Auckland Opens 2 New Train Stations for Growing Communities

Thousands of South Auckland residents will soon trade motorway gridlock for train rides, as two brand new railway stations open their doors next month.

Drury and Paerātā stations will welcome their first passengers on August 2, marking the return of train service to Drury for the first time in over half a century. Auckland Transport and KiwiRail announced the opening date on Thursday, bringing relief to communities that have watched their populations boom while transport options stayed stuck in the past.

The Southern Line stations will connect riders with central Auckland, Middlemore Hospital, and Auckland Airport through a transfer at Puhinui. Trains will run from early morning until late evening, seven days a week.

Each station comes equipped with 350 park-and-ride spaces, designed to expand as more families move to the area. Two new bus routes launching the same day will shuttle passengers from Paerata Rise, Ramarama, Drury, Waiuku, Glenbrook, and Pukekohe to the stations. Anyone who transfers between bus and train within 30 minutes won't pay an extra fare for the bus leg.

Franklin ward councillor Andy Baker, a Drury resident who already commutes by train, knows exactly what this means for his neighbors. "These new stations are going to make such a big difference for people living in South Auckland and Franklin and save them countless hours stuck on the Southern Motorway," he said.

The Ripple Effect goes beyond daily commutes. Auckland Transport chief executive Stacey van der Putten pointed out that the stations arrive at the perfect moment, as more Aucklanders search for affordable housing outside the city center. The new stations give families real transport choices, making suburban life more practical without sacrificing access to city opportunities.

The investment reflects years of upgrades to South Auckland's public transport, including electrifying the Southern Line all the way to Pukekohe. When the City Rail Link opens, these stations will see trains every 10 minutes during rush hour on the new South-City Line.

A third station called Ngākōroa is already under construction in Drury and should open in 2027. Curious residents can check out the new facilities at public information sessions on August 1, the day before the big opening.

After 50 years of waiting, South Auckland is finally getting the connections it needs to grow.