City Rail Link: One Million trips and counting
Auckland’s City Rail Link has exceeded one million trips in its first two weeks, with new routes reshaping travel patterns and boosting rail use across the city.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown report that more than one million train boardings occurred in the first two weeks of the City Rail Link’s operation, surpassing previous weekly records. The second week alone saw over 506,000 trips, following a record-breaking first week with 528,000 boardings. Officials attribute the surge to faster journey times and new direct connections that make rail travel more attractive for previously slower or multi-transfer trips.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown highlights a significant shift in commuter behaviour, with weekday boardings at city centre stations rising by 87%. Stations such as Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape have become the second and third busiest on the network, behind Waitematā. Brown notes nearly 6,000 daily trips between city centre stations, demonstrating the new network’s immediate impact on local travel habits.
Data shows West Auckland leading the increase in rail use, with average daily trips between western stations and the city centre up by 173%, an additional 7,600 trips per day. Seven of the ten stations with the highest passenger growth are on the former Western Line, while journeys between Auckland’s western and eastern rail corridors have tripled since the CRL opened.
The City Rail Link’s opening has also led to a 17% drop in patronage on the City Link bus service, which traditionally connects Wynyard Quarter, Queen Street, and Karanga-a-Hape. Meanwhile, bus use remains strong overall, with over 237,000 weekday boardings recorded in the first two weeks, as commuters transfer between buses and trains to take advantage of improved connections across the city.