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railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

and

waterway A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation will be of varying importance depending on the nuance of the equivalent word in other languages. A first distinction is necessary b ...

tunnel A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...

s, including

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

intakes and

tailrace A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of flowing or falling water into useful forms of power, often in a watermill. A water wheel consists of a wheel (usually constructed from wood or metal), with a number of blades or buckets ...

s and

gun battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to faci ...

tunnels. It includes artificial chambers but excludes New Zealand caves and New Zealand mines.

For hydroelectric usage

Manapouri Power Station Manapōuri Power Station is an underground hydroelectric power station on the western arm of Lake Manapouri in Fiordland National Park, in the South Island of New Zealand. At 854 MW installed capacity (although limited to 800 MW due to ...

- Machine hall 111 m long, 18 m wide, 34 m high, and road access tunnel 2040 m long, 6.7 m wide and high, with a semi-circular arch roof. * Manapouri Tailrace - 2 tunnels - original tailrace tunnel 9817 m long, 9.2 m diameter horseshoe section, commenced 1964, breakthrough 1968 drill-and-blast construction, 16 deaths. Second tailrace tunnel 9829 m long, 10.05 m diameter, circular section, commenced 1997, breakthrough 2001, commissioned April 2002,

tunnel boring machine A tunnel boring machine (TBM), also known as a "mole", is a machine used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They may also be used for microtunneling. They can be designed to bore throu ...

construction, 0 deaths. *

Tongariro Power Scheme The Tongariro Power Scheme is a 360 MW hydroelectricity scheme in the central North Island of New Zealand. The scheme is currently operated by electricity generation company Genesis Energy. The scheme takes water from tributaries of the Rangit ...

. The scheme includes numerous canals and ten tunnels, the longest of which – the Moawhango-Tongariro Tunnel – is the country's longest.

For military usage

* North Head tunnels,

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

Whangaparaoa Navy Camp The Whangaparaoa Peninsula is a suburban area about 25 km north of Auckland, New Zealand. It had 30,672 residents in 2013, many of them in the eponymous town of Whangaparaoa on its southern side. It is part of the Hibiscus Coast. ...

, two sets of tunnels, Auckland *

Stony Batter Stony Batter is a historic defence installation at the north-eastern end of Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand. It is sited within a 50-acre (200,000 m2) scenic reserve of the same name, owned by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC ...

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island (; Māori: ) is the second-largest island (after Great Barrier Island) in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. Its ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay at the western end is from the central-city terminal in Auckland. It is the most pop ...

, Auckland * Wrights Hill Fortress,

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

Cracroft Caverns Cracroft Caverns, also known as the Cashmere Caverns, are a series of large chambers in the hill of the Cashmere suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. Constructed secretly during the Second World War in response to the Japanese threat, they were i ...

- Chamber,

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

Godley Head Awaroa / Godley Head (), called Cachalot Head by early French explorers, is a prominent headland in Christchurch, New Zealand, located at the entrance to Lyttelton Harbour / Whakaraupō. The headland is named for John Robert Godley. Etymology ...

, Christchurch * Cashin Quay - Extensive network in midway hillside, Lyttelton *

Taiaroa Head Taiaroa Head is a headland at the end of the Otago Peninsula in New Zealand, overlooking the mouth of the Otago Harbour. It lies within the city limits of Dunedin. The nearest settlement, Otakou, lies three kilometres to the south. The cape is h ...

and

Harington Point The settlement of Harington Point (often incorrectly spelt ''Harrington Point'') lies within the boundaries of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located at the Otago Heads, at the northeastern end of Otago Peninsula, close to the entrance ...

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

For air raid shelters

Albert Park tunnels The Albert Park tunnels are found largely beneath Albert Park, in central Auckland, New Zealand. The tunnels were constructed as air raid shelters during the Second World War. At the conclusion of the war they were sealed to prevent vandalism ...

