's bus fleet became the country's first all-electric-vehicle fleet in 2024. The Palmerston North bus lines were refreshed in 2024. Ridership in August 2024 was at 99,156, an increase of over 20,000 compared to August 2023, and an increase of over 41,000 compared to August 2022.

Whanganui

The Whanganui urban bus network consists of ten routes which converge on the city centre where multiple routes run parallel along a common corridor. For the last few decades, the city has had a bus network focused on coverage with a large number of low-frequency bus routes aimed at providing service coverage to most areas. As a result, most routes are infrequent and only operate every two hours. However, in 2023, the city saw the introduction of a high-frequency bus route focused on patronage and moving large passenger numbers. The route, named Te Ngaru The Tide, runs on 20-minute frequencies between

Castlecliff Castlecliff is a suburb of Whanganui, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. The name was given by the Harbour Board, on the suggestion of the future Prime Minister, John Ballance, when it est ...

and

Aramoho Aramoho is a settlement on the Whanganui River, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is an outlying suburb of Whanganui. History The settlement was established on the river in the 1860 ...

via the city centre bus corridor. In its first month of operation, the city saw an 86 percent increase in urban public transport trips when compared to the same month in the previous year.

Regional

Some of the region's smaller towns and villages are inter-connected with 6 bus lines. Feilding is also served by its own "Orbiter" service.

Railway

KiwiRail_passenger_train_map_north_island

The surveying of many of the region’s settlements -and particularly those away from the coast- coincided with the development of the

North Island Main Trunk The North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) is the main railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city Wellington with the country's largest city, Auckland. The line is long, built to the New Zealand rail gauge of and ser ...

line during the late 19th century. This resulted in many settlements being served by passenger rail. Declines in passenger railway investments during the 20th century now means that only Palmerston North, Levin and Shannon are served by regular passenger train services. The

connects these stations to the Kapiti Coast and Wellington, while the

also serves Palmerston North.

Proposed Railway Services

It is proposed that the Capital Connection’s services be expanded as to enable trains to run multiple times per day.

Other Modes

A tram system was proposed for Palmerston North in 1912 but was not implemented due to the First World War. Buses were ultimately chosen over trams and started services in 1921. A rapid transit monorail system was proposed for Palmerston North in 1972. The service would have had three stops: Massey University at one end, the Square at the other end, and the Lido Aquatic Centre in the middle. The project was not implemented.

References

{{Public transport in New Zealand Public transport in New Zealand