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Double bonus for City Rail Link’s “amazing achievement” 

26 June 2025

Shifting the bar higher for New Zealand’s infrastructure industry has delivered a double bonus for Auckland’s game-changing City Rail Link (CRL).

The project has received two top-tier leading ratings  from the Australian-based Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC):

1. An As-Built leading rating specifically for the design and construction of its main C3 tunnels and stations contract delivered by Link Alliance covering the work to build the Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau Stations, including its use of a tunnel boring machine between Maungawhau and Te Waihorotiu.
       

2. An As-Built leading rating for the overall CRL project covering the design and construction of C1, C2 and C3 contracts - CRL’s entire 3.45 kilometres route of tunnels and stations.

The CRL is now the first project to be awarded ISC’s Leading IS (Mahi Rauora Aratohu version 1) As Built programme rating overall. The entire CRL project—from Waitematā to Maungawhau - is now officially recognised as meeting the highest sustainability standards ever awarded in New Zealand.

ISC Chief Executive, Toby Kent, praised the CRL team’s “amazing achievement” and its commitment to the practice of sustainability.

AWARD NIGHT: From left  Toby Kent, Chief Executive of Infrastructure Sustainability Council,  Doug Boddy, Link Alliance Environmental and Sustainability Manager, Edith Tuhimata from CRL’s Mana Whenua Forum, and Patrick Brockie, Chief Executive, City Rail Link Ltd.

“The ISC is proud to see New Zealand's biggest transport infrastructure project adopt sustainability into the DNA of its operations. This has been an amazing achievement and demonstrates the overwhelmingly positive social, economic and environmental good that is possible to achieve through an IS Rating," Mr Kent says. 

CRL Ltd Chief Executive, Patrick Brockie, says the Council’s independent assessment is a powerful endorsement of the values and hard mahi adopted and demonstrated by the project, contractors and subcontractors from day one.

“Success for CRL Ltd and our Link Alliance delivery partner is testament to the passion, commitment, and tenacity of the many talented people who have delivered a project that is not just good for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, but good for the sector, shifting the needle on how we integrate sustainability, environment, social outcomes and culture into large scale infrastructure  projects,” says Mr Brockie.

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council praised the commitment by CRL Ltd, Link Alliance and mana whenua to  imbed  Māori cultural values in the project’s design, and deliver positive social outcomes for Māori, Pasifika and rangatahi (youth) by creating employment and training opportunities and supporting Māori and Pasifika businesses with supply chain opportunities.

“Te Ao Māori has environmental sustainability at its very core,” says Edith Tuhimata from the project’s Mana Whenua Forum, “and we have an inherent responsibility to future generations for the way we conduct our businesses and the impacts that has on the environment and the people, if we take care of the Taiao (environment), the Taiao will take care of us. Mana Whenua bring a holistic approach to the CRL project to ensure whakapapa links are acknowledged and the best practical environmental, sustainable, social and cultural outcomes are achieved.”

Alongside positive social outcomes, the ISC was impressed by CRL’s protection of the environment:   substantially reducing the project’s carbon footprint; savings around the use of construction and operational energy; more efficient use of water and materials; a dramatic reduction in waste earmarked for landfill; use of high-tech computer technology to help produce more efficient design and construction methodology. 

Link Alliance Project Director Jean-Philippe Guillemenot says: “We’re proud of the environmental, social, cultural and economic outcomes achieved. The innovations developed by the team has left a legacy, many sustainability firsts for New Zealand, and new benchmarks for future infrastructure projects.”

Mr Brockie added that once operational in 2026, CRL will give Aucklanders more sustainable transport choices.

“We are determined to leave Auckland a better place than when we started construction and our success with the two Infrastructure Sustainability Council leading ratings certainly demonstrates that we are on the right track,” Mr Brockie says.  