, Auckland - built to shelter civilians in the event of an air raid

For transportation

Rail tunnels

;Longest bored tunnels From longest to shortest. # Kaimai - 8879 m - opened 12 September 1978 - near Apata on the

East Coast Main Trunk The East Coast Main Trunk (ECMT) is a railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, originally running between Hamilton and Taneatua via Tauranga, connecting the Waikato with the Bay of Plenty. The ECMT now runs between Hamilton and Kawerau ...

railway line to

Tauranga Tauranga () is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty region and the fifth most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of , or roughly 3% of the national population. It was settled by Māori late in the 13th century, colonised by ...

, the longest rail tunnel in New Zealand. #

Rimutaka The Remutaka Range (spelled Rimutaka Range before 2017) is the southernmost range of a mountain chain in the lower North Island of New Zealand. The chain continues north into the Tararua, then Ruahine Ranges, running parallel with the east co ...

- 8798 m - opened 3 November 1955 - between

Upper Hutt Upper Hutt ( mi, Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta) is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropolitan area. Geography The Upper Hutt city cent ...

(Wellington) and

Featherston Featherston is a surname of English origin, at least as old as the 12th century. The link with "Featherstone" is probably not traceable, but people researching both spellings (and others such as "de Fetherestanhalgh") contribute to the collection o ...

(

Wairarapa The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service ...

), replaced the

Rimutaka Incline The Rimutaka Incline was a , gauge railway line on an average grade of 1-in-15 using the Fell system between Summit and Cross Creek stations on the Wairarapa side of the original Wairarapa Line in the Wairarapa district of New Zealand. The t ...

, a

Fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or Moorland, moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle o ...

mountain railway A mountain railway is a railway that operates in a mountainous region. It may operate through the mountains by following mountain valleys and tunneling beneath mountain passes, or it may climb a mountain to provide transport to and from the sum ...

, the longest tunnel in New Zealand that carries regular passenger trains. #

Otira Otira is a small township fifteen kilometres north of Arthur's Pass in the central South Island of New Zealand. It is on the northern approach to the pass, a saddle between the Otira and Bealey Rivers high in the Southern Alps. A possible meani ...

- 8566 m - opened 1923 - between

Arthur's Pass Arthur's Pass, previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats, and for some time officially Arthurs Pass, is a township in the Southern Alps of the South Island of New Zealand, located in the Selwyn district. It is a popular base for explorin ...

and Otira, in the

Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Southern ...

on the transalpine Midland line - continuous 1 in 33 grade - electrified until 1997. #Tawa No 2 – 4324 m - opened 1935, goods on one line, 1937 all traffic - longest double-track tunnel in New Zealand. Between

Ngauranga Ngauranga is a suburb of New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, in the lower North Island. Situated on the western bank of Wellington Harbour, it lies to the north of the centre of the city. The name comes from the Maori-language ''ngā ūra ...

(

) and Glenside ( Tawa). With the Tawa No 1 Tunnel (1238 m), part of the Tawa Flat deviation. #Tikiwhata - 2989 m - opened 1943, between

Wairoa Wairoa is a town and territorial authority district in New Zealand's North Island. The town is the northernmost in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of ...

and Gisborne. # Lyttelton - 2596 m - opened 9 December 1867, between

Heathcote Valley Heathcote Valley is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is named after Sir William Heathcote, who was secretary of the Canterbury Association. Location Nestled at the foot of the steep volcanic crags that form the northern edge of the hil ...

(

) and Lyttelton. # Turakina - 2091 m - opened 1947, between Marton and

Whanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled 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. Whangan ...

. ;Shortest bored tunnels #A 39.83 m long tunnel - opened 1906, between Staircase and Avoca, Midland Line. #A 42.05 m long tunnel - opened 1891, near Woodville, in the Manawatu Gorge. - was daylighted in 2008 Tranzrail bumblebee

;Other rail tunnels *

Purewa Tunnel Purewa Tunnel is a rail tunnel in Auckland, New Zealand. It is on the North Island Main Trunk line and is located in the suburb of Saint Johns, to the west of Glen Innes. The tunnel is concrete-lined. Eastern Line passenger services operat ...

