Mayor Wayne Brown and Transport Minister Chris Bishop have officially announced the City Rail Link will open on 13 September at Karanga-a-Hape station early today, marking the beginning of a new chapter for public transport in New Zealand’s largest city.
“Aucklanders have been waiting for this announcement for many years and now they’ve got the answer. It will fundamentally change the way Aucklanders travel and is a significant step to a more connected and productive city."
The 3.45-kilometre twin-tunnel railway includes new underground stations at Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau and will increase the capacity, frequency and connectivity of the city's rail services.
When it opens, the CRL will enable the rail network to move up to 19,000 passengers an hour through the city centre and increase peak rail capacity by around 50 per cent. Trains will run every four to five minutes during peak periods in the city centre, providing a level of service more commonly seen in major international cities.
“Now it’s up to council to build that capacity and make it happen. We want people to use the CRL. That’s our next step. That’s why we’re working to ensure we have more people living around the stations,” says Mayor Brown.
It will also unlock the full potential of Auckland's rail network by converting Waitematā Station into a through-station, allowing trains to move more efficiently across the network and improving connections throughout the region.
Mayor Brown said the benefits will be felt across Auckland.
“For Aucklanders, the benefits will be felt every day, and I encourage all Aucklanders to get on board, literally, and make the most of our collective investment."
“Better transport connections will improve access to jobs and schools while helping reduce road congestion.
“I’ve always said I want to deliver better, faster, cheaper for Aucklanders. This is faster and with our $50 a week fare cap, it’s cheaper. Add to that the new stations, trains and seats, it’s better.
“I’m confident the CRL will be popular as it cuts travel time for Aucklanders, especially people moving in and out of the city centre.
Commuters from New Lynn to midtown will see their journeys cut from 48 minutes on the bus currently, to 24 minutes on the new East-West line.
“You’ll be able to get from Karangahape Road to see the All Blacks at Eden Park in only 8 minutes and to Go Media Stadium in only 20 minutes to see the Warriors on their journey to the (NRL) Grand Final.”
The CRL is also expected to deliver significant economic benefits, particularly for the city centre.
Businesses that experienced years of disruption during construction are expected to benefit from improved accessibility, increased pedestrian activity and greater customer foot traffic around stations.
Mayor Brown acknowledged the contribution of everyone who helped bring the CRL to life, including former Mayor Len Brown, who championed the project during its early stages, mana whenua, construction teams, engineers, Auckland Transport, the Link Alliance and many others involved in delivering the project.
"It’s no secret I have strong feelings about the cost of the CRL but there’s no doubt it’s a game-changing investment that will help get Auckland moving and support our growth for decades to come."