New station brings trains back to Auckland's centre

With a population of just 3.7 million, New Zealand is not exactly renowned for its traffic problems. However the economy of Auckland, its largest city, was starting to suffer from the global bane of traffic congestion and something had to be done. The first step towards a more integrated transport system was to return the main railway station back to the city centre site it vacated 65 years ago, only this time underground. By combining conventional materials with state-of-the-art design and construction methods, the project team was able to deliver a large, safe and attractive transport interchange within a very limited budget and time frame.