Projects | Drury Rail Stations, Auckland, New Zealand

Change your location to view content tailored for you.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, work is underway on a major new growth area south of Auckland, at Drury. Over the next 30 years, an additional 120,000 people are expected to live in future communities in Takaanini, Opaheke, Drury, Paerātā and Pukekohe. The southern growth area will be transformed into a vibrant residential and business hub, with 40,000 new homes and 38,000 new jobs.

New stations at Drury Central, Ngākōroa, and Paerātā will improve travel access, reduce emissions, and support Auckland’s growing southern communities.

More ways to travel

To ensure this fast-growing part of Auckland has access to better travel choices that help people get to where they’re going safely, KiwiRail are delivering three new rail stations at Drury Central (a brownfield site), Ngākōroa and Paerātā (both greenfield sites). The new stations are being delivered in parallel with the electrification of the rail network between Papakura and Pukekohe, and will be operated and maintained by Auckland Transport.

The new stations will include a bus interchange and park and ride facilities, and will allow for connecting walking and cycle paths.

Funded by the New Zealand Government through the NZD 8.7 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme, Drury Rail Stations is one of a $1.5 billion suite of projects to modernise the rail network in New Zealand’s largest city.

Location

Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland, New Zealand

Client

KiwiRail (with Auckland Transport the operator)

Aurecon's Role

Aurecon provides geotechnical investigations, civil and structural design, active modes design, geometric design, architectural and urban design, mechanical and electrical design, consenting and engineering approvals, and construction phase support.

Expertise

Integrated Design, Building Design, Bridges & Civil Structures, Rail & Mass Transit, Roads & Transport Networks, Digital Engineering & Advisory, Environment & Planning, Ground & Underground Engineering

Status

Ongoing

Bringing these modern new stations to life

Aurecon is delivering the design for three new rail stations, including the station buildings, park and ride, bridges, roading and road connections.

Our scope includes utilities and geotechnical investigations, civil and structural design, active modes design, geometric design, architectural and urban design, mechanical and electrical design, consenting and engineering approvals.

Aurecon has a deep knowledge of the local area from our role in the wider Drury Precinct development, and delivering the design for Waka Kotahi’s State Highway 1 Papakura to Drury project.

To help people get to where they’re going safely, KiwiRail are delivering three new rail stations at Drury Central, Drury West and Paerātā.

Modular design improves cost efficiency and supports future flexibility

Aurecon has brought innovation with a modular station design that enables efficiency in construction and supports future proofing. The three stations have different layouts but with common elements including the bridges, vertical transport, and stairs, and primary and secondary entrances.

The development of the new stations and their associated facilities will be staged over time to meet the growing passenger demand feeding each station. The first stage provides two tracks and two platforms, with provision to double this in the future as patronage grows over the next 10 years.

Modifications can be made to easily increase the number of bridges, add additional ticketing facilities and escalators, and accommodate longer 9-car carriages. Importantly, the modular design means these future modifications can be made with minimal disruption to rail operations.

At Paerātā Station, Aurecon redesigned the layout to simplify bus-to-train transfers by raising the platform for single-level access, enhancing accessibility.

Human-centred design for passenger experience

Our team redesigned the layout for the Paerātā Station to deliver an enhanced passenger experience and improve accessibility. The reference design required three complicated level changes when passengers arrived at the station by bus, and sought to travel into the city by train.

Passengers would arrive at the bus terminal, travel down a 5 m flight of stairs to the station platform, climb a second flight of stairs to reach bridge level to cross the tracks and then go down another level to access the platform. Our team raised the platform up, providing direct access to the platform and requiring only a single level change for passengers, greatly improving accessibility.

Model-first approach enables deeper engagement with stakeholders

Drury Rail Stations is an exemplar project for Aurecon’s New Zealand certification in ISO19650 best practice information management standards. The project is also being delivered in line with KiwiRail’s 2021 digital engineering framework, developed on the Trentham to Upper Hutt Double-Tracking project.

The model-first approach has unlocked new opportunities for engaging with stakeholders and the client, for example, Aurecon developed a visualisation for the constructability of the stations that clearly and concisely articulates the sequencing of the key activities within the project (earthworks, traffic management and property acquisition required.) The visualisation enables neighbouring property owners to understand construction impacts much more effectively than traditional 2D plans.

Increasing transport choice and availability

How does public transport create opportunities that offer people more choices in how they live, work, and travel?

Delivering sustainable outcomes

Drury Rail Stations will make a meaningful contribution to reducing carbon emissions by promoting mode-shift towards public transport. Aurecon is also undertaking a carbon assessment on the design and delivering the project in line with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating tool, led by Liz Root who developed and led the multi-award winning sustainability programme on Auckland City Rail Link.

Aurecon is working with mana whenua to develop a narrative for the three stations that speaks to the cultural significance of the site, and the design seeks to minimise impact on areas of cultural value and enhance the existing environment, for example streams, waterways and restoring biodiversity. Mana whenua have gifted names for each of the three stations which restore the original Māori place names – Maketuu (Drury Central), Ngaakooroa (Drury West), and Paeraataa (Paerātā).

New stations at Drury Central, Ngākōroa, and Paerātā will improve travel access, reduce emissions, and support Auckland’s growing southern communities.

More ways to travel

Bringing these modern new stations to life

Modular design improves cost efficiency and supports future flexibility

Human-centred design for passenger experience

Model-first approach enables deeper engagement with stakeholders

How does public transport create opportunities that offer people more choices in how they live, work, and travel?

Delivering sustainable outcomes

TAGS

We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.

New stations at Drury Central, Ngākōroa, and Paerātā will improve travel access, reduce emissions, and support Auckland’s growing southern communities.

More ways to travel

Bringing these modern new stations to life

Modular design improves cost efficiency and supports future flexibility

Human-centred design for passenger experience

Model-first approach enables deeper engagement with stakeholders

How does public transport create opportunities that offer people more choices in how they live, work, and travel?

Delivering sustainable outcomes

TAGS

Explore projects

Auckland City Rail Link, New Zealand

Puhinui Station Interchange, Auckland, New Zealand

SH1 Papakura to Bombay, Auckland, New Zealand

We would love to work with you to bring your ideas to life, so get in touch and we'll get back to you.