List of tunnels in New Zealand explained

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

For Wastewater usage

For military usage

For air raid shelters

For transportation

Rail tunnels

See also: Rail transport in New Zealand.

Longest bored tunnelsFrom longest to shortest.
  1. Kaimai – 8879 m – opened 12 September 1978 – near Apata on the East Coast Main Trunk railway line to Tauranga, the longest rail tunnel in New Zealand.
  2. Rimutaka – 8798 m – opened 3 November 1955 – between Upper Hutt (Wellington) and Featherston (Wairarapa), replaced the Rimutaka Incline, a Fell mountain railway, the longest tunnel in New Zealand that carries regular passenger trains.
  3. Otira – 8566 m – opened 1923 – between Arthur's Pass and Otira, in the Southern Alps on the transalpine Midland line – continuous 1 in 33 grade – electrified until 1997.
  4. Tawa No 2 – 4324 m – opened 1935, goods on one line, 1937 all traffic – longest double-track tunnel in New Zealand. Between Ngauranga (Wellington) and Glenside (Tawa). With the Tawa No 1 Tunnel (1238 m), part of the Tawa Flat deviation.
  5. Tikiwhata – 2989 m – opened 1943, between Wairoa and Gisborne.
  6. Lyttelton – 2596 m – opened 9 December 1867,[1] between Heathcote Valley (Christchurch) and Lyttelton.
  7. Turakina – 2091 m – opened 1947, between Marton and Whanganui.
Shortest bored tunnels
  1. A 39.83 m long tunnel – opened 1906, between Staircase and Avoca, Midland Line.
  2. A 42.05 m long tunnel – opened 1891, near Woodville, in the Manawatū Gorge – was daylighted in 2008.
Other rail tunnels
Disused rail tunnels, North Island
Disused rail tunnels, South Island

Road tunnels

On State Highways
On other roads

In rural Taranaki, all single lane:

There are 3 other tunnels on tracks in the Taranaki area; Aukopae (closed), Graylings cattle tunnel, Waikawau beach tunnel.[9]

In Wellington:

Proposed or planned

Road

Rail

Mixed Use

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Lyttelton Tunnel. Christchurch City Council. 2006-08-08.
  2. New Zealand Railway & Tramway Atlas fourth Ed
  3. http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_70/rsnz_70_03_004000.html Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Vol 70
  4. Web site: Clutha Country. 2009-04-18. 2015-08-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20090418155232/http://www.cluthacountry.co.nz/Visit/must.html. 2009-04-18 . dead.
  5. Web site: Rilkoff . Matthew . 2021-05-20 . Historic Awakino gorge SH3 tunnel days away from closing . 2023-02-27 . Stuff . en.
  6. Web site: Awakino Tunnel Bypass . NZ Transport Agency . 18 February 2020.
  7. Web site: Victoria Park Tunnel . 31 October 2011 . 1 November 2011.
  8. Web site: Google Maps . 2023-02-27 . Google Maps . en.
  9. Web site: All Results in Taranaki Tunnels topics - Taranaki Tunnels - Kete New Plymouth. ketenewplymouth.peoplesnetworknz.info. 2016-05-16.
  10. News: $2 billion Kaimai tunnel proposed. 28 November 2011. Bay of Plenty Times. 16 September 2010.