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| Auckland
Getting Around |
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Public
Transport
Stagecoach Auckland operates a reliable bus network
around Auckland, most of which leave from the Britomart Centre.
Buses run:
Monday to Thursday, 6.00 am to 10.00 am
Friday 6.00 am to 11.30pm
Saturday and Sunday 7.00 am to 11.00 pm
Telephone: (0800) 103 080
Website address: www.rideline.co.nz
A flat fare in the city centre costs NZ $1.30, NZ $0.50 innercity,
and NZ $1.30 thereafter, for each zone traveled through. A ticket
for ‘The Link’, a city centre loop route bus, costs
NZ $1.30.
The Auckland Discovery Day Pass is available for
NZ $12, which provides unlimited travel on all buses, trains and
inner harbor ferries to the North Shore (including Devonport) for
the day of purchase.
The Auckland Pass is NZ $8 and is valid
on any buses, link buses and North shore and downtown ferries. Tickets
are available for purchase upon boarding, at visitor centres and
at stations. There is a free Auckland Busabout Guide available from
visitor centres and newsagents, which lists routes and fares.
Auckland has a small, commuter metro service called Connex
Auckland:
Telephone: (09) 969 7777
Facsimile: (09) 969 7700
Email address: info@connexauckland.co.nz
Website address: www.connexauckland.co.nz
Connex Auckland has 3 main lines, although it is of little value
to tourists as it serves only to link the suburbs with central Auckland
for the benefit of footsore commuters.
The Eastern line runs:
Monday to Friday 5.40 am to 9.00 pm
Saturday 7.40 am to 8.30 pm.
The Southern line runs:
Monday to Friday 5.50 am to 9.00 pm
Saturday 7.10 am to 9.00 pm
The Western Line runs:
Monday to Friday 5.40am to 10.30 pm
Saturday 7.05 am to 9.00 pm
Note: No sunday services currently exist.
The fare from the city centre to the end of each line is approximately
NZ $7 to $8. For a single ticket in stage 1, the fare is NZ $1.10,
there are 6 stages in total.
A Day Rover pass costs NZ $10 and is valid from 9.00 am Monday to
Saturday.
A 10 trip carnet and a monthly pass are also available from NZ $10
to $64 and NZ $96 to $199 respectively. All tickets and passes are
available for purchase on the train (exact change is recommended)
or are available cheaper at the Britomart.
Ferries
in Auckland are operated by Fullers:
Telephone: (09) 367 9111
Email address: enquiries@fullers.co.nz
Website address: www.fullers.co.nz
These link the ferry terminal on Quay Street with some of the further
suburbs, such as Birkenhead, Bayswater, Devonport and Stanley Bay.
Ferries run:
Monday to Thursday 6.15 am to 11.00 pm (approx)
Friday and Saturday 6.30 am to 1.30 am
Sunday 7.00 am to 11.00 pm
Ferry fares vary and
change with the price of oil, the main Auckland Devonport
Ferry currently costs NZ $9. Tickets are available for purchase
on board, in visitor centres and at the terminals.
Auckland’s Rideline provides further information on all public
transport services:
Telephone: (09) 366 6400
Website address: www.rideline.co.nz
The service that visitors will find particularly helpful is the
Explorer Bus:
Telephone: (0800) 439 756 or (09) 571 3116
Website address: www.explorerbus.co.nz
1 bus runs every half hour from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (October to April),
and hourly for the rest of the year, connecting all the major tourist
attractions.
The hop on hop off bus starts and finishes at the ferry terminal
on Quay Street. Tickets are available from the driver, for NZ $30
per day.
Taxis
There are many private taxi companies in Auckland,
with ranks situated around the city. Taxis can also be hailed in
the street, although booking by telephone is the general option.
1 of the biggest companies is the Auckland Co-op:
Telephone: (09) 300 3000
Website address: www.cooptaxi.co.nz
An alternate option is Alert:
Telephone : (09) 309 2000
Website address: www.alerttaxis.co.nz
Or visitors could also try Corporate:
Telephone: (09) 377 0773
Website address: www.corporatecabs.co.nz
Or Discount:
Telephone: (09) 529 1000).
The taxis in Auckland are metered, with a minimum charge of NZ$3,
and tipping is not expected.
Limousines
Limousines are not common in laid back Auckland,
however these 2 companies both provide a variety of limousines with
chauffeurs.
