Nostra:Trans-Tasman link

Trans-Tasman Link General Information Type Oceanic Completion Date 27 June 2026 Builder(s) Yam_666 wediaklup XperimentalOdin VIInOni Patroller(s) Ministry of Infrastructure (km 0,000—8,151) Opal Iceways (km 8,152–9,473) Total Distance 9473 m Stations 2 Geographical Information Nation(s) New Zealand Australia Continent Oceania Technical Information Level y ∈ {−62; 7} Width Route Information

Trans-Tasman Link is an international linking New Zealand and Australia together. The iceway was finished on 27 June 2026, seventeen days after its announcement. Operations on the iceway prove somewhat peculiar because the iceway systems of Australia and New Zealand are not strictly compatible; the former operates like a métro system — focusing on minecarts — whereas the latter identifies more like a freeway system — focusing in boating, though allowing carting on hybrid iceways. Therefore, while there is continuous minecart support, the line is only boatable from the route origin at Whitewater West Junction, New Zealand, until the maintainer boundary at kilometre 8,151.

Route

Kiwi poster advertising the line.

The route begins at Whitewater West Junction, North Island, New Zealand, where it connects to the North–South Main and Napier lines. Thence, it runs westbound via a southward chicane, reaching the town of New Plymouth, New Zealand, after 410 metres. Immediately west of New Plymouth, an elevator brings the line down from y-level 7 to the oceanic level −62, whereafter it continues due west for around 8 kilometres. From kilometre 8,151 onward, where a small service station has been constructed, the iceway is maintained by Australia. 127 metres west of the boundary, the line makes a 45° turn to the right and continues diagonally to the northeast until kilometre 9. There, it makes another 45° right turn to the north, reaching South Coast, Australia, where it connects to other Australian iceway lines.

⬇ Whitewater West to South Coast ⬇
Town	km	Station	Connection
Townless	0,000	⟨1⟩ Whitewater West Junction	NZML, NL
Townless	0,411	New Plymouth International (Plm)
Townless	0,423	Elevator — ⬆+7⬆ • ⬇−62⬇
Townless	8,151	Border Checkpoint
		Maintainer Boundary — ⬆NMOI⬆ • ⬇Opal Iceways⬇
South Coast	9,473	South Coast	T1, T4, T5
⬆ South Coast to Whitewater West ⬆

Construction

Issue No. 3 of the Official Gazette of the New Zealand Ministry of Infrastructure announcing the construction of the line.

The two mining crews from New Zealand and Australia, respectively, made their breakthrough at kilometre 7,662 on 27 June 2026.