Auckland's New Train Network
Three new central city stations – Maungawhau, Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu alongside a better-connected Waitemat Station (Britomart), are the cornerstone of the route improvements.
More direct access to the city centre and a cross-city service are the key features of the just released 'Trains and Rapid Buses' map, that highlights the scale of public transport improvements which will come into effect when the City Rail Link opens in 2026.
CRL allows for big changes in the way customers can travel across Auckland. The network has been re-shaped with Auckland Transport adding new train lines and bus connections to provide more choice and faster journeys.
'It's exciting to be able to give people a clearer idea of how their train journeys will change, as many people don't realise that City Rail link benefits all of Auckland and the whole public transport network,' says Auckland Transport Chief Executive Dean Kimpton.
The re-configured network makes it easier for Aucklanders to connect to the places they love to spend time in, and more convenient access to the places where they work and learn.
'This is more than a map, it shows how people can more easily connect with friends and loved ones, attend events, shorten their commute or just explore a new part of the city by rail.'
Three new central city stations – Maungawhau, Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu – alongside a better-connected Waitematā Station (Britomart), are the cornerstone of the route improvements.
The new underground twin tunnels from Waitematā Station mean trains can travel straight through the middle of the city – unlocking capacity for more frequent trains and reducing travel times.
90% of all train services will pass through the underground tunnels and city centre stations on new routes replacing today's Southern, Eastern, Western and Onehunga Lines.
The East-West Line (a merge of the former Eastern and Western Lines) will now connect via the CRL for a new cross-city service taking people direct from Swanson all the way to Manukau on a single journey.
'You could be shopping at LynnMall and if they don't have what you want, jump on an East-West train straight to Sylvia Park to see if they do, all within the $50 weekly fare cap' Mr Kimpton says.
This will reduce travel time for future west Auckland commuters as Western Line trains coming into the city will reroute through the CRL tunnels, rather than the current route east of the city centre.
For customers coming from the west, it will make journeys from Henderson to Wellesley Street around 24 minutes faster than current public transport times.
'City Rail Link will double the number of Aucklanders within a 30-minute train journey to the central city, offering an attractive alternative to driving,' says Andy Baker, Auckland Council's Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee Chair.
Those currently using the Southern Line will see changes too, with the new South-City Line route looping around the city and returning south. The network map also highlights new southern stations coming soon. KiwiRail together with Auckland Transport are adding three new stations under construction now: Drury, Ngākōroa, and Paerātā.
The current Onehunga Line will see an extension westward also, extending past its existing terminus at Newmarket, all the way to Henderson (initially in the off-peak times only) – forming the new Onehunga-West Line.
All train lines, except Onehunga-West services, will travel via the city centre and the new City Rail Link tunnels.
Trains will run more frequently – at peak times up to every four minutes through the central city, with more trains than today at stops on the Western, Eastern and Southern Lines.
Along with trains, rapid buses are critical arteries of Auckland's public transport network. City Rail Link's new stations create key interchanges between Northern Busway and Northwestern rapid bus services, and AT is delivering key projects – like the Wellesley Street improvements – to make connections stress-free.
'By linking an enhanced bus network that seamlessly connects to the rail services, it provides a real opportunity to shift the way people travel around our city – helping to ease pressure on motorways and main roads,' Mr Kimpton says.
It's not just about the new stations and routes. Critical rail network upgrades being delivered by KiwiRail before CRL opens in 2026 will support the changes – increased train frequency and integration with the CRL infrastructure, will help enable transformation across the entire network.
Notes:
Auckland Transport is currently finalising these service patterns and timetables. The train operating timetable is subject to approvals. More detailed information on specific route variations and services for each line will be released soon.
Please follow Auckland Transport on social media for the latest updates.
When CRL opens in 2026, train line names will change to reflect journey options
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