Smoke machines and volunteers acting as injured passengers will help to simulate fires and other emergencies as part of large-scale safety testing to ready City Rail Link for opening.

The emergency evacuation tests on trains, in the new tunnels and the new stations are among the most critical steps before City Rail Link can open to the public later this year. They’re designed to make sure systems are safe, reliable, and ready for customers and that everyone involved knows exactly what to do in an emergency.

“Having to evacuate into an underground rail tunnel is a confronting prospect for many people”, says Auckland Transport Interim CEO Stacey van der Putten.

“But planning for unlikely events is essential. Train crew and station staff need to be prepared and ready to work alongside emergency services to help customers safely evacuate to street level if an incident were to occur in the City Rail Link.”

The tests simulate a range of emergency and real-life scenarios such as fires, incidents onboard trains, unruly passengers, or tunnel evacuations. Rail operators will be working closely with Fire and Emergency New Zealand, NZ Police, and Hato Hone St John.

“These exercises give us a vital chance to put our plans, procedures, and specialist training for this unique underground environment into practice,” says Fire and Emergency NZ Assistant District Commander, Dave Woon.

“Desktop exercises helped us identify the theoretical challenges,now we can test them for real. It’s a chance to check our systems, equipment, and communication under pressure, and to make sure all agencies are aligned and ready to respond confidently and effectively.”

The City Rail Link will become part of Auckland’s wider rail network, so these tests are also vital to ensuring teams from KiwiRail and rail operator Auckland One Rail can coordinate effectively to keep services running smoothly across stations, tunnels, and trains.

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

“It’s worth remembering that Karanga-a-Hape Station is 33m below ground – roughly the height of a 10-story building, and that creates real challenges in an emergency” says City Rail Link CEO, Pat Brockie.

“These exercises also allow us to confirm that all systems and technology are working as they should, from fire alarms and ventilation systems to the technology that opens emergency doors and overrides lifts. We’ll also see how real people respond and react. If we need to make changes to procedures in response to what we learn through these tests, we can do so now ahead of opening”.

Emergency testing began in late April and will run through until early June. There are 15 scenarios varying in size from small exercises with a handful of volunteers, up to four major tests with more than 300 volunteer passengers, selected to reflect the diversity of Auckland’s everyday commuters.

“We want to test how the system works for the whole community, so that means everyone from parents with prams, to older people, people with accessibility considerations or mobility needs and people with English as a second language,” says Stacey van der Putten.

The volunteers have been recruited from within organisations involved in building and opening CRL. They may find themselves in situations with smoke, low lighting, increased airflow and walking through tunnels and up stairs.

Local residents and passers-by may see several emergency vehicles and personnel outside stations. Contingency plans are in place should an actual emergency happen during testing.

The emergency tests are part of a wider programme of checks and balances to test every aspect of the new infrastructure and the passenger service that will operate within it. You can find out more here about what it takes to open the City Rail Link.

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