The road cones are gone, the sculptures are unveiled, and 23 new trains are ready to carry commuters through Auckland's City Rail Link. The project was officially opened at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning, with the Prime Minister and Auckland Mayor on hand to mark the completion of New Zealand's largest-ever infrastructure project. But while dignitaries celebrated, the small businesses that endured years of disruption are taking a more cautious view.
The CRL opens to the public on Sunday, promising to transform how Aucklanders move around the city. At Te Waihorotiu Station, which is set to become the country's busiest, Minister for Rail Winston Peters offered an unexpected pre-ceremony performance of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues before the official proceedings began.
What does the City Rail Link mean for Auckland?
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon framed the project as a win for the wider economy.
“Every business that can access a larger workforce, every customer who can reach a shop or event more easily will contribute to a stronger economy and that will be great for all of us,”he said.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown called it a great day to be an Aucklander, praising those involved, including his predecessor Len Brown, who first championed the project. But he did not shy away from the project's troubled history.
“Many people have told me to be positive today and I'm very positive, positive about how CRL is a game changer for the city. But the fact remains that this took too long and cost too much and it is disappointing,”Brown said.
How have central city businesses coped with the disruption?
Fifteen metres above the glitzy new station on Victoria St West, Shobhana Ranchhodji of Roma Blooms is not popping the champagne just yet.
“Words are just not enough to say what we went through. It was hard. Everything was shut down, you could not get into any part of Albert St, Victoria St, all the way up to mayoral drive. You could not come into this area,”she said.
While hugely relieved the disruption is over, she will only believe the promised benefits when she sees them.
“I am prepared for those 50,000 people that they say are going to catch that frikkin' train. I am ready for what they are telling me. Every business is listening and I am fingers crossed that is the truth,”Ranchhodji said.
Next door at Accord Barbers, owner Rafat is giving CBD resident Adrian a fresh fade cut.
“It's been too hard. Covid before that and now we have this construction stuff so we are looking forward to fixing this stuff. We need to see the people come back to the city,”Rafat said.
Adrian feels the city has been in poor shape for about six years.
“You know, Covid recovery really set the city back and then the CRL's had a massive impact on the surrounding businesses. The most exciting part that I'm looking forward to is seeing all the construction gone and people back into the city,”he said.
What has the wait cost small businesses?
PJ Singh has run the Coffee Club franchise for nearly four years, the past two and a half of which, he said, left him with no money after paying wages and bills.
“In 2023 they said there's a delay in the project and the date extended to 2025 then 2026. We're really hoping the amount of loss we took in the last couple of years will be worth working for the city rail link,”Singh said.
Will the CRL help revive Karangahape Rd?
Up on Karangahape Rd, at the much-loved People Being People op shop, Emily and Melody-Jazz were on shift. Emily voiced concerns about the area's changing character.
“I'd say Karangahape Rd used to be a very safe space for Queer people and recently it's kind of gone downhill with the rising homelessness issues and so there's a reputation of it being unsafe and so people don't want to come here anymore,”Emily said.
Melody-Jazz, who lives out west, is eagerly awaiting the opening.
“I've been waiting for such a long time for this to open. It will be so good, because I live out west as well. I think it cuts down to 40 minutes and it used to take like an hour and a half,”she said.
Will the CRL deliver for Auckland's city centre?
Auckland central businesses, without exception, echo the words of florist Shobhana Ranchhodji: about bloomin' time. The question now is whether the promised influx of commuters will translate into the foot traffic that shops, cafes and barbers have been missing for years. For a city that prides itself on reinvention, the CRL represents both a long-awaited fix and a test of whether infrastructure alone can revive a struggling urban heart.
Frequently asked questions about the Auckland CRL
When does the City Rail Link open to the public?
The CRL opens to the public on Sunday, following the official ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday morning.
How many trains will run on the CRL?
23 new trains are set to begin carrying commuters on the City Rail Link.
What is the name of the busiest station on the CRL?
Te Waihorotiu Station is expected to become New Zealand's busiest train station.
How long did the CRL project take?
The project faced multiple delays, with completion dates pushed from 2023 to 2025 and finally 2026.