From late April to early June, Auckland’s new City Rail Link (CRL) stations and tunnels will host a series of live emergency training exercises, a vital step in ensuring the CRL is safe, reliable and ready for customers when it opens later this year.

Around 13 carefully planned exercises will test coordinated responses by rail staff and emergency services, including NZ Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, and Hato Hone St John.

People living, working or travelling near CRL stations may see:

• Increased staff, emergency services’ personnel and volunteers
• Emergency vehicles arriving and leaving station precincts
• Station announcements, alarms and evacuation activity
• Temporary changes to road or footpath access outside stations

These drills will include several smaller exercises during weekdays, and a handful of larger, more involved scenarios with hundreds of volunteer “passengers” over the weekends.

They allow teams to test and practice real‑world situations in a controlled environment and to refine safety processes before passenger services begin.

All exercises are carefully managed, supervised and coordinated, with safety being the top priority.

Most activity will be focused around Te Waihorotiu, Karanga‑a‑Hape, and Maungawhau stations, with some tunnel‑based testing and activity near Waitematā Station.

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