Easter & Anzac Day Weekend 2025
Planning on taking public transport around the region over Easter and Anzac Day weekend? So do we.
Below is a summary of what will be happening on the network over this period to help you plan ahead.
Rail Overview
Over the Easter weekend and Anzac Day, buses will replace trains, and some bus replaced services will run at reduced frequencies on the three business days (Tuesday 22, Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 April) between the long weekends, as KiwiRail makes improvements to the rail network.
As there are only three business days between Easter Monday and Anzac Day, as well as the school holidays, KiwiRail is taking this opportunity to extend closures and undertake continued infrastructure upgrade work across all railway lines. Funded by the government, these projects aim to create a more sustainable and reliable network. Work includes track replacements and signal upgrades, which builds on recent achievements like completing the Wellington Station re-signalling project and replacing 8.8km of track inside the Remutaka Tunnel.
On Easter weekend and Anzac Day
(Friday 18 - Monday 21 April) and (Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April)
All rail lines will be closed on Easter weekend (Friday 18 - Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April), with buses replacing trains, except for the Melling line that does not operate on weekends and public holidays. For these holiday weekend schedules please refer to their relevant buses replacing trains timetables.
Johnsonville line closures start on 13 April 2025, please refer to the Johnsonville timetable for more information
On business days between the holiday weekends
(Tuesday 22 April - Thursday 24 April)
For the three business days between these two long weekends, most services will be operating on a different timetable. Buses will replace trains on most lines and at certain times, except for the Kāpiti line train services that will be running most of the day, with buses replacing trains from 8:30pm only.
Click on the links below for more information.
Hutt and Melling line - More information »»
Wairarapa line - More information »»
Kāpiti line - More information »»
Johnsonville line - More information »
- All railway line services will resume on regular timetables on Monday, 28 April 2025.
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All rail customers using the bus replacing trains service should tag on and off on the bus, except for the Wairarapa line customers who need to tag on and off at the platform.
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Greytown customers need to validate in the Greytown town centre. Location of validator will be in Greytown town centre, exact location to be confirmed.
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All bus replacements will arrive and depart at Platform 10 at Wellington Railway Station
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During this time, please expect heavy delays on the State Highway 2 and arterial roads in the Hutt Valley due to urgent sewer maintenance work by Wellington Water at the Melling Bridge Intersection, refer to the website(external link) for more information. Delays to bus replacements due to these works may mean bus/train connections do not always line up.
Be sure to plan ahead and check your timetable before you travel. Want to find out more about our rail network improvements, visit - Projects Timeline » Metlink(external link)
Hutt Valley line
The Hutt Valley line will be closed over Easter weekend (Friday April 18 – Monday April 21) and Anzac weekend (Friday, April 25 – Sunday, April 27), with buses replacing trains.
Melling line
The Melling line will be closed Easter weekend (Friday April 18 – Monday April 21) and Anzac weekend (Friday April 25 – Sunday April 27) with no buses replacing trains.
On the three business days between the two long weekends the Hutt Valley line and Wairarapa line will remain closed between Upper Hutt and Ava stations.
Melling line
Melling line will be open on these three business days only, and will operate on a more frequent timetable with trains (four carriages) running every 20 minutes from Melling to Wellington and back from 5:30am to 11:05pm.
Hutt Valley line bus replacement services will connect passengers to rail services departing from Petone and Melling.
Hutt Valley line
For passengers using stops between Upper Hutt and Manor Park (Upper Hutt, Wallaceville, Trentham, Heretaunga, Silverstream and Manor Park):
Travel to Wellington |
Travel from Wellington |
| A bus replacement will pick you up from the bus replacement stop at your station and travel to Melling, where you will be able to catch a Melling line train to Wellington station. There will be extra bus capacity during peak times. | Passengers travelling to Manor Park – Upper Hutt can catch a Melling line train to Melling. At Melling, bus replacement services will take you to your usual train station. There will be extra bus capacity during peak times. |
For passengers using stops between Petone and Pomare (Pomare, Taita, Wingate, Naenae, Epuni, Waterloo, Woburn and Ava):
Travel to Wellington |
Travel from Wellington |
| A bus replacement will pick you up from the bus replacement stop at your usual station and travel to Petone, where you will be able to catch a train to Wellington station. There will be extra bus capacity during peak times. | Passengers travelling between Ava – Pomare can catch a Melling line train from Wellington to Petone. At Petone, bus replacement services will take passengers to their usual train station. There will be extra bus capacity during peak times. |
Passengers travelling between Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt
Passengers travelling to or from Upper Hutt and stops between Pomare and Ava can use the 110 bus. Please refer to the 110 bus timetable for times and stop details.
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During this time, please expect heavy delays on the State Highway 2 and arterial roads in the Hutt Valley due to urgent sewer maintenance work by Wellington Water at the Melling Bridge Intersection, refer to their website(external link) for more information.