, an 800m tunnel on the Eastern Line in Auckland ;Disused rail tunnels, North Island *On the

Wairarapa Line The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand. The line runs for , connects the capital city Wellington with the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line at Woodville, via Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt ...

before the opening of the

Rimutaka Tunnel The Remutaka Tunnel (spelled Rimutaka Tunnel before 2017) is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Remutaka Range, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line. The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November ...

in 1955: **Cruickshanks - opened 1 January 1878, between Mangaroa and

. **Mangaroa - 152 m - opened 1 January 1878, at Tunnel Gully recreation area,

Te Mārua Te Mārua (previously also known as Te Marua) is the easternmost urban suburb of Upper Hutt. For reasons of location and distance from the city, the area is often classified as rural. Te Mārua is well known for its Plateau Reserve where remna ...

. Now a walkway. **Summit - 584 m, and three shorter tunnels (Pakuratahi, Siberia, Prices) :opened 12 October 1878 on the

. On the

Rimutaka Rail Trail The Remutaka Rail Trail (spelled ''Rimutaka Rail Trail'' prior to 2017) is a walking and cycling track in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs between Maymorn and Cross Creek, and follows of the original route of the Wairarapa Line over t ...

. *Okaihau - on the never-opened extension of the

Okaihau Branch The Okaihau Branch, sometimes known as the Kaikohe Branch and rarely the Rangiahua Branch, was a branch line railway that joined the North Auckland Line of the national rail network of New Zealand at Otiria. It was the most northerly line in ...

Rangiahua Rangiahua is a small locality near the Hokianga, Hokianga Harbour in the Northland Region of New Zealand. New Zealand State Highway 1, State Highway 1 passes through it. Umawera is to the west, and Okaihau to the east. Rangiahua is part of the Om ...

, unused but can be walked through - easily spotted from SH1 passing Okaihau township. This tunnel is part of the Opua to Horeke Cycleway *

Parnell Tunnel The Parnell Tunnel is a railway tunnel under Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. It is long, and is on the Newmarket Line. The tunnel allows the Western, Southern and Onehunga lines coming from the Newmarket Train Station to Britomart Transport ...

- single track, on the

Newmarket Line The Newmarket Line is a railway line in Auckland, New Zealand, that runs between Quay Park Junction, near Britomart Transport Centre, and Newmarket Train Station. It is 2.64 km long. It connects the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT), whic ...

, adjacent to the current double-track tunnel. Closed, with no public access. *Karangahake - 1100 m, in the

Karangahake Gorge The Karangahake Gorge lies between the Coromandel and Kaimai ranges, at the southern end of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand's North Island. A sharply winding canyon, it was formed by the Ohinemuri River. State Highway 2 passes throug ...

, on the former East Coast Main Trunk, closed in 1978. Now a combined walkway and cycle path (part of the

Hauraki Rail Trail The Hauraki Rail Trail is one of the Great Rides of the New Zealand Cycle Trail system, using parts of the abandoned ECMT and Thames Branch railways in the Hauraki Gulf plains and the Coromandel Peninsula. The trail officially starts from Ka ...

). *No.8 tunnel bypassed in 1985 by the Mangaonoho Deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. (The first seven tunnel numbers are from the ohnsonville Branch the former NIMT line.) *No.19 tunnel daylighted in 1972, on the section of line bypassed in 1985 by the Mangaonoho Deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. * No.9 tunnel opened out (day-lighted) at the west end of the Makohine Viaduct in 1984, on the North Island Main Trunk. *No.10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F tunnels bypassed in 1981 by the Mangaweka Deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. All are on private land. *No.11 tunnel south of Taihape bypassed in 1985 by a deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. *No.12 (Hedgehog) tunnel north of Taihape bypassed in 1985 by a deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. Adjacent to State Highway 1. Tunnel no longer exists after a realignment of SH1. *No.15 tunnel bypassed in 1987 by the Ohakune-Horopito deviation of the North Island Main Trunk. Accessible from one end only. (A total of 12 tunnels have been removed from the NIMT from Mangaonoho to Ohakune. The total length of these removed tunnels is 2,612 metres.) * Porootarao - 1071 m, replaced by new tunnel on deviation in 1980. *Four tunnels on the closed

Moutohora Branch The Moutohora Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's national rail network in Poverty Bay in the North Island of New Zealand. The branch ran for 78 km approximately North-West from Gisborne into the rugged a ...

