New Zealand’s first underground railway opens

The route connects downtown Auckland to Mount Eden via Auckland’s rail network through two 3.45km twin tunnels, adding two underground stations at Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape and upgrades to Waitematā Station and Maungawhau Station.

This CRL has been designed to accommodate 54,000 passengers per hour at peak travel times.

The Link Alliance, which includes Aecom, Vinci, Tonkin & Taylor and WSP, worked on multiple stages of the project.

WSP said that some 500 BIM models were brought together into a federated model allowing teams a shared view across disciplines and improving the ability to identify issues.

VR simulations, scenario testing and workshops were used to simulate normal, degraded and emergency scenarios, which allowed the Link Alliance to change wayfinding at emergency exits, design for people with accessibility needs and control-room layouts.

In 2022, Grimshaw Architects and WSP were announced as station designers for the CRL.

Mott MacDonald has worked as principal technical advisor on the CRL since 2012, providing concept and reference design, consenting, procurement and delivery. Recently, Mott MacDonald oversaw testing and commissioning, integrating fire, safety and communications systems.

The CRL has become the first infrastructure development to receive two Leading As-Built Infrastructure Sustainability ratings from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council.

Stacey van der Putten, Auckland Transport’s chief executive, said: “We had a great day on Sunday getting Aucklanders onboard our new rail network and showcasing the CRL and our incredible new train stations.

“On Monday Aucklanders stepped things up a level, with an estimated 90,000 train boardings across the day. We actually saw the biggest percentage increase in people travelling on the rail network in between our peak periods, with SuperGold card holders leading the charge.”

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