Finish line in sight for Auckland’s City Rail Link

The finish line is in sight for Auckland’s City Rail Link, with the first test train run scheduled for later this year.

Chief executive Dr Sean Sweeney said the Link Alliance has now completed 90% of its contracted work.

“The project has made what I think is very good progress in the last 18 months since we really shed ourselves of the impacts of Covid.

“It’s a long way through and I think it’s fair to say you can see the finish line.”

Sweeney said on the main contract, all heavy construction is finished, all tracks are installed, and the overhead lines are in.

The other contracts CRL is running are essentially complete, although Sweeney said streetscape work will continue for a while.

A crucial piece of work was completed over Matariki weekend, when the City Rail Link signalling system was integrated with the existing KiwiRail train network.

Sweeney said the project is now moving into the phase with the most uncertainty – testing and commissioning.

He said the first test train could be running in November, but it is “early days” on a final timeline.

“This will be followed by running single trains at higher speeds, then running multiple trains, then running multiple trains under a range of scenarios, in early 2025.”

The cost of CRL rose by more than $1 billion in March last year to $5.493b following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sweeney couldn’t give an updated price figure but expected it “to come in within our agreed funding envelope”.

According to the project’s latest timeline, construction of the stations and supporting rail infrastructure should be be fully completed and handed over to Auckland Transport in November 2025.

“We’re pretty well on track for where we planned, a few things have gone back a few things have come forward,” Sweeney said.

“The project team is sticking to the timeline they put down about 18 months ago.”