, lengths (Nos 1 to 4); 185m, 258m, 45m, 90m. One tunnel is accessible on a public walkway, the others can be viewed from public roads. *Historically one or more tunnels may have been built on the closed

Ngatapa Branch The Ngatapa Branch was a secondary branch line railway long that for a short time formed part of the Rail transport in New Zealand, national rail network in Poverty Bay in the North Island of New Zealand. The Ngatapa branch diverged from the M ...

but no trace exists today. *No 24 tunnel on the

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

- Gisborne line - 123 m long (collapsed). *No 12 tunnel - 27m, on the Wellington & Manawatu Railway (now

Kapiti Kapiti or Kāpiti may refer to: *Kapiti Island, an island a short distance off the New Zealand coast north of Wellington *Kapiti Coast District, the local government district which includes much of the Kapiti Coast *Kapiti Coast Airport, an airport ...

section of NIMT) between

Paekākāriki Paekākāriki () is a town in the Kapiti Coast District in the south-western North Island, New Zealand, and one of the northernmost suburbs of Wellington. It lies north of Porirua and northeast of the Wellington CBD. The town's name comes from ...

and

Paraparaumu Paraparaumu () is a town in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It lies on the Kapiti Coast, north of the nation's capital city, Wellington. Like other towns in the area, it has a partner settlement at the coast called Paraparaumu Bea ...

- abandoned in 1900. *No. 3, 4 and 5 tunnels on the Palmerston North Gisborne line were daylighted in 2007. *No.4 ( Kai Iwi) tunnel on the Marton New Plymouth Line was bypassed in 2008. ;Disused rail tunnels, South Island *Hunts Road - former

Catlins River Branch The Catlins River Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealand's Rail transport in New Zealand, national rail network. It ran through the Catlins region in southwestern Otago and was built in sections between 1879 and 1915. ...

, 221 m long. Public walkway access. This was the southernmost tunnel in New Zealand. * Glenham Branch, 301 m long. Possible public access. The second most southerly tunnel. *Spooners Range Tunnel - 1352 m long, on the closed

Nelson Section The Nelson Section was an isolated government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand's South Island. While part of the New Zealand Government Railways, the section was never connected to the nation ...

. Accessible by public walkway, this is the longest disused rail tunnel in New Zealand. *Kawatiri Tunnel - 185 m long, also on the closed

. Accessible by public walkway. *No 4 Tunnel - south of Oaro township on the Main North Line. Access on foot south of township via a railway bridge. *Chasm Creek - former Seddonville Branch. Accessible by public walkway. *Charming Creek - former private coal railway. Accessible by public walkway. *Former coal tramways at Stockton and Denniston. Public access. *

Cape Foulwind Cape Foulwind is a headland on the West Coast, New Zealand, West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is located west of the town of Westport, New Zealand, Westport. There is a lighthouse located on a promin ...

- former quarry line. Public access but tunnel has largely collapsed. *Rewanui Incline - two short tunnels now used by access road. *Puketeraki - 157 m long. Line deviated around in a cutting. Partly collapsed and ends have been fenced over. Abandoned about 1936 * Roseneath,

- 101 m long, line deviated through new tunnel. Status unknown. Appears to have been filled in at entrances. * Caversham
Tunnel History
Dunedin - 865 m long, line deviated through new double-track tunnel. Public access to both ends but it is quite muddy. The access down the steps between intersections with Ensor Street and Townleys Road has been fenced off, but easy to get under, on the opposite side of the road to the Caversham entrance of the current tunnel. The old tunnel has been suggested as a possible cycle route linking central Dunedin with its western suburbs. *Chain Hills (Wingatui) - 462 m long, line deviated through new double-track tunne
Tunnel Images
Tunnel gated shut both ends and on private land. *Three tunnels on the

Otago Central Rail Trail The Otago Central Rail Trail is a 150-kilometre walking, cycling and horse riding track in the South Island of New Zealand. A pioneering project for New Zealand, the successful rail trail joined the New Zealand Cycle Trail umbrella organisation i ...

