Heather Duplessy-Allen

Now, I've got an update for you on your favourite train, Te Huia.

Waikato regional councillors have voted to lift fares by 25%.

So a one-way ticket from Hamilton to Auckland is now going to, it's going up from $24 to $32.50.

And the reason apparently is that there's more demand so they can charge more.

Warren Ma is the Waikato Regional Council Chair with us.

Morning, Warren.

Morning, Heather.

So is the patronage really up 52%?

52%, that's an interesting figure.

So you know you can massage percentages.

It is up, if you look at it clearly, 52%.

But just remembering back in March and April of 2025, there were a lot of track closures and things like that.

So to be fair, it's not a very clear picture around that 52%.

So are you telling me that the people who've done the numbers went to the low point when all the tracks were closed, picked that number, and then went to today's number and went, oh, that's 52%, yeah?

That's where the figures came from, yes.

So what is the increase actually then?

Okay, so it is an increase in petroglyph numbers, but look, it's not why we put the fares up.

Basically, we put the fares up.

Obviously, fuel's gone up.

It has been a low-subsidised service in the past.