Britomart to remain closed tonight after train derails near platform this morning

Britomart station will remain closed tonight after a train derailed just out of the station this morning.

There will be delays and changes to where trains depart and arrive this afternoon and tomorrow morning, an Auckland Transport spokesman said.

Eastern Line services will arrive at and depart from The Strand on a 20-minute frequency, Western and Southern Line services will arrive at and depart from Newmarket on a 20-minute frequency.

Onehunga Line services will run as a shuttle between Onehunga and Penrose, linking to Southern Line services.

There will be limited replacement buses running between Britomart and The Strand and Britomart and Newmarket.

Updates will be provided on Auckland Transport's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Passengers were trapped the a derailed train for 40 minutes this morning in an accident that crippled Auckland's busy Britomart Station.

Three carriages derailed as the train was leaving the station, scaring passengers who described the accident as a sudden shake "like a small earthquake".

The six-carriage train had 33 people on board but no one was injured.

Passenger Charles Stewart said everything was going smoothly and then there was a sudden shake "like a small earthquake" as the train came off the tracks.

AUT student Kirstin Elphick was on board when the train derailed and felt "absolutely freaked out" when the brakes slammed on.

"It felt like it was going really, really fast. All of a sudden it stopped."

The train looked like it was leaning against the tunnel, Elphick said.

It was "really annoying" that more information was not provided before the passengers got off the carriage, she said, as they had no idea how long they would be there for.

"We were wondering 'what on Earth is going on?'"

Elphick said it was also difficult to hear the announcements over the loudspeaker, which only added to the confusion.

An Auckland Council spokesman said the train had derailed at about 9.45am at the platform.