Auckland’s midtown makeover: Albert Street reopens with new look Auckland’s midtown makeover: Albert Street reopens with new look
Date: 25 November 2025
Frequent buses are set to roll back onto one of Auckland city centre’s key transport routes, just in time for the busy Christmas shopping season.
With City Rail Link (CRL) construction and streetscape upgrades nearing completion, Albert Street will reopen as a new purpose-built traffic corridor from Saturday 29 November, restoring two-way access between Customs St West and Mayoral Drive.
Having just completed road line marking including fresh green paint for dedicated bus lanes, a group of CRL workers were the first “passengers” on a trial drive along Albert St this morning.
The return of buses to Albert Street means a more direct route in and out of the city centre. Mainly western and northwestern services will switch, including the Western Express (WX1). The change means fewer buses on Queen St which will make it a more friendly place to shop and socialise and help with plans to improve air quality in the area.
More than 200,000 cubic metres of rock and dirt was removed from Albert Street to build the new underground Te Waihorotiu Station and the twin tunnels lying beneath.
With station construction now largely complete, Albert St has been revamped with a new road surface including a bus and general vehicle lane in each direction, wider footpaths, new seating, and native trees. Seven large skylights – within the median strip of the road – draw natural daylight into the underground train station directly below.
“Getting Auckland moving is one of my key policies. Opening Albert Street for buses is a step towards the opening of the much-awaited City Rail Link, and another step to open up our city centre. We are starting to see real progress and it’s good that after many years of putting up with a ridiculous number of cones on city streets, we might start to see fewer cones and more people,” says Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.
“While the CRL is being built, Council has also taken the opportunity to make other improvements in midtown, including upgrading infrastructure and public spaces. There are new private developments underway with further investment on the horizon. All this work will make it more attractive to come into the city.”
There'll be about 900 bus movements on Albert St each weekday – at peak this means a bus service every few minutes. Some of those buses will be double-deckers, capable of carrying up to 100 people, and many will be electric.
“Better links between buses and trains is a key part of our plan for a well-connected public transport network ahead of the CRL opening next year,” says Auckland Transport Director of Public Transport and Active Modes, Stacey van der Putten.
“Albert St will be at the heart of that. Te Waihorotiu is expected to become the busiest train station in Aotearoa, bringing people from across Auckland to a hub of jobs, entertainment, hospitality and culture – and to a seamless connection with frequent buses,” says Ms van der Putten.
Eight bus routes will use Albert Street, including the Western Express (WX1), frequent services 11T, 11W, and 18, as well as the 105, 106, 195 and 209. These routes will also use Vincent St and Pitt St, which have recently been upgraded by Auckland Transport.
Some construction will still be visible as work continues on projects including the Wellesley St improvements project, remaining CRL streetscape works, and further traffic optimisation projects. In the station, the focus is now on testing and commissioning.
“Albert St is just one piece of the puzzle, but every little step along this massive journey is an important one and I hope people can see we are on the verge of something great,” says Patrick Brockie, CEO of City Rail Link Ltd.
“We know some businesses in this area have done it tough, and we want to acknowledge them. Keeping roads and footpaths open during construction was a priority for us, as we set our sights on delivering something which will really help Auckland grow and prosper,” says Mr Brockie.
There’s plenty to travel for with a summer programme of events kicking off this weekend, starting with the Others Way music festival and the Santa Parade. Into December, Auckland Live venues in the Aotea Arts Quarter have an exciting programme of summer events lined up for Aucklanders and visitors alike to enjoy.
To check if your bus journey has changed, check the AT Mobile app or visit [at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/journey-planner]AT’s Journey Planner webpage.