Despair in Downtown Auckland Over CRL Slow Crawl to Finish Line

April 23, 2026 – As the City Rail Link (CRL) project nears its planned opening in the second half of 2026, businesses in Auckland’s central business district express growing concern over prolonged delays and uncertain timelines. The $5.5 billion infrastructure project, designed to transform Auckland’s rail network, has left many local enterprises struggling to survive amid ongoing construction and minimal foot traffic.

Project Overview and Current Status

The City Rail Link is a 3.5-kilometre double-track rail tunnel running beneath Auckland’s city centre, connecting Waitematā Station to Maungawhau Station. It includes two new underground stations—Te Waihorotiu near Aotea Square and Karanga-a-Hape near Karangahape Road—and involves the redevelopment of both terminal stations. Once completed, the CRL will be integrated into Auckland Transport’s rail network and operated by Auckland One Rail.

According to the official City Rail Link website, testing of systems is well underway following the completion of construction. The project is expected to open to passengers in the second half of 2026, though no exact date has been confirmed as of April 2026.

Impact on Local Businesses

Businesses located near construction zones, particularly around Wellesley Street and Aotea Square, report significant declines in customer visits. Krupali Patel, an employee at a restaurant on Wellesley Street who chose not to name her employer, described the situation as “very tough,” citing minimal foot traffic and loud construction deterring potential customers.

“Business is not going good. It’s very tough for the owner and me. The owner is not making much money, so it’s hard to pay rent. I’m not getting as many hours as I want to work,” Patel said. She warned that without a dramatic improvement, the business would not survive more than a few months.

Similarly, Aida Safeia of Barrel N Burger, which opened on Wellesley Street in December 2025, acknowledged the challenges posed by station construction and recent streetscape upgrades, including new bus shelters and widened footpaths. Despite these difficulties, she remained optimistic about long-term benefits.

“Hopefully, this will be a very busy area, and over time it will compensate for the lack of business we experienced in our opening period,” Safeia said.

Future Capacity and Economic Prospects

Auckland Transport has indicated that while the CRL will initially carry up to 19,000 passengers per hour, strategic investments in platform extensions, additional rolling stock, and signal upgrades could increase capacity to as many as 54,000 passengers per hour by 2051. These enhancements are seen as critical to supporting Auckland’s projected population growth and reducing road congestion.

The project is also expected to improve connectivity across the rail network, linking the Western, Eastern, and Southern lines through the city centre and enabling more frequent and reliable services.

Conclusion

While the City Rail Link promises transformative benefits for Auckland’s public transport system and urban development, the extended timeline has created real hardship for downtown businesses. As testing progresses and the anticipated opening window approaches, stakeholders continue to balance hope for long-term gains against the immediate pressures of survival in a disrupted urban environment.