Auckland City Guide - Getting Around

Stagecoach Auckland (tel: (09) 373 9118; website: www.stagecoach.co.nz) operates a reasonable bus network around Auckland, most of which leave from the Britomart Centre (see Getting There By Rail).

‘The Link' is a city centre loop-route bus convenient to explore the city. The Auckland Discovery Day Pass provides unlimited travel on almost all buses, trains and inner harbour ferries (see below) to the North Shore (including Devonport) for the day of purchase, while the Auckland Pass is valid on any buses, link buses and North-shore and downtown ferries. Tickets are available for purchase upon boarding, at stations and at visitor centres. There is a free Auckland Busabout Guide available from newsagents and visitor centres, which lists routes and fares.

Auckland has a small, commuter metro service run by Veolia Transport Auckland (tel: (09) 969 7777; website: www.veoliatransport.co.nz), with three 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. There are no trains on Sundays.

The metro service has six fare stages. A Day Rover pass is is valid from 0900 Monday to Friday and any time on Saturday. A 10-trip carnet and a monthly pass are also available. You can buy all tickets and passes on the train (exact change is recommended) or more cheaply at the Britomart.

Ferries, operated by Fullers (tel: (09) 367 9111; website: www.fullers.co.nz), link the ferry terminal on Quay Street with some of the further suburbs, such as Devonport, Bayswater, Birkenhead and Stanley Bay. Ferries operate seven days a week. Fares vary and fluctuate with the price of oil. Tickets are available on board, at the terminals and in visitor centres.

The information service Maxx (tel: (09) 366 6400 or 0800 103 080; website: www.maxx.co.nz) provides integrated details on all public transport services. Alternatively pick up the Getting Around Auckland transport guide from the Britomart station.

The main service that visitors will find useful is the Explorer Bus (tel: (09) 571 3116 or 0800 439 756; website: www.explorerbus.co.nz), with one bus running every half hour from 0900-1600 (October to April) and hourly for the rest of the year from 1000-1600 (see Tours of the City), linking up all the major tourist attractions. The hop-on hop-off bus starts and terminates at the ferry terminal on Quay Street. Tickets are available from the driver.

There are several 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 usual option. One of the biggest companies is the Auckland Co-op (tel: (09) 300 3000; website: www.cooptaxi.co.nz). Alternatively, visitors could try Alert (tel: (09) 309 2000 or 4000 for larger vehicles; website: www.alerttaxis.co.nz), Corporate Cabs (tel (09) 377 0773; website: www.corporatecabs.co.nz) or Discount (tel: (09) 529 1000). Taxis are metered, with a minimum charge of NZ$3. Tipping is not expected.

Auckland is as big and busy as any other major city but driving is not the stressful experience it can be elsewhere. Drivers in New Zealand are much more courteous out in the country and reasonably tolerant in the city. A car is useful, because of the sprawling nature of Auckland and the fact that the roads are in good condition and fairly well signposted. However, the Downtown area gets very congested, especially in the morning and evening rush hours and, in particular, on a Friday afternoon. Parking downtown can also be a problem. 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.

All the major international car hire companies have offices in Auckland, as well as several domestic companies. Most of the large depots are out towards the airport but there are usually shuttle services to and from them. Drivers must be over 21 years of age - some companies add on a hefty surcharge if the driver is less than 25 years. A valid national or international driving licence is required - in some cases, if the licence has been held for less than three to five years, an extra insurance excess may apply.

Fully comprehensive insurance is not compulsory 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. However, 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$1,000), which goes toward the cost of repairs (either part of it or in its entirety), should the driver have a prang. Drivers will probably find, when hunting around, that the best deals are available from mid-range domestic firms and that money can be saved by booking a car upon arrival in New Zealand, rather than beforehand.

The main car hire companies include Ace Rental Cars (tel: (09) 303 3112 or 0800 502 277; website: www.acerentalcars.co.nz), A2B (tel: (09) 377 0825 or 0800 222 999; website: www.a2brentals.co.nz), Avis (tel: (09) 275 7239 or 0800 284 722; website: www.avis.co.nz), Budget (tel: (09) 976 2270 or 0800 283 438; website: www.budget.co.nz), Hertz (tel: (09) 256 8695 or 0800 654 321; website: www.hertz.com) and Maui (tel: (09) 275 3013 or 0800 651 080; website: www.maui.co.nz), which also hires out camper vans, as does KEA Campers (tel: (09) 441 7833 or 0800 520 052; website www.keacampers.com).

Cycling is popular in New Zealand and Auckland is a pleasant city in which to practise this pastime - away from the centre and the rush-hour traffic. A signposted cycle route runs for 50km (31 miles) along the waterfront and around the city. There are several bicycle hire companies, including Adventure Cycles, 1 Laurie Avenue, Parnell (tel: (09) 940 2453; website: www.adventure-auckland.co.nz). The company also hires out bikes for a month-long period, for those who fancy a quick pedal around the North Island.

Auckland has many motorcycle hire companies, with the minimum size of bike usually being 250cc, which requires a full motorcycle licence. Smaller scooters and mopeds, 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. Providers include Bike Adventure New Zealand, 55A Baldhill Road, Pukekohe (tel: (027) 498 8287 or 0800 498 600; website: www.banz.co.nz), New Zealand Motorcycle Rentals and Tours, 35 Crummer Road, Ponsonby (tel: (09) 360 7940; website: www.nzbike.com), and Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours, 54 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna (tel: (09) 489 9242; website: www.motorcycle-hire.co.nz). Waiheke Island Rental Cars, Waiheke Island (tel: (09) 372 8635), the only place a scooter comes into its own, offers a similar deal to those available on the main land. To hire a scooter in Auckland, try Scootling, 11 Great North Road (tel: (09) 360 0717; website: www.scootling.co.nz).