Absolutely chuffed: our report from CRL opening day
What a day! Sunday saw the first running of passenger trains through the City Rail Link tunnels and stations. Some of us were up before the birds to catch the very first train, while others took a more leisurely approach.
Below, we each share our thoughts and impressions from Day One – and we look forward to hearing yours.…
53 Comments Rail ridership stats ahead of the CRL opening
The City Rail Link is being officially opened today – as in, a ribbon-cutting, with trains commencing from Sunday. So with passenger services just two days away, what better time to take a look at look at how the rail network has been performing, to help provide a bit of a benchmark for the transformation the CRL delivers.…
A vision realised: what the opening of the CRL means
Celebrate!
From Sunday 13th September 2026, an actual real Auckland Rapid Transit (ART) network will exist, for us all to use and enjoy!
You can see it – and its artful name – on the map below.
Comprised of three rail lines and five rapid bus lines, all in various stages of development, this multi-modal retro-fit of Aotearoa’s biggest city is one hell of a massive achievement.…
An appreciation of Auckland
This guest post by our esteemed planner friend Darren Davis appeared on his excellent blog Adventures in Transitland, and is reposted here by kind permission. With City Rail Link opening this Sunday (13th September), it’s timely to appreciate the sheer breadth of Auckland’s public transport transformation since the turn of the century.…
How we got the CRL: Interview with Simon Bridges
To mark the opening week of the City Rail Link, here is the second interview in our ongoing series on the origins of the project. This one is with former transport minister, and former leader of the National Party, current chair of Waka Kotahi/NZTA, and CE of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Simon Bridges.…
Western rail crossings – getting ready for even more CRL benefits
This is a guest post from Auckland Transport’s Head of Level Crossings, Tom Willetts. (The header image is one of ours, showing the level crossing at Rossgrove Ave, as seen from a waiting vehicle.) Greater Auckland will be taking a closer look at the proposals in a post next week – stay tuned!…
Throwback Thursday: A History of Harbour Crossing Options
With new plans (or, at least, plans to get a plan) for the Waitematā Harbour crossing in the news, here’s a timely throwback. This post by Matt Lowrie was originally published on 5 June 2019. The more things change, the more they remain the same!…
A farewell to Queensland
This guest post by transport planner and urbanist extraordinaire Darren Davis is shared with kind permission from his blog Adventures in Transitland. Welcome home, Darren!
The header image shows the Cross River Rail construction site at Roma Street station in Brisbane City Centre (Credit: Chris Olszewski CC BY-SA 4.0) I’m back in Aotearoa after a 2.5 year stint in Australia’s Sunshine State.…
Moving beyond the Meola distraction
Last week’s announcement that the Government plans to punt a decision on the next Waitematā Harbour Crossing out beyond the election included an offer – or a barbed hook, depending on your point of view – to Mayor Wayne Brown.
The Mayor remains inexplicably fixated on the notion of building a road bridge from Meola Reef to the North Shore.…
Unclogging arterials – but not at the cost of active modes
Auckland Transport is proposing improvements to bus and transit lanes on key arterials, for “safer, easier and more reliable journeys” on Remuera Rd, Mt Eden Rd, and Sandringham Rd. There’s a brochure here.
You can give feedback on the plans here until Sunday 23 August.…
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