Media Statement On Interislander And Capital Connection

Attribute to Group Chief Executive Greg Miller

Following the Government’s decision to extend the deadline for travel, KiwiRail will continue to carry all passengers on our Interislander ferries until midnight on Friday, 27 March. Following that time, only essential service workers and freight will be carried on our ferries, to help ensure crucial functions and security of supply throughout the country.

Passengers are being treated as a priority over freight on sailings of the Kaiarahi and the Kaitaki. Tomorrow’s (Wednesday) 2.30am sailing of the Kaitaki has been changed from a freight-only sailing, and will now carry up to 500 passengers. However we will need to continue to apply social distancing principles in our terminals and on our ferries.

We appreciate the need for people to get home before entering self-isolation, and the extra two days’ sailing will allow us the capacity to move an additional 3000 people to their destination in each direction. Details will be available on the Interislander website in the morning.

In addition, the Capital Connection passenger service between Palmerston North and Wellington will run tomorrow (Wednesday), but will then be suspended.

We are continuing to monitor the fast-evolving situation closely. These are unprecedented times for our business and for our country. Our crews are doing all they can - working around the clock in challenging conditions - to play our part for New Zealand. We thank our customers and the public for their patience during this period of uncertainty.

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