Auckland trains up and running after winter upgrade

Auckland rail services are back up and running following a successful partial closure to progress significant upgrades across the metro network in preparation for the City Rail Link (CRL) opening in 2026.

About 400 team members worked night and day over the school holidays to upgrade and renew rail infrastructure at priority locations on Auckland’s railway system.

KiwiRail and its partners used the partial closure, which affected passengers on the Southern Line south of Puhinui, to continue to prepare the network for the more frequent trains the CRL will bring to the region.

“KiwiRail teams worked at more than a dozen sites in locations such as Homai, Te Mahia, and Takanini stations in south Auckland to rebuild foundations under rail lines and install new drainage,” KiwiRail chief metro and capital programme officer Dave Gordon says.

“KiwiRail would like to thank our neighbours living near these locations for their understanding as we undertake this critical 24/7 work.

“Our thanks also extend to the travelling public for their flexibility during this year’s series of full and partial rail closures.

“When trains aren’t running on parts of the network, our teams can remove the rail and sleepers and do the substantive work to the foundations and drainage, which gives confidence the network can support the additional trains CRL will enable.”

The CRL will mean more train services across Auckland – not just the city centre – and shorter journey times.

Upgrades and renewals are happening at priority areas across the rail network to get it ready for this change in 2026.

KiwiRail’s rail network rebuild (RNR) programme to upgrade and renew rail foundations and drainage is in its final stages.

RNR work will continue for priority areas throughout the September and October school holidays, alongside some weekend work starting later this month in suburbs including Parnell and Newmarket.

Other work happening across the network includes cable and fibre installations, signalling upgrades, level crossing investigation work and the ongoing construction of the new Drury stations.

KiwiRail is continuing to upgrade drainage around Henderson Station in west Auckland so it can install new tracks and extend the platform before CRL opens next year.

Auckland Transport has recently finished its project to install new lifts and escalators in the station.