The contracts included in the ISC leading ratings are:

• C1  - Waitematā Station (Britomart)/Lower Queen Street and Commercial Bay: designers Aurecon, Mott MacDonald and Jasmax; delivered by Downer and Soletanche Bachy Joint Venture

• C2 – northern end of Albert Street between Customs Street/Commercial Bay and Wyndham Streets: designers Aurecon, Mott MacDonald, Grimshaw, Jasmax, Arup; delivered by Connectus (McConnell Dowell and Downer Joint Venture)

• C3 - Main Tunnel, Stations, Western Line Connection and Rail Systems, delivered by Link Alliance (Vinci Construction Grands Projets, Downer, Soletanche Bachy, WSP, AECOM, Tonkin+Taylor and CRL Ltd)

Iwi represented on CRL’s Mana Whenua Forum:   Te Ākitai Waiohua, Te Kawerau a Maki, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua

Matariki Weekend rail closure – getting one step closer to CRL

One Client release

13 June 2025

Major rail upgrades to bring more frequent and reliable services mean no trains will be running from Friday 20 June to Monday 23 June 2025, as essential upgrade works are carried out across the city’s rail lines over the extended Matariki long weekend.

 This closure across the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Onehunga Lines is needed so that KiwiRail, City Rail Link Limited and AT can continue vital network upgrade works ahead of the City Rail Link opening in 2026.

 No trains will operate during this period, including on Monday 23 June, a standard weekday. People should also be aware there will be changes to train services during the upcoming winter school holidays.

 To support passengers, AT will operate frequent all-stop rail replacement bus services throughout the rail closure period. For some passengers AT’s regular scheduled bus services will also be a good alternative.

 AT’s Group Manager Rail Services Mark Lambert says closures like this are needed to get the wider Auckland rail network ready for the faster, more frequent train services that will come when the City Rail Link opens.

 “We understand this closure will be disruptive—especially with Monday being a regular workday—but it is a necessary step to ensure the future reliability and efficiency of our rail network,” Mr Lambert says.

 “We’ve timed this work over a long weekend to reduce disruption for our passengers as much as possible, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people moving.”

 The upgrade work includes track renewals, foundation upgrades and drainage improvements as part of KiwiRail’s Rail Network Rebuild programme, the installation of fibre optic cables across the rail network, and maintenance work at train stations that would be too disruptive to undertake when services were running.

 “The work AT and our partners are doing now will help unlock the benefits of the City Rail Link and transform how people move around our city,” Mr Lambert says.

 We know that for many people this is likely to be frustrating. But this is a once-in-a-generation upgrade, so we’re asking Aucklanders to bear with us just a little longer so we can deliver a faster, more reliable, and more frequent rail service for everyone.”

 KiwiRail Chief Metro and Capital Programme Officer David Gordon says: “KiwiRail is progressing works at pace especially on the Southern Line where we still have more to do to improve foundations and drainage to ensure our network is resilient.”

 “Our teams will be working night and day to get as much completed as possible during the four days.”

Extended Matariki weekend rail closure

• The extended rail closure over Matariki weekend extends from Friday 20 June to Monday 23 June.

• Buses will replace trains on all lines, with all-stops rail replacement buses stopping at or near every train station.

• Newmarket and Remuera stations will be fully closed during this period to enable work to progress more quickly on station maintenance projects.

• Information for passengers about the closure and alternative transport options is being shared widely across AT’s customer communication channels and at stations.

• The AT Journey Planner (on the AT Mobile app or AT website) is the easiest way for people to plan their journeys while train services aren’t running.

 Partial rail closure during the winter school holidays

• There will be also changes to train services from 28 June to 13 July during the winter school holidays.

• Parts of the Southern Line will be closed for essential drainage works and reduced frequencies will be in place for the rest of the Southern Line, the Eastern Line, and the Western Line.

• The Onehunga Line will retain its all-day 30-minute service during this period.

• Rail replacement buses, including an express service will serve closed parts of the Southern Line as we do our best to keep passengers moving.

 The City Rail Link will bring Auckland closer together

• City Rail Link will double the number of Aucklanders within a 30-minute train journey to the central city and increase rail capacity by at least 50 per cent on its opening day. 

• It will also significantly cut journey times – for example Henderson to the city centre in just 35 minutes (save 24 minutes). Another example is Maungawhau Station (formerly Mt Eden) to Waitematā (Britomart) in under 10 minutes, which is about half the current time. 

• Trains will run more frequently - every four minutes through the central city, every five minutes from all stations north of Puhinui on the Southern and Eastern Lines, every 8 minutes on the Western Line from Henderson and every 10 from Pukekohe.

