City Rail Link: First Looks and Sneak Peeks

The following weekend, it was the turn of Karanga-a-Hape station to have its own open day. Attendees entered via the main entrance on Mercury Lane

15 August 2026

Inside the main entrance of Karanga-a-Hape station, with large crowds of people attending this session and heading down towards the platforms

15 August 2026

Inside the main concourse of Karanga-a-Hape station. From here, the platforms are 33 metres below ground

15 August 2026

Getting to the platforms from Mercury Lane requires zig-zagging around a series of escalators

15 August 2026

After reaching platform level, we come across the first tunnel between platforms

15 August 2026

Heading through the access tunnel to Platform 2, where a crowd of people are heading towards AM 1059

15 August 2026

Looking the other way towards Platform 1, AM 1005 is parked on the platform as a demonstration as to how the future station will look with trains

15 August 2026

On Platform 1, AM 1005 appears to have come out of the tunnel into the station area, on what would be a service towards Waitematā

15 August 2026

AM 1005 sits on Platform 1 looking back into the tunnel at Karanga-a-Hape

15 August 2026

The City Rail Link tunnels, looking towards Maungawhau

15 August 2026

Heading back through the platform area towards Platform 2, with a number of utilities installed in this area

15 August 2026

On Platform 2, AM 1059 sits at the station looking towards the tunnel. This train would be heading towards Pukekohe or Swanson, and was set up to display a South-City Line service

15 August 2026

Looking down the tunnel towards Maungawhau. This view shows clearly where the bored tunnel met the mined station box

15 August 2026

Platform 2 will be for services to the outer suburbs, namely Pukekohe (next stop Grafton) and Swanson (next stop Maungawhau). The display boards on the platform were set up as a demonstration

15 August 2026

Station signage for Karanga-a-Hape installed on the tunnel walls in the platform area

15 August 2026

A 6-car train, made up of AM 1059 and AM 1020, was sitting on Platform 2

15 August 2026

On board AM 1059, new post-CRL maps have started to be installed, with peelable sections to remove the "after City Rail Link opens" notice, and another to be removed when Ngākōroa station opens in 2027

15 August 2026

A rare opportunity for the public to visit the cab of AM 1059, with a queue of people waiting to have a look

15 August 2026

The controls of AMA 1059 while sitting idle

15 August 2026

A unique view of AM 1020 viewed from the cab of AM 1059

15 August 2026

Back on Platform 1 and on our way out, we come across repainted AM 144, put on display at Karanga-a-Hape station

15 August 2026

Looking down the tunnel from Platform 1 towards Waitematā, with the change in gradient from the platforms visible

15 August 2026

On board AM 144 is this poster for Rail Safety Week, which occurred the week of the open day

15 August 2026

A party atmosphere on board AMT 144, as lights are dimmed and music blasts

15 August 2026

Down the other end of the platforms, this cross tunnel links the two platforms at the bottom of the Beresford Square entrance

15 August 2026

Heading up to the Beresford Square entrance, we start by riding the longest escalator in New Zealand

15 August 2026

Looking up the longest escalator in New Zealand, which takes a full minute to ascend. It was set to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere, until Central Station on the Sydney Metro had a longer escalator open first

15 August 2026

The length of the escalator also means a long walk to the lifts to head down to the platforms. For the event, these were reserved for accessibility pass holders

15 August 2026

Heading through the gate line in the Beresford Square entrance

15 August 2026

The Auckland Märklin Club returned to Karanga-a-Hape with their model railway layout, with lots of people having a look

15 August 2026

A second set of escalators heading up to street level, not quite as long as the lower set

15 August 2026

Popping out at Beresford Square, where we meet Pitt Street again

15 August 2026

The third and final station to have its turn in the spotlight ahead of opening day was Te Waihorotiu, expected to become the country's busiest station upon opening (ahead of Wellington). Here, just inside the main entrance, we see the gate line as well as the hanging rods above

21 August 2026

Hanging from the station ceiling are around 4,000 rods, designed to minic the stems of reeds (or "raupo") and the movement of water, alluding to the Waihorotiu stream that now runs underneath Queen Street. In the centre is a carving representing Horotiu, the guardian ("kaitiaki") looking after people

21 August 2026

Heading down the first set of escalators at Te Waihorotiu down to the station concourse

21 August 2026

At the bottom of the escalator is a giant advertising screen, intended to bring in revenue for Auckland Transport. One of the ads rotating through on the screens was an ad for the CRL opening date

21 August 2026

Heading along the main concourse of Te Waihorotiu station, with the platforms below

21 August 2026

The main concourse of Te Waihorotiu runs underneath Albert Street, below street level

21 August 2026

Looking down from the concourse onto the platforms, with AM 144 making a sneak appearance

21 August 2026

On the walls above the platform is the identity motif for Te Waihorotiu station

21 August 2026

Looking down the escalator to the platform area, with AM 144 sitting at Platform 1

21 August 2026

Heading down the escalator to platform level again sees a 6-car train parked at each platform for display

21 August 2026

AM 1210 sits at Platform 1, the Waitematā-bound platform

21 August 2026

Looking back along Platform 1, with AM 1210 and AM 144 paired up for the evening

21 August 2026

Escalators to the platform are spread around, with this one being used as an exit only during the open days

21 August 2026

AM 1236 and AM 1005 sitting on Platform 2 at Te Waihorotiu

21 August 2026

AM 1210 looks down the tunnel towards Waitematā. The portion of the CRL between here and Waitematā was largely built with cut-and-cover methods, digging up Albert Street to place the tunnel box underneath, before covering it up and rebuilding Albert Street on top

21 August 2026

AM 1210 sits at Platform 1 at Te Waihorotiu, with the extra portion of platform to be used with 9-car trains blocked off for the event

21 August 2026