City Rail Link Timetable Tests

AM 659 exits the CRL tunnel at Maungawhau, heading for Grafton and Newmarket. Trains ran in two different patterns through the tunnel for testing; one in a complete loop via Newmarket, and another with test trains terminating at Kingsland and returning back via the tunnel

18 October 2025

AM 659 re-enters the North Auckland Line at Maungawhau, heading for Newmarket before going back into the tunnel

18 October 2025

AM 238 descends the grade underneath the Down Main of the North Auckland Line, heading into the CRL

18 October 2025

AM 238 descends into the CRL. During testing, a full timetable simulation was carried out, with 18 trains per hour running through the tunnels, although none with passengers yet

18 October 2025

Following closely behind, AM 428 drops into the CRL tunnel

18 October 2025

One of the units involved in testing was new arrival AM 1142, having entered service earlier in October 2025. AM 1142 is seen here exiting the CRL and heading back onto the NAL towards Newmarket

18 October 2025

AM 1142 exits the North Island Main Trunk extension and re-enters the North Auckland Line at Maungawhau

18 October 2025

AM 552 passes through the trench leading into the CRL tunnel, just before passing underneath the Down Main of the NAL

18 October 2025

AM 552 passes through the trench, shortly before passing underneath Mt Eden Road and disappearing underground under emerging at Quay Park Junction

18 October 2025

AM 552 disappears underground on a timetable test run

18 October 2025

AM 633 exits the CRL heading for Newmarket, one of the 18 trains to pass through the tunnels in the last hour

18 October 2025

AM 633 climbs out of the CRL before merging back onto the North Auckland Line, on a timetable test run

18 October 2025

AM 633 emerges from underneath Mt Eden Road and clears the CRL tunnel as it heads for Newmarket on a timetable test run

18 October 2025

Viewed from Mt Eden Road, AM 319 has a go at climbing out of the CRL tunnel, also heading for Newmarket

18 October 2025

AM 319 passes around the tight curves out of the CRL tunnel, before making its way for Newmarket

18 October 2025

On the first day of full testing for the new City Rail Link timetable, AM 471 pauses at Papatoetoe on a simulated run of the future East-West Line towards Swanson. Testing the full timetable included testing all electronic signage, and so trains showed a destination despite passengers not being able to board

27 January 2026

Heading the other way, AM 571 arrives at Papatoetoe on a simulated South City Line service to Pukekohe

27 January 2026

AM 571 and AM 877 stop at Papatoetoe en route to Pukekohe on a South City Line service

27 January 2026

For this test, station PIDs were also activated with the new line names, giving a peek at the timetable to come. The South City Line service is showing via Grafton, suggesting this runs clockwise around the City Rail Link from Newmarket before returning to Pukekohe

27 January 2026

AM 524 stops at Papatoetoe on the aforementioned South City Line service, heading into the city via Grafton and just minutes before the East-West Line service

27 January 2026

Heading towards Manukau, AM 958 simulates an East-West service. The new line connects Manukau and Swanson directly, via the City Rail Link

27 January 2026

AM 958 stops at Papatoetoe on a simulated East-West service to Manukau from Swanson

27 January 2026