Successful CRL train test signals Auckland’s bright future

13 February 2025

A giant, slow step in a journey that will transform travel in New Zealand’s largest city was completed successfully last night when a test train made its first trip through the full length of Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL) tunnels.

The 3.45-kilometre-long inaugural journey ran south from Waitematā Station (Britomart) under central Auckland past the new underground stations at Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape to Maungawhau Station on the Western/North Auckland Line.  

The three-carriage train left Waitematā station on time at 9pm  and took two-and-a-half hours to complete its first journey. The speed was deliberately slow – around five kilometres an hour – allowing technicians to complete their first round of underground checks and balances relating to tunnel clearance, power supply and signalling.   The train successfully completed five trips during the night.   

The successful test run is welcomed by Auckland Council which, along with the Government, funds New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure project. 

“This is momentous for Auckland and the City Rail Link programme, which has had its fair share of challenges,” says Mayor Wayne Brown. “It’s good to see progress being made because Auckland deserves a public transport system that will deliver benefits for Aucklanders and visitors alike.  I’ve always said I was determined to get the project finished and over the line, and we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Getting the green signal to proceed came after exhaustive planning and safety checks that peaked last week when the tunnels’ overhead lines were energised ready to provide the electricity to power trains.

City Rail Link Ltd’s Chief Executive, Patrick Brockie, described the journey as a “colossal milestone” that the project had been working towards since spades first went in the ground at Britomart in 2016.

“City Rail Link Ltd was established to deliver NZ’s biggest infrastructure project – one that will be an absolute gamechanger for Auckland. Last night’s test run is a major step in our transition from a construction site into a railway and we now start a comprehensive testing schedule ahead of people riding the train next year,” says Mr Brockie.

CRL is a new rail connection that turns dead-end Waitematā into a through line station to better  connect the central city and the wider rail network.

KiwiRail says the first end-to-end journey launched a key testing phase to confirm trains can seamlessly transition between CRL and the wider network.

“This is a huge milestone for the CRL project and all our partners. We’ve all worked tirelessly to get to this point and seeing a train make its first journey through the full length of the tunnels is true cause for celebration. Last night’s first end-to-end journey launches the key ‘dynamic’ train testing phase of the CRL project to confirm that trains and the CRL infrastructure can seamlessly integrate with the wider KiwiRail network,” says Bevan Assink, KiwiRail’s Programme Director City Rail Link.

“These tests will accelerate in the coming weeks.  This includes brake testing on what is one of the steepest sections of railway in New Zealand, recovery procedures and the start of hands-on training for drivers. The start of CRL dynamic testing in the tunnels closely follows another key milestone - the successful completion of KiwiRail’s latest stage of its network upgrade programme, where significant progress was made with major network rebuild works over the summer holidays,” says Mr Assink.

Auckland Transport director public transport and active modes Stacey van der Putten says: “When City Rail Link opens in 2026 it will better connect Aucklanders to the people and places they want to visit. For the first time the rail network is joined up for trains at the heart of our public transport system."

“The test train has made the first direct, easier journey that tens of thousands of people will be making every day. But before that happens, we’ve still got a lot of work to do to make sure journeys on Auckland’s new railway are safe, reliable and seamless from day one,” says Ms van der Putten. 

Running trains through the tunnels is but one part of a busy schedule of tests and checks working to ensure Aucklanders can use a world class rail system in 2026.  Work includes testing complex tunnel ventilation systems, tunnel supervision and security, lighting, upgraded communications, and providing hands-on training for Auckland’s metro drivers and station staff – and many more.

“At all times,” Mr Brockie says, “safety is our absolute priority.”

Mr Brockie acknowledged the work of his CRL Ltd team, the project’s main Link Alliance contractors, KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail.  

“Everyone involved in being ready for the first train has the right to be proud – a great achievement that demonstrated the very best in innovation and co-operation to deliver an outstanding outcome for Auckland and its more accessible future,” he says.

First test train journeys through City Rail Link

Hon Chris Bishop, Hon Simeon Brown

A test train has now completed its first trip through the full length of the City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel in Auckland, representing a critical step forward in this game-changing public transport project for our largest city, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown say.

