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With City Rail Link’s opening date now locked in, attention has turned to how ready the businesses around its new stations are.
Auckland Council, alongside Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Auckland Transport and other project partners, has spent months working with business associations, major property owners and stakeholder networks to get accommodation, hospitality and attraction operators prepared for the change.
Front and centre are the CRL Business Connect Hub, developed by the Auckland Urban Development Office, which sets out what businesses can expect from the opening, upcoming events and activities, and where to find further support. As the stations go live and patterns in customer movement and trading become clearer, the Hub will keep adapting so operators have access to the most relevant, timely information. A supporting business-ready flyer is also being distributed through business networks and directly into station neighbourhoods.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited director destination Annie Dundas says, “Tātaki Auckland Unlimited has also been regularly communicating with Auckland’s tourism industry through its Destination Partnership Programme, helping accommodation providers, attractions, hospitality operators and visitor businesses stay connected with the latest information from Auckland Transport and prepare for changes to visitor journeys and arrival points across the city. Feedback from early engagement has been positive, with businesses valuing access to practical information in one place. Operators have particularly welcomed greater visibility of upcoming activations and opportunities expected to arise from increased visitor movement through the city centre,”
Turning transit into trade
The push extends beyond information-sharing into marketing. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s focus is on turning CRL’s improved connectivity into more reasons for people to explore the city, connecting visitors with the food, culture, entertainment and experiences around the Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu precincts.
Dedicated station and precinct content has been developed through Discover Auckland to help visitors find what’s on offer around the new stations, backed by wider destination marketing showcasing events, attractions and reasons to head into the city centre. Public information is also running across online channels, public transport communications, bus advertising, radio and print.
Auckland is also sharpening the visitor experience through initiatives such as the new Hui Pass, developed by Auckland Transport with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s Auckland Convention Bureau. The pass gives eligible business events delegates unlimited bus and train travel for up to five days, making it easier for visitors to explore the region’s attractions, precincts and experiences.
The numbers behind the opening
The opening of Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu stations is expected to be transformative for the city centre and surrounding precincts. The two stations will bring around 21,000 additional residents, 17,200 students and 37,000 existing jobs within a 12-minute walk of a city centre rail station, while CRL lifts peak-hour rail capacity into the city centre by about 50 per cent – enabling up to 19,000 passengers an hour, with room to grow further.
Annual rail patronage is projected to climb from around 14 million trips in 2026 to about 22 million by 2028, opening up more opportunities for people to visit, work, study, attend events and spend in the city’s hospitality, retail and cultural precincts.
Improved transport connections are expected to lift visitation to both the Karanga-a-Hape and mid-Queen Street precincts, making it easier for locals and visitors to reach the area’s restaurants, bars, cultural venues, retail and major events. Streets and public spaces have also been upgraded in anticipation of the extra activity and to improve access for pedestrians, cyclists, bus users and rail passengers.
Rail ridership has taken a hit in recent years from the pandemic, remote working and network disruptions, and patronage is recovering from a lower base than first forecast. But the long-term expectation remains strong growth, as CRL delivers a faster, more connected and more convenient public transport network for Auckland.
