奥克兰城市铁路环线终于通车
After years of construction and more than a century of debate, Auckland's City Rail Link has finally opened to passengers.
The project is a 3.45-kilometre twin tunnel that runs underneath the city centre. Until now, trains coming into the central city had to stop at Waitematā (Britomart) station and then reverse back out the way they had come – a bit like driving into a dead end. The new tunnels turn that dead end into a through-route, so trains can pass straight through the city and carry on to the other side.
Three new stations have been built along the way. Two of them, Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape, are deep underground, close to some of the busiest shopping, office and university areas in the country. The third, Maungawhau, replaces the old Mount Eden station.
Transport officials say the change is the biggest shake-up of Auckland's rail network in generations. Trains are expected to run more often, and many journeys will be quicker, especially for people travelling across the city rather than just into it.
The opening caps a difficult period for commuters, who put up with years of roadworks, rising costs and a summer when the entire rail network was shut for more than a month for upgrades. Many will be hoping the wait was worth it.
经过多年施工和一百多年的争论，奥克兰的城市铁路环线（City Rail Link）终于开通，迎来了第一批乘客。
这个项目是一条长 3.45 公里、从市中心地下穿过的双线隧道。以前，开进市中心的火车必须在怀特玛塔站（原布里托马特站）停下，再原路倒出去，就像把车开进了死胡同。新隧道把这条死胡同变成了贯通线路，火车可以直接穿过市区，继续开往另一头。
沿线新建了三座车站。其中两座——特怀霍罗蒂乌站和卡兰加-阿-哈佩站——深埋地下，靠近全国最繁忙的购物区、办公区和大学区。第三座毛加瓦乌站则取代了原来的伊甸山站。
交通部门表示，这是奥克兰铁路网几代人以来最大的一次调整。火车班次预计会更密，很多行程也会更快，尤其是横穿城市、而不只是进城的乘客。
通车之前，通勤族熬过了一段艰难的日子：多年的道路施工、不断上涨的成本，还有一个夏天整个铁路网为了升级停运了一个多月。很多人都希望，这么长时间的等待是值得的。