At most airports, only planes use the runway. But in New Zealand’s Gisborne Airport, things are different. Here, both planes and trains share the same runway. It’s one of the only airports in the world where a railway track runs right through the middle of the runway. This surprises many people and makes the airport a very interesting place to visit.

Gisborne is a small city on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Its airport covers a large area and is cut in half by the Palmerston North-Gisborne railway line. The airport and the train line both work between 6:30 am and 8:30 pm. Because they share the space, planes and trains have to take turns. If a train is coming, the plane has to wait, and if a plane is landing or taking off, the train must stop.

To manage this safely, airport staff control the railway signals. They stop the trains when a flight needs to land or take off. The railway line connects Gisborne to a nearby town called Muriwai. This setup needs careful planning every day to avoid delays. There used to be another airport like this in Tasmania, Australia, but its railway stopped working in 2005. Now, Gisborne is the only airport in the world where trains still cross a working runway.

Even though it’s a small airport, Gisborne handles over 60 domestic flights a week and serves around 1.5 lakh passengers every year. It also has three extra runways, besides the main one. Along with this rare runway-sharing feature, the airport is also a starting point to explore the area’s beautiful beaches and green landscapes. But what makes it special is the amazing sight of a train and a plane waiting for each other, something that often goes viral online and amazes aviation fans everywhere.