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ComfortDelGro wins tender to operate Auckland train services in first foray into overseas rail market

SINGAPORE — Land transport company ComfortDelGro has won a S$1.13 billion contract to operate rail services in Auckland, New Zealand.

A train station in Auckland, New Zealand.

A train station in Auckland, New Zealand.

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SINGAPORE — Land transport company ComfortDelGro has won a S$1.13 billion contract to operate rail services in Auckland, New Zealand. 

This is the first time that the company, which operates several bus and taxi services in Australia and the United Kingdom, will be entering New Zealand’s land transport market. 

It also marks the company's first foray into an overseas rail market. 

Its subsidiary, SBS Transit, operates two train lines in Singapore — the North East Line and the Downtown Line. 

In a statement on Friday (Aug 28), ComfortDelGro said that Auckland Transport, the organisation responsible for the region’s transport services, awarded the tender to operate its new rail franchise to Auckland One Rail, a joint venture between ComfortDelGro and UGL Rail services, an Australian rail operations and maintenance company. 

The contract was awarded after a 12-month-long tender process, and it will take effect on Jan 16, 2022 for an initial term of eight years, which could be further extended. 

In its statement, ComfortDelGro said that the Auckland rail network is the largest in New Zealand. There are four train lines in the network, which consists of 185km of track, 42 stations, 72 three-car electric multiple-unit trains and eight diesel multiple-unit trains. 

With the expected opening of Auckland’s new City Rail Link in 2024, the network will grow to 44 stations and 95 electric multiple-unit trains, and will likely result in higher ridership. 

The network had an annual ridership of 21 million before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. 

Under the contract, Auckland One Rail will be responsible for passenger train operations across the region’s network. This includes the provision of drivers and other employees, developing time tables, stations operations and maintenance, security, other customer-facing activities and revenue protection. 

From 2025, it will also be responsible for maintaining the carriages. 

ComfortDelGro’s managing director Yang Ban Seng said: “This marks a very significant milestone in our history. It not only represents our first rail operation outside of Singapore but also our maiden entry into New Zealand. 

“We are excited to leverage our experience of operating and maintaining Singapore’s world-class MRT system and are looking forward to delivering connected, safe and reliable customer journeys for Auckland’s travelling public.”

ComfortDelGro is also part of a consortium bidding for a contract to operate a new metro railway line under the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney Airport project.

In June last year, it announced that it had collaborated with two other companies, RATP Dev and Alstom, to jointly bid for rail projects in the greater Paris region in France. 

Related topics

comfortdelgro rail train transport New Zealand Auckland

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