If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.
If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the News story.
Use the vocabulary list to check the meanings of some words before you listen.
Vocabulary
announce – to officially tell people something, especially a plan or decision
re-develop – to make something more modern
platform – in this context, the raised place beside a railway track where you get on and off a train in a station
peak – times that are busy, in this context, for public transport
off-peak – times that are less busy. Off-peak times for public transport are weekdays 9am-3pm and after 6.30pm, and all day on weekends and public holidays
mayor – the leader of a city or town
re-introduce – to start using something again or bring something back
session – a period of time used for a particular activity, especially by a group of people
Try these activities while listening
1. Listening for main ideas
First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?
2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:
- How long did construction take?
- How much did it cost?
- Who funded the project?
- What is the City Rail Link?
- How has Waitematā Station been redeveloped?
- How have the stations been designed for future growth in passenger numbers?
- According to Auckland Transport, what benefits will the City Rail Link provide?
- How often will trains run at peak times?
- When was the idea for an underground railway first suggested?
- What happened in 2003?
- In 2013, what did the Government announce?
- How can people see the new stations before they open?
News story
It was announced last week that the City Rail Link in Auckland will officially open on Sunday 13 September.
The City Rail Link is New Zealand’s largest ever transport infrastructure project. Construction began in 2016 and finished at the end of June 2026. It cost $5.493 billion and was funded by the Government and Auckland Council. The City Rail Link is a 3.4 kilometre underground railway which connects all of Auckland’s train lines into one network. There are twin tunnels which have been built up to 42 metres below the city and two new underground stations, Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape. Waitematā Station has been redeveloped into a two-way through station instead of a ‘dead-end’ station, and Maungawhau Station (formerly Mt Eden Station) has been redeveloped. The stations have been designed for future growth in passenger numbers, so the platforms will accommodate trains with nine carriages in the future.
According to Auckland Transport, the City Rail Link will give Aucklanders more trains more often. Services will be faster, more reliable and more direct. For example, travelling from Henderson to Te Waihorotiu will take 35 minutes, 24 minutes less than now. At peak times, trains will run every five minutes through the city centre and on average around 10 minutes elsewhere on the network. At off-peak times the new lines will operate every 15 minutes throughout the day, including weekends, compared with every 20 minutes now.
The idea for an underground railway was first suggested in 1923, but it was never built. Instead motorways were built. However, from the 1960s various mayors tried to reintroduce plans for underground rail. These were unsuccessful until 2003 when Britomart station was opened and plans to connect it to the Western line were developed. In 2013, the Government announced that they would support the project. Britomart Station is now called Waitematā Station.
There are open days at the new stations so that the public can have a ‘First Look’ at them. These are free sessions, but people need a ticket and numbers are limited. The first open day was on Saturday 8 August, at Maungawhau. The next one is Saturday 15 August at Karanga-a-Hape, and the last one is on Saturday, 22 August, at Te Waihorotiu. The free tickets are available one week ahead of each event.
Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer.
a. How long did construction take?
Ten years (started in 2016 and finished at the end of June 2026)
b. How much did it cost?
$5.493 billion
c. Who funded the project?
The Government and Auckland Council
d. What is the City Rail Link?
A 3.4 kilometre underground railway which connects all of Auckland’s train lines into one network
e. How has Waitematā Station been redeveloped?
It’s now a two-way through station instead of a ‘dead-end’ station
f. How have the stations been designed for future growth in passenger numbers?
The platforms will accommodate trains with nine carriages in the future
g. According to Auckland Transport, what benefits will the City Rail Link provide?
It’ll give Aucklanders more trains more often. Services will be faster, more reliable and more direct
h. How often will trains run at peak times?
Every five minutes through the city centre and on average around 10 minutes elsewhere on the network
i. When was the idea for an underground railway first suggested?
1923
j. What happened in 2003?
Britomart station was opened and plans to connect it to the Western line were developed
k. In 2013, what did the Government announce?
They would support the project
l. How can people see the new stations before they open?
At open days: These are free sessions, but people need a ticket and numbers are limited. The free tickets are available one week ahead of each event.