(former

Otago Central Railway The Otago Central Railway (OCR) or in later years Otago Central Branch Railway, now often referred to as the Taieri Gorge Railway, was a secondary railway line in Central Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. Construction Construction of ...

), ranging in length from 152 to 229 m. All have public access. *Three tunnels on the former

Roxburgh Branch The Roxburgh Branch was a branch line railway built in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island that formed part of the country's national rail network. Originally known as the Lawrence Branch, it was one of the longest construction pr ...

ranging from 226 to 443 m. Tunnel No 1 is in public reserve, appears to be no access to others. *Rakis and Tapui Tunnels on the former Tokarahi Branch. Can be seen from roads, on private land. *Conical Hill - 71 m long, on the former

Tapanui Branch The Tapanui Branch was a railway line located near the border of the regions of Southland, New Zealand, Southland and Otago, New Zealand. Although the name suggests that it terminated in Tapanui, its furthest terminus was actually in Edievale. ...

. Public access through walkway. *Tunnel Hill Historic Reserve - between Balclutha to Owaka, 200 m long, public access through walkway. *No.22 Tunnel on the Main North Line. Daylighted in 1981. *No.23 Tunnel on the Main North Line. Daylighted in 1979.

Road tunnels

;On State Highways * Arras Tunnel – on SH 1 underneath the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Te Aro, Wellington, three lanes northbound. Opened 29 September 2014. The tunnel is named after the town of

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

in France, under which the New Zealand Tunnelling Company dug tunnels during the First World War. *Awakino Gorge Tunnel – on SH 3 between

New Plymouth New Plymouth ( mi, Ngāmotu) is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, Devon from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. ...

and Te Kuiti. Single lane. This tunnel will be bypassed by two bridges across a corner of the Awakino River, on the other side of the river to the tunnel. *

Homer Tunnel The Homer Tunnel is a 1.2 km (0.75 miles) long road tunnel in the Fiordland region of the South Island of New Zealand, opened in 1953. New Zealand State Highway 94 passes through the tunnel, linking Milford Sound to Te Anau and Queenstown ...

– on SH 94 between

Hollyford Valley Hollyford Valley is a valley in Fiordland, New Zealand, in the southwest of the South Island. It is named for the Hollyford River, which runs north-north-west along its length from the Southern Alps to the Tasman Sea. Beech forest dominates both t ...

and

Milford Sound Milford Sound / Piopiotahi is a fiord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top tra ...

Fiordland Fiordland is a geographical region of New Zealand in the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the westernmost third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes, ...

, 1200 m long. Completed 1953, opened 1954, Mean altitude 945 m. Unlined rock. *Johnstone's Hill Tunnels – twin tunnels on SH 1

Auckland Northern Motorway The Auckland Northern Motorway (known locally as the Northern Motorway, and historically as the Auckland–Waiwera Motorway) in the Auckland Region of New Zealand links Central Auckland and Puhoi in the former Rodney District via the Hibisc ...

extension (Toll) near Puhoi, 340 m long. Opened 25 January 2009. *

Lyttelton road tunnel The Lyttelton road tunnel runs through the Port Hills to connect the New Zealand city of Christchurch and its seaport, Lyttelton, New Zealand, Lyttelton. It opened in 1964 and carries just over 10,000 vehicles per day as part of New Zealan ...

– on SH 74 under the Port Hills between Lyttelton and the

in Christchurch, 1900 m long. Opened 1964. * Moki Tunnel – on SH 43 between

Whangamōmona Whangamōmona is a small township in the Stratford District and Manawatū-Whanganui Region in New Zealand. It lies on State Highway 43, the "Forgotten World Highway", north-east of Stratford and south-west of Ohura. By rail it is from Stratfo ...

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 Kuiti and 55 km west of ...