Coporate cars:
Telephone: (0800) 733 833
Website address: www.corporatecabs.co.nz
Regency Limousines:
Telephone: (09) 307 0374
Website address: www.chauffeurs.co.nz
Rates start from NZ $200 per hour.
The Auckland
Co-op offers business class cars for hire from NZ $65 per
hour:
Telephone: (09) 300 3000
Website address: www.cooptaxi.co.nz
Driving in the City
Auckland is as big and busy as any other major city, however driving
is not as stressful as it is elsewhere. Drivers in New
Zealand are much more considerate out in the country and reasonably
tolerant in the city.
A car is useful, as the roads are in good condition and fairly well
signposted, and driving is an opportunity to see the sprawling nature
of Auckland. The traffic in the Downtown area gets very busy, especially
in the morning and evening rush hours and, in particular, on a Friday
afternoon.
Parking Downtown can also be a problem,
however, there are 24 hour car parks. Central 24 hour car parks
include Albert Street (to the west of Queen Street and close to
the waterfront), Customs Street West and Beresford Street, near
Karangahape (K) Road.
Metered parking is generally NZ $2 to $4 per hour and about NZ $2
to $5 per hour in a secure car park.
Car
Hire
All the major international car hire companies have offices in Auckland,
as well as many domestic companies.
Drivers must
be over 21 years of age, and some companies add on a large
surcharge if the driver is less than 25 years of age.
A valid national or international drivers licence is required, and
in some cases, if the licence has been held for less than 3 to 5
years, an extra insurance excess may apply.
Fully comprehensive insurance is not obligatory but is advisable
and often included as part of the car hire deal, as many local drivers
in rural areas take a very relaxed attitude to driving regulations
and may not be insured themselves.
Extra insurance is not really necessary, as with each hire, there
is a refundable accident bond, a credit card slip
for anything from NZ $500 to NZ $1000, which goes toward the cost
of repairs, should the driver have an accident.
Drivers will probably find that when looking around for car hire,
the best deals are available from mid range domestic firms and money
can be saved by booking a car upon arrival in New Zealand,
rather than beforehand.
The major car hire companies include:
Ace Tourist
Rentals
Telephone: (09) 303 3112
Website address: www.acerentalcars.co.nz
A2B
Telephone: (0800) 222 999
Website address: www.a2brentals.co.nz
Avis
Telephone: (09) 275 7239
Budget
Telephone: (0800) 283 438
Website address: www.budget.co.nz
Hertz
Telephone: (0800) 654 321
Website address: www.hertz.com
Maui (camper van hire)
Telephone: (0800) 651 0800
Website address: www.maui-rentals.com
In the high season, rates start from about NZ $60 per day, for the
short term hire of a small car.
Bicycle
Hire and Scooter Hire
Cycling is popular
in New Zealand, and Auckland is a beautiful city in which to practice
this pastime, away from the centre and the rush hour traffic.
A signposted cycle route runs for 50 kilometres (which is 31 miles)
along the waterfront and around the city. There are several bicycle
hire companies, including Adventure Cycles:
Address: 36, Customs Street, East
Telephone: (09) 309 5566
Website: www.adventure-auckland.co.nz
Adventure cycles hires out a sit-up-and-beg bike for NZ $18 per
day, or a mountain bike from NZ $25 per day.
The company also hires out bikes for a month long period, for visitors
who fancy a quick pedal around the North Island, costing around
NZ $180. Most other companies offer similar hire rates.
Auckland has several motorcycle hire companies, with the minimum
size of bike usually being 250cc, which requires a full motorcycle
licence.
Smaller mopeds and scooters, where an ordinary car driving licence
is all that is required, can be hired for short trips but are of
limited value when touring the city and no value at all on longer
trips.
Motorbikes cost NZ $115 per day for a minimum of 7 days and NZ $140
a day for a minimum of 3 days. Scooter hire starts at approximately
NZ $40 for 2 hours or NZ $70 for a day.
Providers include:
Bike Adventure New Zealand
Address: Drury, Pukekohe
Telephone: (09) 848 6337
Website address: www.banz.co.nz
New Zealand Motorcycle Rentals and Tours
Address: 31 Beach Road
Telephone: (09) 377 0663
Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours
Address: 54 Barry Point Road, Takapuna
Telephone: (03) 372 3537
Website address: www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz
New Zealand Motorcycle Rentals and Tours is the only company out
of these which hires out scooters, at NZ $75 per day. |
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