City Rail Link (CRL)

City Rail Link (CRL) is expected to open in 2026. It will bring transport, economic and environmental benefits to Auckland.

Illustration of people standing on the platform at Maungawhau Station with a train approaching.

The City Rail Link (CRL) is the new rail line in central Auckland. It includes two 3.5km rail tunnels and links the existing rail network through the city centre. This will:

  • make train services faster and more frequent
  • better connect the whole region.

How much the CRL will cost the council

Auckland Council will pay $2.75 billion towards the total $5.5 billion cost to build the CRL.

Once the CRL opens, the council will receive income from passenger fares. It will use this income to pay towards costs to run the service.

The full cost for the council to own and run the CRL is about $235 million each year. This includes:

  • $26 million for Auckland Transport to run extra train services and stations
  • $167 million in interest on borrowing
  • $42 million in depreciation costs to replace assets over time, like trains and stations.

These costs are the main reason we have set a 7.9 per cent rates increase for the average-value home in this annual plan.

If the opening of the CRL is significantly delayed, this would also delay the increase in costs for the council. This would mean the council would save money in the 2026/2027 financial year.

Ongoing costs

Each year, ongoing costs will pay for:

  • maintenance of assets like the trains, tracks and stations
  • interest on debt
  • depreciation of the assets
  • running facilities like the new train stations
  • charges from KiwiRail for access to rail tracks
  • operating costs like staffing, maintenance and repairs.

How the CRL will benefit Auckland

The CRL will attract more people into the city centre. It will help transform Auckland and the wider region and grow the economy.

The city centre generates 21 per cent of Auckland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has more jobs than anywhere else in New Zealand. The CRL will double the number of people who can reach the city centre by public transport.

When the CRL opens, Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu Stations will be within a 12-minute walk for:

  • 21,000 more current residents
  • 17,200 more current students
  • 37,000 existing workplaces.

In addition, with the opening of the CRL:

  • almost 75 per cent of passengers at Karanga-a-Hape are expected to transfer to and from trains and buses during morning peak times
  • Waitematā Station will become a connecting station. This will increase the number of trains into the city and to the south and west of Auckland
  • passengers travelling, for example, from Henderson to midtown will save 24 minutes in travel time and can travel directly to the south of the region
  • the whole Auckland region will benefit, even where there are no local train stations. People living on the North Shore or in the eastern suburbs will be able to connect to trains using fast and frequent buses.

The CRL is more than just a 3.45km tunnel. It is the centre of major improvements to public transport connections, capacity and service in Auckland.

Have your say

We want to know what you think about our proposals for this annual plan.

Visit Annual plan documents, videos and translations for more information about our plans and proposals in the:

  • Annual Plan 2026/2027 Consultation Document
  • Annual Plan 2026/2027 Supporting Information Document.
Have your say now

You should know

The information on this page is an edited version of the Annual Plan 2026/2027 Consultation Document.

Visit Annual Plan 2026/2027 to read more about the City Rail Link in the Annual Plan 2026/2027 Consultation Document.