, approx 200 m long. Single lane, uses wooden shoring. * Mount Messenger Tunnel – on SH 3 between

and Te Kuiti. This section of State Highway 3 will be bypassed by about 5 km of new highway alignment that will include a short tunnel, east of the present tunnel. NZTA 2017 *

Mount Victoria Tunnel The Mount Victoria Tunnel in the New Zealand capital city of Wellington is 623 metres (slightly more than a third of a mile) long and 5 metres (16.4 ft) in height, connecting Hataitai to the centre of Wellington and the suburb of Mount Vic ...

– on SH 1 under

Mount Victoria, Wellington Mount Victoria is a prominent hill high immediately to the east of central Wellington, New Zealand. About 4 kilometres due south is a spur named Mount Albert and the two are linked by a ridge. Mount Victoria's residential area is on its north-we ...

, 623 m long, opened 1931. *Paratitahi Tunnels – twin tunnels on SH 1, 11 km south of Kaikoura. *Raramai Tunnels – twin tunnels on SH 1, 14 km south of Kaikoura. *

Terrace Motorway Tunnel The Terrace Tunnel takes the Wellington Urban Motorway (SH1) under The Terrace in central Wellington, New Zealand. Opened in 1978, it is 460 metres in length. Coordinates * North portal: * South portal: Design The tunnel has three traffic ...

– on SH 1 under The Terrace, Wellington, 460 m long. Opened 1978, three lanes (two northbound, one southbound), *

Victoria Park Tunnel The Victoria Park Tunnel is a motorway tunnel completed in 2012 on New Zealand State Highway 1 in Auckland, New Zealand, taking northbound traffic off the Victoria Park Viaduct, which was converted to all southbound traffic. It lies mostly under ...

– on SH 1 in central Auckland, 440m long, 3 lanes of northbound traffic (none southbound). Opened 14 November 2011. The positioning of the tunnel allows a southbound tunnel to be built in the future (project yet to receive construction funding). *

Waterview Tunnel The Waterview Tunnel is a twin road tunnel in central Auckland, New Zealand. At long, it is New Zealand's longest road tunnel. The tunnel, with three lanes of road vehicle traffic in each direction, connects State Highway 20 in the south at Mo ...

- on SH20 from Mt Roskill to Point Chevalier in central Auckland. At 2,400m it is the longest road tunnel in New Zealand. It opened on 2 July 2017 as part of the

Waterview Connection The Waterview Connection is a motorway section through west/central Auckland, New Zealand. It connects State Highway 20 in the south at Mt Roskill to State Highway 16 in the west at Point Chevalier, and is a part of the Western Ring Route. T ...

, carrying three lanes of northbound and southbound traffic as part of Auckland's

Western Ring Route The Western Ring Route is a motorway system being constructed in Auckland, New Zealand. It currently runs along (from south to north) the entire Southwestern Motorway (State Highway 20), most of the Northwestern Motorway (part of SH 16), the ...

. ;On other roads *Okaihau, a short tunnel north of Okaihau constructed for the

railway, which is now part of the Opua to Horeke Cycleway. In rural

Taranaki Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth Dist ...

, all single lane: *Huinga Tunnel, near the village of the same name, provides access to an isolated valley. *Kiwi Road Tunnels: the eastern one on Kiwi Road, the western on Moki Road, near Uruti Road. *Makahu Tunnel on Brewer Road, providing access to the small village of

Makahu Makahu is a settlement in inland Taranaki, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the southeast of Strathmore. the Makahu Stream runs south through the area to join with the Mangaehu Stream, which flows into the Patea Rive ...

