Just one traveller on train
A sole passenger was on board as the returning Capital Connection reached the end of the line.
The Wellington-to-palmerston North commuter train resumed on Wednesday as New Zealand moved to Covid-19 alert level three. Under level three, most people are still not allowed to travel between regions, but there are exceptions.
People can travel to attend a funeral, receive medical treatment, connect with international travel, for shared custody arrangements, for work or to return home after being locked down in the wrong part of the country.
The Capital Connection runs daily, leaving Palmerston North in the morning and coming back in the evening, and a handful of passengers returned once the service started again.
Carriages have been set up to comply with coronavirus regulations so fewer passengers can be taken to meet physical distancing requirements.
Seats have been taped off to prevent people sitting next to each other. The cafe is closed, which will be reviewed at alert level two.
Palmerston North man Keegan Mitchell was the only non staff member to depart when Stuff was at the end of the line on Thursday night.
Mitchell, who didn’t want to reveal his job, normally commutes to Porirua for work. He said a couple of people got off at taki and Levin, but he was the only one when he arrived in Palmerston North.
‘‘There was about three or four [others],’’ he said. ‘‘It was really weird because there was not a lot of people to talk to, so it was quite an experience to be honest.’’
He said there were usually about 100 people on the train in Palmerston North.
He passes the time on the commute reading, working or catching up on news. He had been working from home during the lockdown.
Kiwirail told Stuff earlier this week the Capital Connection would be free, but people were only allowed to travel if they have a valid reason.
Kiwirail chief operating officer Todd Moyle said all passengers were expected to maintain physical distancing and fill out contact tracing forms.
‘‘This information will help protect the health of staff and passengers during the pandemic, and would be used if necessary to support Ministry of Health efforts to¯ocurb the transmission of Covid-19.’’
He said the services Kiwirail was offering was a first step in returning to normal operation.