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For years, living further south in Auckland came with a fairly predictable trade-off: more space, newer communities and often better value – but a longer trip into the city.
The City Rail Link has just changed that equation.
Source: AT
On 13 September 2026, Auckland’s new City Rail Link opened to passengers, marking the biggest change to the city’s rail network in generations. The $5.493 billion project includes 3.45km of twin underground tunnels and new connections through the heart of Auckland.
For people living around Drury and Karaka, the exciting part is not really the tunnels.
It is where those tunnels can now take you.
Drury To The City. One Train.
Drury Station opened in August as part of the investment in Auckland’s rapidly growing south.
With the new South City Line now operating through the CRL, passengers from Drury can travel directly into central Auckland without changing trains, including stops at the new Karanga-a-Hape and Te Waihorotiu stations.
That means easier access to different parts of the city rather than simply arriving downtown.
Te Waihorotiu puts you around Victoria and Wellesley Streets. Karanga-a-Hape takes you straight to the K Road precinct. Waitematā remains your connection for the waterfront, Commercial Bay, ferries and the lower city.
For residents at Watermere Residences in Karaka, Drury Station is approximately five minutes away.
From there, you can be in central Auckland with no train change required.
No Southern Motorway crawl. No circling the CBD looking for a car park. No watching Google Maps turn progressively redder while reconsidering every decision that led you to this moment.
Just get on, sit down and go.
It Is Not Only About Saving Time
A better rail connection also gives people something increasingly valuable in Auckland: choice.
You can still drive when it makes sense. But you no longer have to drive every time you need to get into the city.
For someone commuting several days a week, that can mean less money spent on petrol and CBD parking, fewer kilometres on the car and considerably less time concentrating on the bumper immediately in front of you.
The new South City Line is also designed to make rail a more practical everyday option, with trains running approximately every 10 minutes during peak periods and every 15 minutes off-peak.
And the connectivity goes beyond the CBD. From the South City Line, passengers can connect with other rail services across Auckland, while Puhinui provides a connection to the AirportLink service.
Source: AT
Auckland’s Growth is Heading South
The more interesting story, however, is what comes next.
Drury is not simply getting a railway station because someone found an empty piece of land beside the tracks.
It is part of a much bigger plan for southern Auckland.
Around 65,000 people are expected to live in Drury by 2050, while southern Auckland’s population is projected to grow by approximately 130,000 people over the next 30 years.
Infrastructure is being developed around that growth.
Drury Station already includes 350 park-and-ride spaces, along with bus connections, cycle parking and drop-off areas. Another new station, Ngākōroa, is planned to open in Drury West in 2027, further expanding the area’s public transport network.
The CRL itself has also been built with Auckland’s future in mind. Its stations can accommodate longer nine-car trains as passenger numbers grow, and Auckland Council expects the project to significantly increase the number of people able to reach the city centre quickly by public transport.
In other words, this is not just about making today’s commute easier.
It is infrastructure being put in place for the Auckland of tomorrow.
Source: AT
Karaka Living. Auckland Connectivity.
For places such as Karaka, that makes proximity to Drury Station considerably more meaningful.
You can have the benefits of living outside the dense inner city – newer homes, more breathing room and a growing local community – without feeling disconnected from Auckland Central.
Work in the city? Take the train.
Dinner or a show in town? Take the train.
Heading to Spark Arena? The South City Line goes directly to Waitematā Station.
And when everyone else is discussing what happened on the motorway, you can politely nod while remembering you spent the trip reading, answering emails or doing absolutely nothing.
Sometimes progress is complicated.
Sometimes it is simply one train, no changes and no traffic.
Come and see what is happening in Karaka
There are now only five homes remaining at Watermere Residences, just a short drive from the new Drury Station.
Open Home
2 Waimarie Drive, Karaka
Saturday & Sunday
12pm – 4pm
To learn more about Watermere Residences or arrange a viewing, contact Nicolas Ching at 021 184 7777 or nicolas@goodformproperties.co.nz.
Auckland is getting better connected. And suddenly, Karaka feels that little bit closer to everything.