“Started under the previous National Government, CRL will double Auckland’s rail capacity and reduce congestion when it opens in 2026, enabling Aucklanders to get to where they want to go quickly and safely meaning a more productive Auckland. There is still a lot more work to do, but it’s great to see measurable progress being made on site as we countdown to the CRL opening next year,” Mr Bishop says.

“The CRL tunnel’s overhead lines were energised last week, enabling power to be provided to trains in the tunnel. The first test train ran a 3.45km-long journey last night, from Britomart Station to Mt Eden on the new underground section of railway, the first train to travel on a brand-new rail line since 2012.

“This important test train allowed technical experts to complete their first round of testing relating to tunnel clearance, power supply and signalling. Further testing will ramp up in coming weeks, including brake testing, recovery procedures, tunnel ventilation systems, supervision and security systems, lighting, communications, and the start of hands-on training for Auckland’s metro drivers and station staff, among many others.”

“CRL will be a gamechanger for Auckland’s public transport network, turning Britomart from a dead-end station into a through station, enhancing connections between the central city and the wider rail network,” Simeon Brown says.

“The first train through CRL is an important milestone for the project. Once complete, CRL will result in significant time savings, and make public transport a much more viable option for Aucklanders.”

“This is momentous for the City Rail Link programme and Auckland ratepayers who have made a significant contribution, alongside government, to get this project completed,” says Mayor Wayne Brown.

“Our city deserves a public transport system that will deliver for Aucklanders and visitors alike. I’ve always said I was determined to get the project finished and over the line, and while the project has had its fair share of challenges and there are lessons we’ll take from it, I’m pleased to see that progress has been made and that we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in the CRL project to get us to this point. There is a lot more work to do, but today represents an important milestone in moving from a construction site into a railway,” Mr Bishop says.

“Tens of thousands of Auckland commuters are right behind you, and they’re looking forward to experiencing the benefits your hard work will deliver when CRL opens next year.”

Note to editors:

Once operational, City Rail Link (CRL) benefits for Auckland passengers at peak times include:

• On the Southern Line – trains every 5 minutes (compared to 10 minutes currently) north of Puhinui, every 8 minutes between Papakura and Homai, and every 10 minutes between Pukekohe and Drury

• On the Eastern Line – trains every 5 minutes between Sylvia Park and Ōrākei

• On the Western Line – trains every 8 minutes between Swanson and Maungawhau

Subject to Auckland Transport confirming train timetables, the combination of using the CRL tunnel and reduced temporary speed restrictions are expected to see:

• Maungawhau (Mt Eden) to Waitematā (Britomart): under 10 minutes (half the current time)

• Kingsland to Waitematā (Britomart): 13 minutes (8 minutes faster than currently)

Henderson to Waitematā (Britomart): 38 minutes (8 minutes faster than currently)

First CRL test train set to start

12 February 2025

Auckland’s City Rail Link (CRL) is set to start testing trains in the project’s tunnel overnight tonight (February 12/13) pending final checks being successfully completed.

The planned start of running test trains through the tunnel follows two significant milestones: the successful energisation of the tunnel’s overhead electric lines earlier this month, and the official handover of the new tunnels and track for train testing to KiwiRail in the early hours of this morning.  

City Rail Link Ltd’s Chief Executive, Patrick Brockie, says testing trains in a ‘live’ tunnel is an exciting milestone that starts the transition of the project from construction site into a railway.

“We’ve been working towards this milestone since construction began and it’s exciting to see the project getting closer to being able to deliver the significant benefits Aucklanders can expect when it opens.”

Mr. Brockie adds that tonight’s train running is the first of a comprehensive testing programme that will start with trains running slowly – with safety at the forefront.

“Safety is the absolute priority. New Zealand has limited experience with this phase of the project, particularly in a tunnel.  We are dealing with 25 thousand volts of electricity and before the first test train drives into the tunnel, we have to ensure the safety of everyone involved,” Mr Brockie says.

The test train’s 3.45 kilometre journey overnight between the Maungawhau and Waitematā (Britomart) Stations will be deliberately slow – around five km/h – to allow technicians on board to complete their first round of checks underground.

Tonight marks the start of an extensive programme of train testing that will accelerate in the coming weeks and continue right up until opening.