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City Rail Link City Rail Link

The City Rail Link (CRL) is a 3.45km-long tunnel being built underneath Auckland’s city centre. The CRL will connect Waitematā Station (Britomart), Maungawhau Station, new city-centre train stations and other works that will increase the efficiency, reliability and frequency of Auckland’s passenger rail network.

Project Status: Under Construction
Project Zone: Central

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Project summary

The City Rail Link is being delivered by City Rail Link Ltd (CRLL), a crown entity owned by the New Zealand Government and Auckland Council.

This 3.45km underground rail link will unlock our public transport network and transform how we travel around our city. When the CRL opens, Aucklanders will have new, world-class stations and a modern rail service that will benefit the entire transport network for decades to come.

With the opening of the CRL, Waitematā Station (Britomart) will become a 2-way through station, almost doubling the number of trains that can come into the city and allowing the network to carry up to 24,000 passengers per hour at peak times.

Two new stations are also being built. One, underneath Albert Street with entrances on both Wellesley and Victoria Streets, will be called Te Waihorotiu Station. The other is just off Karangahape Road, with entrances on Mercury Lane and Beresford Square. It will be known as Karanga-a-Hape Station. 

The CRL will connect to the Western Line at a redeveloped Maungawhau Station (formerly known as Mount Eden Station) – less than 10 minutes’ train ride from downtown Auckland – opening up the entire rail network.

CRLL is due to complete construction of the CRL and hand it over to AT in late 2025. Staff training and systems and equipment testing will be completed before passenger services begin. Services will be operated in conjunction with KiwiRail and Auckland Transport’s contracted rail operator, Auckland One Rail. 

Changes to platform numbering at Waitematā Station (Britomart)

Some platform closures are coming to Waitematā Station (Britomart) to allow for current construction in preparation for the future rail network.

Temporary work is under way to connect the station to the tunnels. In the longer term, platform renumbering is needed to redevelop Waitematā Station (Britomart) to accommodate the expected increase in train services and passengers when the City Rail Link begins operating.

The changes are:

  • Platform 1: closed between 22 and 27 July 2024. Platform 1 will reopen on 28 July.
  • Platform 4: closed between 29 July and 5 August. Platform 4 will reopen on 5 August.

Service changes during this time:

  • Western Line services will run at a reduced 20-minute frequency between Waitematā Station (Britomart) and Swanson. An additional service will run between Swanson and Newmarket at a 20-minute frequency. This will create a 10-minute frequency between Swanson and Newmarket.
  • Eastern and Southern Line services will run at their normal frequency but will arrive at and depart from different platforms at Waitematā Station.
  • Onehunga Line services will run as normal between Newmarket and Onehunga.

Customers should check the electronic displays throughout Waitematā Station (Britomart) to find out which platform their train departs from. 

Disruption during construction

Building the City Rail Link in the middle of a built-up city while maintaining existing rail services as much as possible is no small task and not without its impacts.

We continue to work closely with CRLL to reduce disruptions and keep Aucklanders moving.

Maungawhau Station closure

Mount Eden Station, now called Maungawhau Station, will be redeveloped into a modern new station building. Maungawhau Station closed in July 2020 and will remain closed until the CRL project is complete. 

Western Line train services will not stop at the station during this time. Find out more about travel alternatives during the closure, including the free 64 bus service.

Moving around the city centre

Building the City Rail Link in the city centre has been challenging. If you visit the city centre, you will know that construction has changed the way vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists move around. 

In the coming months, above-ground construction of Te Waihorotiu Station and Karanga-a-Hape Station will near completion, but both the Wellesley Street Bus Improvements project (WSBI) and Karanga-a-Hape Station Precinct Integration project (KSPI) will start. These projects focus on the areas outside the entrances to the 2 new CRL stations. Traffic management will be in place. These projects will be completed before the CRL opens.

AT is responsible for keeping the city moving. Throughout CRL construction and the work to complete the WSBI and KSPI projects, there may be changes to how you get around, including how you drive in the city centre or where you catch your bus.

To find out about projects that may affect your normal journey and how to navigate the changes, go to Get around Auckland's city centre.