Peters earlier told Ryan Bridge TODAY, “you can’t be excited” – citing time and money as an issue.
“This has been massively delayed, it’s massively overpriced but thank God the light at the [end of] the very long tunnel is coming to open today.”
Transport Minister Chris Bishop was brimming with excitement this morning as he described a feeling of “hubbub and hullabaloo” around the country’s first underground train metro.
The public will be able to board the City Rail Link from early Sunday morning, with the first train departing Otahuhu just before 6am.
Train enthusiasts have snapped up tickets for the journey alongside politicians and officials.
Addressing those gathered to mark the opening ceremony milestone Chris Luxon thanked those involved.
“Great infrastructure projects begin before the shovel is in the ground. They require leaders who need to think beyond political cycles.
“It’s so much more than a transport project, it’s about shaping economic growth for years to come.”
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said that while he was proud to lead a “modern city”, he acknowledged the toll it had taken on local businesses and ratepayers.
“[I have] very mixed feelings about today.
“Firstly, relief. I’m relieved to see it’s open at long last and I’ve lived long enough to see it.
“I have some sympathy for businesses disrupted at street level and I look forward to you seeing increased business.”
He gave credit to Auckland’s former mayor, to applause from the crowd.
“I have admiration for the tenacity of Len Brown to get it past the Government. Who then took it off him and signed contracts I never would’ve signed,” he said.
Auckland Transport chief executive Stacey Van Der Putten said it was an important day but acknowledged it had been a “sad week”, referencing the death of a MAGS student near Baldwin Ave station.
“It ripples through the community, the rail impact and the school and has a lasting impact on how we feel.”
Speaking live on Ryan Bridge TODAY from Auckland’s new Te Waihorotiu Station, based by SkyCity, Bishop said it was a momentous occasion.
“It’s fair to say there’s a bit of hubbub, a bit of excitement building in the city for the official ribbon cutting and hullabaloo at 9am.
“People watching will probably say ‘oh that looks like something in London, Sydney, Paris’ or whatever and it’s Auckland, look how good it looks.”
Bishop said despite anxiety expected for Sunday, they were ready.
“Any new timetable, any new change to the network, you’re a bit anxious about it, but we’re good to go.
“There’s been an enormous amount of work done over the last few years to get ready for this day.
“Will there be teething problems? Probably … human nature being what it is we should calibrate our expectations.”
Coalition colleague Peters was more restrained, telling Bridge while he planned to go to the station, “you can’t be excited”.
“This has been massively delayed, it’s massively overpriced but thank God the light at the [end of] the very long tunnel is coming to open today.”
KiwiRail CEO Peter Reidy told the Herald earlier this week he was confident the system was ready.
Commuters will face new timetables and route changes on the three main services: the East West, South City and Onehunga West lines.
The first weekday timetable will operate on the new CRL-enabled rail network with trains scheduled to run from just after 5am.
The East West Line will connect Swanson with Manukau, effectively joining today’s Western and Eastern lines and running through the new city-centre tunnel.
The South City Line will replace the Southern Line, running from Pukekohe through Newmarket and the city centre.
The Onehunga West Line will run between Onehunga and Henderson off-peak, but terminate at Maungawhau during peak hours.
The public have flocked to open days at Karang-a-Hape, Maungawhau and Te Waihorotiu stations before the official opening.
Katie Bradford is a senior correspondent at the Herald. She has been a broadcast journalist for over 20 years and was based in the press gallery for 10 years. She specialises in politics, business and Auckland issues.