- Normal fares apply on all non-public holiday days.
The updated Melling and Hutt Valley line train timetable and buses replacing trains PDF timetable reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025.
KiwiRail has major works planned as follows:
- Track relay between Manor Park and Silverstream
- 1481 Switch-lock replacement at Woburn
- Platform surface renewals at Taita & Pomare
To learn more about these important ongoing rail network upgrades, visit our Projects Timeline » Metlink
Easter holiday (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April - Sunday 27 April)
The Wairarapa line will be closed over the Easter holiday (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April – Sunday 27 April), with buses replacing trains.
Business days between holiday weekends (Tuesday 22 April - Thursday 24 April)
The weekend rail timetable will apply, with part of the trip bus replaced, as follows:
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6:47am Masterton Wellington morning service - there will be a train from Masterton to Upper Hutt and bus replacement from Upper Hutt to Wellington
- 5:30pm Wellington to Masterton return service - this service will be a bus replacement from Wellington to Upper Hutt, then train from Upper Hutt to Masterton
- If you are heading to the Hutt Hospital in Lower Hutt from Wairarapa, you can take the train to Upper Hutt and then take the Metlink bus route 110 to reach the hospital.
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The Wairarapa line bus replacement service is an express service that only operates between Upper Hutt and Wellington. An express WRL replacement bus service will be provided between Upper Hutt and Wellington. WRL passengers travelling between Petone, Waterloo and Upper Hutt can take an alternative WRL train replacement servicing these stops.
- Route 200 and 204 buses will run a special Weekend Plus timetable from April 22 to 24. See the timetable for details
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Standard fares apply on all non-public holiday days.
- All bus replacements will arrive and depart at Platform 10 at Wellington Railway Station.
- During this time, please expect heavy delays on the State Highway 2 and arterial roads in the Hutt Valley due to urgent sewer maintenance work by Wellington Water at the Melling Bridge Intersection, refer to their website(external link) for more information.
The updated Wairarapa line train timetable and Buses replacing trains PDF timetable reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025.
KiwiRail has major works planned as follows:
- Level crossing upgrades on the Wairarapa line.
To learn more about these important ongoing rail network upgrades, visit our Projects Timeline » Metlink(external link)
Easter weekend (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April – Sunday 27 April)
Kāpiti line will be closed over the Easter holiday (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April ) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April – Sunday 27 April), with buses replacing trains.
Business days between holiday weekends (Tuesday 22 April - Thursday 24 April)
Kāpiti line train services will be running on the standard timetable for most of the day, with buses replacing trains from 8:30pm only.
- Standard fares apply on all non-public holiday days
- All bus replacements will arrive and depart at Platform 10 at Wellington Railway Station.
The updated Kapiti line train timetable and Buses replacing trains PDF timetable reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025.
KiwiRail major works planned as follows:
- Slope stability work: Pukerua Bay
- Bridge maintenance; tunnel works: Wellington
- Platform surface renewal: Paremata
- Rail maintenance and upgrades
To learn more about these important ongoing rail network upgrades, visit our Projects Timeline » Metlink(external link)
Easter weekend (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April – Sunday 27 April)
Johnsonville line will be closed over the Easter holiday (Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April) and Anzac Day (Friday 25 April – Sunday 27 April), with buses replacing trains.
The week prior to Easter weekend (Sunday 13 April - Thursday 17 April) & business days between holiday weekends (Tuesday 22 - Thursday 24 April)
Buses will replace trains, operating on a reduced weekend timetable with no after midnight services.
Route 1 bus
Passengers travelling between Johnsonville and Wellington can also use the route 1 bus. Please refer to the route 1 bus timetable for times and stop details.
- Standard fares apply on all non-public holiday days
- All bus replacements will arrive and depart at Platform 10 at Wellington Railway Station.
The updated Johnsonville line train timetable and Buses replacing trains PDF timetable reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025.
KiwiRail has major works planned as follows:
- Turnout replacement - Khandallah 3A/B & WLG Station 88pts
- Rerail: Wadestown-Crofton Downs), Box Hill - Khandallah and Raroa - Johnsonville
- Rail de-stress
To learn more about these important ongoing rail network upgrades, visit our Projects Timeline » Metlink(external link)
Bus and Ferry
- On Easter weekend and Anzac Day (Friday 18 - Monday 21 April) and (Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April), reduced weekend timetables apply
- After midnight services do not run on Good Friday night
- After midnight services will run on the evening of Anzac Day (early Saturday morning)
The updated bus timetables reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025. Refer to the bus timetable for more information.
- On Easter weekend and Anzac Day (Friday 18 - Monday 21 April) and (Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April), weekend timetables apply
The updated bus timetables reflecting these changes will be available from 27 March 2025. Refer to the bus timetable for more information.