Auckland Getting there & around

Getting around

Boat

Fullers and 360 Discovery both run ferries from Quay St in the city.

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Public transport

Due to rampant privatisation during the 1980s, Auckland’s public transport system is run by a hodgepodge of different operators, none of which seem to co-operate. As a result there are few integrated public transport passes. The Auckland Regional Council is trying to sort out the mess and runs the excellent Maxx (09-366 6400; www.maxx.co.nz) information service, covering buses, trains and ferries. The website has an excellent trip-planning feature.

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Bus & tram

Bus

Bus routes spread their tentacles throughout the city. Many services terminate around Britomart station. Bus stops often have electronic displays, giving an estimate of waiting times. Be warned: they lie.

Single-ride fares in the inner city are 50c for an adult and 30c for a child (you pay the driver when you board), but if you’re travelling further afield there are fare stages from $1.60/1 (adult/child) to $9.70/5.80. A one-day pass (which includes the North Shore ferries) costs $11, while a three-day pass costs $25 – there’s no reduction for children.

The environmentally friendly Link Bus ($1.60, every 10 to 15 minutes, 6am to 11.30pm) is a very handy service that travels clockwise and anticlockwise around a loop that includes Queen St, Sky City, Victoria Park Market, Ponsonby Rd, K Rd, Newmarket, Parnell and Britomart station.

The red City Circuit bus (every 10 minutes, 8am to 6pm) provides free transport around the inner city from Britomart station, up Queen St, past Albert Park to Auckland University, across to the Sky Tower and back to Britomart.

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Car & motorcycle

Auckland’s motorways jam up badly at peak times, particularly the Northern and Southern. It’s best to avoid them between 7am and 9am, and from 5pm to 7pm. Things also get tight around 3pm during term time, which is the end of the school day.

Parking is a problem in central Auckland, but there are plenty of car parks off Beach Rd, which is at the eastern end of Customs St. They cost around $8 for 12 hours. Most on-street parking meters (from $1 an hour) do not have to be fed money between 6pm and 8am or on Sunday – check the meters and parking signs carefully.

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Train

Auckland’s train service is excellent but limited. Trains are generally clean, cheap and (usually) on time – although any hiccup on the lines can bring down the entire network. You will need to refer to a timetable, as they aren’t particularly frequent.

Impressive Britomart station has food retailers, foreign-exchange facilities and even an artist-in-residence ‘booth’ that is frequently mistaken for a ticket office! Downstairs are plush toilets and left-luggage lockers.

There are just three train routes: one runs west to Waitakere, while two run south to Pukekohe. Services are at least hourly and run from around 6am to 8pm (later on the weekends). A $14 Discovery Pass allows a day’s travel on most bus, train and North Shore ferry services. Otherwise, pay the conductor on the train. All train carriages have wheelchair ramps.

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Local transport

Taxi

Auckland’s many taxis usually operate from ranks, but they also cruise popular areas. Auckland Co-op Taxis (09-300 3000) is one of the biggest companies. Flagfall is $3, then it’s $2.40 to $2.60 per kilometre. There’s a surcharge for transport to and from the airport and cruise ships.

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Bicycle

Adventure Cycles (0800 245 386; 1 Laurie Ave; hire per day $20-35; 7.30am-7pm Mon-Tue & Thu-Fri) hires out road, mountain and long-term touring bikes, runs a buy-back scheme and does repairs.

Maxx Regional Transport (09-366 6400; www.maxx.co.nz) publishes an excellent free Cycle Map, available from public buildings such as stations, libraries and i-SITEs. Bikes can be taken on ferries (free) and trains ($1), but only folding bikes are allowed on buses.

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