May 4, 2026
Mainland Rail will bring its event express train to Ashburton later this year for the two-day A&P Show — despite the absence of a railway station.
Mainland Rail Limited is a Christchurch-based private rail company set up by Pounamu Tourism Group in 2023 to develop passenger rail services in the South Island.
The company owns and manages passenger train carriages, making its maiden journey from Christchurch to Invercargill in January.
It’s now rolling out an events express service that can transport passengers into central Christchurch for major concerts and sports games at the new stadium or other venues from towns such as Rangiora, Rolleston, and now potentially Ashburton.
Mainland has its inaugural Crusaders' Express service this weekend, taking passengers from Rolleston into Christchurch, stopping near the new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha on Saturday.
It can also carry passengers the other way, from Christchurch to events outside the city.
Mainland Rail also ran a Crusaders’ supporters train to Timaru in January for the Super Rugby pre-season match against the Highlanders and to the North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival in Waipara in February, collecting passengers from Addington and Rangiora.
Now it’s bound for Ashburton.
Managing director Ian Ladd said Mainland Rail is planning to bring its Event Express train to Ashburton, starting with the Ashburton A&P Show on October 30 and 31.
“We’ll confirm timing once operational arrangements are finalised,” Ladd said.
“We are currently working with KiwiRail to access the main platform in Ashburton, which is our preferred option for loading and unloading passengers.”
The Ashburton railway station was demolished in 2013, posing an issue of where the pickup and drop off area could be based.
Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan has been in contact with Mainland Rail about bringing the event trains to Ashburton and is aware of the discussions to utilise KiwiRail’s platform.
“A platform would be good, but it’s not essential,” McMillan said.
If the KiwiRail platform, the concrete platform of the former train station, option doesn’t pan out, it can be solved with Mainland’s mobile platform, she said.
For the Wine and Food Festival in Waipara, the makeshift platform was used to unload and pick up passengers in short walking distance to the Glenmark Domain.
In Ashburton there is a place opposite the cemetery that would provide a short walk to the showground’s gates.
Getting access to the platform would open up other opportunities for the train to come to or through Ashburton, she said.
“I know they plan to bring a train down for the A and P Show and maybe Glow in the Park could be another option.”
Ladd said that Mainland is open to opportunities to extend the service further south, “where it is operationally and commercially viable”.
“Beyond the Ashburton Show, we are continually exploring additional Event Express opportunities, similar to what we’ve done with services like the Crusaders Express.”
The service is also intended to be used as a starting point for a trial for the potential future of a commuter rail in Selwyn.
The Malvern Community Board is looking at getting on board and run a special event express train, most likely from Darfield into Christchurch, in the next few months.
“Discussions are ongoing with a range of stakeholders, including with the Malvern Community Board,” Ladd said.
“At this stage, no specific date or event has been locked in.”
By Jonathan Leask
Mainland Rail will bring its event express train to Ashburton later this year for the two-day A&P Show — despite the absence of a railway station.
Mainland Rail Limited is a Christchurch-based private rail company set up by Pounamu Tourism Group in 2023 to develop passenger rail services in the South Island.
The company owns and manages passenger train carriages, making its maiden journey from Christchurch to Invercargill in January.
It’s now rolling out an events express service that can transport passengers into central Christchurch for major concerts and sports games at the new stadium or other venues from towns such as Rangiora, Rolleston, and now potentially Ashburton.
Mainland has its inaugural Crusaders' Express service this weekend, taking passengers from Rolleston into Christchurch, stopping near the new One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha on Saturday.
It can also carry passengers the other way, from Christchurch to events outside the city.
Mainland Rail also ran a Crusaders’ supporters train to Timaru in January for the Super Rugby pre-season match against the Highlanders and to the North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival in Waipara in February, collecting passengers from Addington and Rangiora.
Now it’s bound for Ashburton.
Managing director Ian Ladd said Mainland Rail is planning to bring its Event Express train to Ashburton, starting with the Ashburton A&P Show on October 30 and 31.
“We’ll confirm timing once operational arrangements are finalised,” Ladd said.
“We are currently working with KiwiRail to access the main platform in Ashburton, which is our preferred option for loading and unloading passengers.”
The Ashburton railway station was demolished in 2013, posing an issue of where the pickup and drop off area could be based.
Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan has been in contact with Mainland Rail about bringing the event trains to Ashburton and is aware of the discussions to utilise KiwiRail’s platform.
“A platform would be good, but it’s not essential,” McMillan said.
If the KiwiRail platform, the concrete platform of the former train station, option doesn’t pan out, it can be solved with Mainland’s mobile platform, she said.
For the Wine and Food Festival in Waipara, the makeshift platform was used to unload and pick up passengers in short walking distance to the Glenmark Domain.
In Ashburton there is a place opposite the cemetery that would provide a short walk to the showground’s gates.
Getting access to the platform would open up other opportunities for the train to come to or through Ashburton, she said.
“I know they plan to bring a train down for the A and P Show and maybe Glow in the Park could be another option.”
Ladd said that Mainland is open to opportunities to extend the service further south, “where it is operationally and commercially viable”.
“Beyond the Ashburton Show, we are continually exploring additional Event Express opportunities, similar to what we’ve done with services like the Crusaders Express.”
The service is also intended to be used as a starting point for a trial for the potential future of a commuter rail in Selwyn.
The Malvern Community Board is looking at getting on board and run a special event express train, most likely from Darfield into Christchurch, in the next few months.
“Discussions are ongoing with a range of stakeholders, including with the Malvern Community Board,” Ladd said.
“At this stage, no specific date or event has been locked in.”
By Jonathan Leask
