Auckland Transport

Auckland is served by its own international airport, which is situated just 15 miles from the city centre. Auckland International Airport is fairly large, catering to New Zealand’s most populous city and providing the country’s chief gateway for international visitors. The airport has one international and two domestic terminals, which between them facilitate over 25 international and around half a dozen domestic airlines.

The international terminal is the largest building in the airport complex and offers a good selection of passenger facilities and services. For financial needs, there are cash machines (ATMs), a bank and bureaux de change, while a doctor is on hand in a first-aid room for passengers in need of medical assistance.

Shopping options are plentiful and include five duty-free shops, eight souvenir shops, 23 specialty shops and a supermarket. For dining, there are a total of 10 outlets including bars and cafés.

Options for reaching the city from the airport are good, with the Airbus providing the cheapest form of transport for most passengers. The service departs every 20 minutes from outside the terminal buildings and takes a fixed route to the city. Services operate from 06:20 until 22:00 and the approximate journey time is 50 minutes.

Shared minibuses run to a wider range of destinations and offer discounted fares to those carrying youth cards. For passengers looking to travel with more comfort and convenience, there are taxis available for hire outside the terminal buildings.

Rail services in New Zealand are provided by Tranz Scenic. While services are relatively fast and inexpensive, the network and number of services operating are limited, making rail travel popular only with those travelling from the country’s capital city. There are twice daily trains, including one overnight service, running from Wellington Railway Station on Bunny street to Auckland Station at the Britomart Centre. The service between the two cities is known as the Overlander and takes 12 hours.

Long-distance bus services are provided by Newmans and InterCity, with routes between Auckland and most of the country’s major cities. Newmans operates services from Rotorua and Napier, and from Wellington via Hamilton and Taupo. InterCity operates a number of special travel pass routes to Auckland that serve a wide range of destinations. There are several smaller companies who provide services to Auckland from correspondingly small destinations. The majority of long-distance services terminate at the Sky City Coach Terminal.

For getting around the city, visitors will find an extensive network of public bus services provided by Stagecoach Auckland covering most of the city and its suburbs. For tourists, the route known as 'The Link' is useful because it follow a continuous loop around the city, Parnell, Newmarket and Ponsonby, stopping at key destinations en route.

During the week, buses operate at 10-minute intervals from 06:00 until 19:00 and then at 15-minute intervals until 23:30. Saturday and Sunday services begin later at 07:00. Bus fares should be paid directly to the driver upon boarding and passengers are requested to have the correct change.

City trains are also available, but there are only three lines and not all areas of the city are served. Trains run every 10 or 15 minutes and ticket machines are available at all stations. As the city is so spread out, using taxis to get around isn’t popular. Most visitors prefer to hire a car, which can work out as being more cost-effective.