Is the City Rail Link's accessibility on the right track?

Auckland's City Rail Link (CRL) has almost arrived, with its opening due in 2026.

While Auckland Transport has promised that the CRL will make transport more efficient for all Aucklanders, one burning question remains unanswered: will we be able to enjoy this exciting new city kit?

For some of us, travelling via public transport hasn’t always been accessible, but City Rail Link says the new transport system will “enable independent journeys for people, regardless of their ability or disability.” 

Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker says a lack of accessible transport creates barriers for us to fully participate in the community. 

“We need to travel for work, for education, to visit friends and family, to go to events, and to be able to use public transport to do so on an equal basis to non-disabled people.”

Auckland Transport has worked alongside the community throughout the City Rail Link project via the Capital Projects Accessibility Group (CPAG), a group of independent members each representing different groups or organisations in the disability and universal design sector.

“CPAG has continuously delivered feedback from these community groups to help shape the development of the brief, design and delivery of the City Rail Link”, Auckland Transport says.

The D*List thought we needed a bit more accessibility information, so we contacted the team behind the City Rail Link to learn more about its accessibility plans. Here’s what we know so far.

Firstly, what’s the access like getting into the City Rail Link stations? The accessible entrances at all stations are 3.1 metres wide. The exact measurements of station entrances are as follows:

Maungawhau 

This station’s entrance is 15m wide and 3.4m high at the threshold. 

Karanga-a-Hape

This station has two entrances: one on Mercury Lane and another in Beresford Square. The Mercury Lane entrance is 11m wide and 3.4m high, and the Beresford Square entrance is 10.5m wide and 3.4m high.  

Te Waihorotiu

This station has three entrances: one on Wellesley Street, one on Mayoral Drive, and a third on Victoria Street West. The Wellesley Street entrance is over 18m wide, and 6.2m high, and the Victoria Street West is 5.6m wide and 4.2m high. The Victoria Street entrance has a ramp that is 5.6m wide and 3.3m high. 

Now that you’ve made it into the station, how about buying a ticket? Each of the ticket vending machines in the stations will have Braille next to the screen and buttons, and the height of the machines will be suitable for wheelchair users. 

Each ticketing gate line has a wider gate for wheelchair access and works the same way as all ticketing gates in the line. This will also open automatically in case of an emergency. 

Once you’re inside the stations, there are some “state-of-the-art” elevators, Auckland Transport says.

The elevators will have wide entrances and will be fitted with hearing loop systems, which will run in parallel to the PA announcements throughout the stations. 

The elevators will also be fitted with handrails for people to hold onto if they need to, and the lift doors will stay open for longer.

The height of the elevator buttons will be suitable for wheelchair users, which will be thoroughly tested before the stations are commissioned.

Once you get down to the platform, what about getting on the train? Automatic ramps will be in all CRL trains, which will extend when the door opens. There will be accessible priority seating areas, as well as seating provided on platforms.

Once you’ve made it to the end of your CRL journey, each station has accessible pick-up and drop-off zones. The footpaths around the stations will be well-paved and well-lit. 

The City Rail Link is currently in the Site Acceptance Test stage of testing and commissioning, and initial testing results indicate that access features are “performing reliably, and as intended".

With all these accessible features in mind, we’re looking forward to heading underground and zipping along the CRL safely and seamlessly next year.

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