Aucklanders get a first look at City Rail Link tunnel during walk-through

A section near Britomart station was opened up to the public for a limited time today.

Part of Auckland's underground has opened up so people can have a one-time walk of the tunnels making up the multi-billion dollar City Rail Link (CRL).

There were eager people queuing when the gates opened at 8am.

Joshua Paterson, 14, was the first and had been standing at the front of the line at Britomart Station since 7 o'clock.

"We came on the first Western Line train... I just want to review it before it comes because it's a big part of Auckland," he told 1 NEWS.

Lynn was another person eager to see what was going on - a veteran of walking across the Harbour Bridge for its big opening.

"It's incredible, I think we get so caught up in the inconvenience of how the streets are all blocked and we can't get to the shops, but you come down here and see the work that they've actually been doing," she said.

"The scale of it all is just incredible."

Officials gave away 10,000 free tickets to walk the depths of the tunnels which were snapped up in just quarter of an hour.

Many who went today had also walked through other key parts of Auckland's infrastructure on open days, like the Waterview Tunnel and the Victoria Park Tunnel.

CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney said a lot of work had gone into the open day, but it was worth it.

"I've been seeing delight, interest, amazement and a bit of excitement at people allowed into the construction site at this stage," he told 1 NEWS.

"I think they're really pleased finally at what's going on and real visible evidence of the progress that's been made on the job today," he said.

Construction will start up again on the years-long project once the open day is over.

Dr Sweeney said CRL was looking at other ways the public can get up close to the construction work at a later time.

SHARE ME

More Stories