Auckland's NZ$5.5bn City Rail Link Opens 13 September, Anchoring Urban Renewal

Auckland will celebrate the launch of New Zealand's inaugural underground metro, the City Rail Link (CRL), on 13 September, with a total investment of NZ$5.5bn (€2.8bn). Malgorzata Haley, a principal at Grimshaw, describes it as the essential connection that integrates stations into the rapid-transit network. Weekly fare prices are limited to NZ$50 (€25.30). From 2006 to 2019, Ludo Campbell-Reid, Auckland's design advocate, emphasized the importance of pedestrian areas and cycling paths, financed through the City Centre Targeted Rate. The revitalized Waterfront area now features bars and markets. Following the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, consultations with mana whenua have become routine. In 2025, Auckland experienced its highest net migration, gaining 275,000 Pacific residents. However, critics argue that most new housing developments are not situated near transit options, with only one CRL station having a development plan.