Critical rail network upgrades are being delivered before City Rail Link (CRL) opens in 2026 and will support big cuts in journey times, fewer delays and trains every four to five minutes at peak.
Details were shared recently on the transformational benefits coming for Aucklanders and the delivery plan for the network upgrade required before the opening in 2026. At the newly developed Maungawhau Station, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Acting Auckland Mayor Desley Simpson, KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and City Rail Link Ltd shared the scale of what will be achieved between now and 2026.
Auckland Transport Director Public Transport and Active Modes Stacey van der Putten says everything is on track for opening in 2026, and Aucklanders can start to get excited about the new ways they will be able to travel around the city.
“CRL will bring quicker public transport journey times, it doubles the number of Aucklanders within a 30-minute train journey to the central city,” she said.
“Customers travelling from the west will get the benefits of direct new connections, for example Henderson to the new Te Waihorotiu Station in the central city will be about 24 minutes quicker – just a 35-minute trip.
“Passengers will be able to just turn up and go with trains running more frequently – at peak, every four to five minutes through the central city, east and south from stations north of Puhinui Station. From the west there’ll be a train every eight minutes and from Pukekohe every 10 minutes.”
How the work will be delivered
KiwiRail’s Chief Infrastructure Officer André Lovatt explained that additional funding provided by the Government in the latest Budget has allowed the organisation to move forwards with certainty to plan and deliver much-needed upgrades on the rail network.
“These are essential to enable the faster, more frequent journeys that CRL and the other major projects we are delivering will bring,” he said.
“The majority of the next and final stages of the Rail Network Rebuild will be delivered in extensions to the usual closures when all services are suspended during major holidays so our teams can safely work on the tracks and inside tunnels. This will include four weeks over Christmas 2024, and a couple of extended blocks around Easter 2025 and Christmas 2025 with some shorter periods of reduced frequencies on certain lines. A full network closure may not be needed for all those blocks, but this is the maximum time needed. There is also some contingency allowed throughout the programme for unexpected events.
“We know it’s vital to get the most out of this time period. That’s why we will be working 24-7 wherever possible. The hard work being achieved through Rail Network Rebuild is achieving a decade’s worth of work over 18 months – ultimately this will enable more efficient and faster train services. We thank commuters, passengers, and freight customers for their patience with these disruptions as we safely deliver the huge amount of work.”
This approach means relatively short sharp closures and less ongoing disruption when passengers and freight suppliers need the network most.
Van der Putten said the government will work together with KiwiRail to retain weekday peak services so Aucklanders can still rely on the train for their weekday routines.
“This means, wherever possible, outside major holiday periods, rail line closures will be at weekends or late evenings and have school holidays as planned contingency periods to support the programme being delivered on-time,” says .
“We’ve aimed to have weekends where trains are needed to transport people to major events not impacted throughout 2025, as we know the important role that train travel plays in getting people to and from these locations.”
Lovatt said the focus with AT has been on working as effectively and efficiently as possible to reduce disruption to customers.
“We are trying to keep trains running for as many people and goods as possible, as often as we can, but sometimes we must close the network for safety and to get work done more quickly,” he said.
As well as the upgrades, replacements and overdue maintenance being carried out on the network, KiwiRail is delivering multiple large-scale infrastructure projects to prepare for more reliable, frequent trains. In combination with CRL these will all play their part in enabling a transformed rail network.
City Rail Link Ltd’s Systems Director Wayne Cooney explained some of the complexity associated with integrating CRL into the existing network.
“Getting ready for City Rail Link’s passengers in 2026 requires a range of upgrades and renewals of Auckland’s rail network, in addition to fitting out new stations, and integrating, testing and commissioning of new systems,” he said.
“We ask Aucklanders to bear with us: It will be worth the wait.”
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