(white hawk). *Matau Tunnel on Mangaoapa Road, connecting Matau and Douglas via Kiore. *Moki Stock Tunnel, hidden away in the bush to the east of the Kiwi Tunnels. *Okau Tunnel, approximately 100 m long, on the Tongaporutu- Ohura road 4 km from SH 3, which is unusual in that it abuts directly to a bridge. * Tangahoe Tunnel in South Taranaki - was re-opened in 1997. *Tarata Tunnel on Otaraoa Road, about 30 m long, built as the hill above was unstable. *Te Horo Stock Tunnel, near the Whitecliffs Walkway *Uruti Tunnel on Uruti Road, connecting the Pehu Valley with SH 3. It is both the longest (at about 200 m) and least stable tunnel in Taranaki. It took seven years to construct and opened in 1923. Signs at each end recommend not walking through it and stopping is prohibited. It looks like a mine shaft with its inverted V shaped top, has a wooden ceiling, and reinforcing planks along its walls. *Whangamōmona Road Tunnels, two short tunnels, 4WD only *Fraser Smith Road Tunnel. Short tunnel on gravel road near Awakino. Not to be confused with the Awakino Tunnel on State Highway 3. Provides access to nearby farms. There are 3 other tunnels on tracks in the Taranaki area; Aukopae (closed), Graylings cattle tunnel, Waikawau beach tunnel. In Wellington: *

Hataitai Hataitai is an inner-city suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, 3.5 kilometres southeast of the city centre. The suburb extends over the southeastern flank of Mount Victoria and down a valley between the Town Belt and a ridge alon ...

bus tunnel - 388 m long, single lane - under Mount Victoria; opened 1907 as a

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

tunnel. *

Karori Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, 4 km from the city centre and is one of New Zealand's most populous suburbs, with a population of in History Origins The name ''Karori'' used ...

Tunnel - 74 m long - between Kelburn and

; opened 1900. *

Moa Point Moa Point is a small suburb in Wellington, New Zealand, situated on the south coast between Lyall Bay to the west and Tarakena Bay to the east. As of 2015 there were 21 households in the suburb. Toponymy The suburb got its name in 1926 when th ...

Tunnel - under the safety zone at the south end of Wellington International Airport's runway. * Northland Tunnel - 90 m long - between Northland and Karori, opened 1927. *

Seatoun Seatoun, an eastern suburb of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, lies on the east coast of the Miramar Peninsula, close to the entrance to Wellington Harbour (Port Nicholson), some seven kilometres southeast of the CBD. The suburb sit ...

tunnel - 144 m long - between Strathmore and Seatoun, opened 1907.

Proposed or planned

Road

*Kaimai road tunnel - A tunnel through the Kaimai Range in order to provide a better roading connection between the

Waikato Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...

and

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty ( mi, Te Moana-a-Toi) is a region of New Zealand, situated around a bight of the same name in the northern coast of the North Island. The bight stretches 260 km from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runawa ...

regions has been proposed. One option for this tunnel includes building it near the existing Kaimai Rail Tunnel. *

Wainuiomata Tunnel The Wainuiomata Tunnel was planned to improve access to the Wainuiomata Valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island as part of a scheme to commence residential development there in the 1930s. Construction started in 1932 but ...

, part of a proposed road link between the Hutt Valley, north of Wellington, and Wainuiomata. Eventually completed as a utility tunnel.

Rail

* Auckland CBD rail link, Auckland. This is a 3.5 km rail tunnel under construction beneath the

Auckland CBD The Auckland Central Business District (CBD), or Auckland city centre, is the geographical and economic heart of the Auckland metropolitan area. It is the area in which Auckland was established in 1840, by William Hobson. It is New Zealand's lea ...

between Britomart and

Mt Eden Mount Eden is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand whose name honours George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland. It is south of the Central Business District (CBD). Mt Eden Road winds its way around the side of Mount Eden Domain and continues to weave ba ...

. Construction began in 2016.

Mixed Use

* Second Harbour Crossing in Auckland, likely to be a tunnel option that could incorporate the

. While historically a road tunnel was seen as a priority, the present plans are likely to prioritise rail first due to capacity issues of the Northern Busway.

References

{{Reflist

Sources

New Zealand Railway Tunnels at http://trains.wellington.net.nz
*''Exploring New Zealand's Ghost Railways'', David Leitch and Brian Scott, Grantham House Publishing, Wellington (1995). *''New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas'', Quail Map Co, UK (various editions)
''Tunnels'' in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Tunnels A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube constr ...

Tunnels in New Zealand This is a link page for railway, road and waterway tunnels, including hydroelectric intakes and tailraces and gun battery tunnels. It includes artificial chambers but excludes New Zealand caves and New Zealand mines. For hydroelectric usage ...