Project overview and benefits

The CRL will deliver multi-generational benefits that will change Auckland for the better.

The project offers a huge opportunity to leave a positive legacy for New Zealand. It is designed to set new benchmarks for construction, workplace safety, environmental sustainability and community engagement.

CRL will deliver a wide range of long-lasting economic, social, environmental and business benefits over the lifetime of the infrastructure.

The primary direct benefits of a world-class efficient railway that enables and activates the entire rail network are to Auckland commuters and businesses.

CRL will double capacity, increase frequency, reduce travel times, carrying up to 54,000 people per hour when complete.

There is a focus on helping people who are traditionally disadvantaged into career pathways which are life-changing. The project leverages its scale, complexity and innovation to set the bar for social investment.

Economic Benefits

$11.928 billion Total Benefits

A PwC economic study, in October 2022 found CRL will deliver total economic benefits of $11.9 billion for the next 60 years.

The biggest impact is on travel time for public transport users, which PwC has assessed as delivering $4.543 billion in benefits.

The project has also been assessed on its agglomeration benefits. This is a broad-based measure that accounts for CRL’s additional employment density and business investment. CRL agglomeration benefits worth $4.229 billion are expected to be delivered. This leads to a corresponding lift in GDP due to increased productivity and economic output.

Reliability improvements from the CRL due to more trains running on time and less delays for passengers yields $1.575 billion in benefits to the Auckland economy. The benefits of reduced congestion to road users are set at $594 billion.

CRL will drive investment in businesses, employment and housing around CRL stations along Auckland’s rail corridors, supporting a more sustainable and productive city.

The core value of CRL is the creation of a world-class modern urban transit network, improving travel options and times due to increasing efficiency across the rail network. CRL will double the number of people within 30 minutes of central Auckland.

The rail network’s increased capacity will be the equivalent to three Harbour Bridges or 16 extra traffic lanes at peak travel time.

In the near-future, it will take only three minutes to get from Maungawhau Station to Karanga-a-Hape Station and only six minutes from Maungawhau Station to Te Waihorotiu Station. Another three minutes gets commuters to Waitematā Station (Britomart).

When CRL opens, the entire capacity of Eden Park can be transported to the Downtown entertainment district in nine minutes.