Manawatū is a nationally strategic freight location, with domestic and export goods moving to and from the city from the rest of country and overseas.

With freight volumes expected to increase significantly in the coming decades it is crucial that we have an integrated transport network to support this growth, and rail is an important part of this picture.

KiwiRail is progressing plans for a staged. high-tech, intermodal freight hub in Te Utanganui which will further enhance Manawatū's role as a critical freight distribution hub for central New Zealand.

The addition of the Regional Freight Hub will further enhance Te Utanganui's multi-modal capabilities and streamline road, rail, and air freight from Te Utanganui to ensure goods flow efficiently between the central North Island, the rest of New Zealand, and the world. 

This will reduce transportation costs, improve resiliency of the national distribution and logistics network, attract businesses, and create job opportunities for the central North Island.