WELLINGTON, July 3 (Xinhua) -- A derailment on Tuesday night in Wellington has left 20,000 commuters affected on Wednesday morning.

The Wellington transport operator said that a freight train derailed on Tuesday night, damaging the rail track. As a result, most Wellington train services are cancelled on Wednesday, with the Johnsonville line trains the only exception.

Due to the rail failure, train services in and out of Wellington on the Hutt, Kāpiti, Melling and Wairarapa lines have been cancelled until further notice. Around 20,000 commuters in Wellington have been forced to find another way to work or stay home.

Rail operator Metlink said it hoped to have rail services restored by Wednesday afternoon before the afternoon peak hour.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Chairman Chris Laidlaw blamed the incident as a failure of local rail system, which saw the infrastructure ageing.

New Zealand Transport Agency has warned motorists to expect significant delays on major highways.