Flights and travel guide to Auckland

Auckland is the largest metropolitan area in New Zealand, with a population of over one million in the greater urban area. It is located in the northern half of the North Island, on a narrow isthmus of land that joins the Northland peninsula to the rest of the North Island. Auckland is often known as the “City of Sails” for the large number of yachts that grace the Waitemata Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf. It could also be known as the “City of Volcanoes”. Much of its natural character comes from the fact that it is built on the Auckland Volcanic Field which consists of about 48 volcanoes. All of the volcanoes are individually extinct but the volcanic field as a whole is not. Auckland is the largest city in Polynesia. For some Polynesian island nations, there are more expatriates living in Auckland than in their homeland. Auckland’s rich Pacific cultural mix is celebrated at festivals and sporting matches. Auckland often rates well in quality-of-life polls; consistently rating in the top five.

There are plenty of airlines offering flights to Auckland from major UK airports including London Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, New Castle, London Gatwick from as low as £ 199 exclusive taxes. Auckland International Airport, New Zealand’s largest airport, is located in the southern suburb of Mangere on the shores of the Manukau Harbour.

Transport from the airport to central Auckland and suburbs includes buses, shuttles and taxis. The bus to central Auckland is called Airbus and the adult fare is $15 (backpacker/student $13). Other bus services run to the suburbs including one which connects with the rail system at Papatoetoe Train Station. If you are travelling to other parts of the country from the airport, you should consider nakedbus.com, a low cost bus operator with services from the airport to many parts of the country.

There are a variety of ways to get around including bus, train, ferry, taxi, shuttle and hiring your own car. Auckland is a very car dependant city and for most tourists used to extensive public transport systems, frustrations can mount. It may be more prudent to hire a car if you wish to do a lot of cross city travel though roads frequently become heavily congested and driving standards can be poor.

By bus

Bus is the most preferred method of public transport in Auckland, carrying over 40 million passenger trips a year. Buses to popular destinations are often regular (usually every 10-15mins). For example Kelly Tarltons and Mission Bay have buses (numbers 745-769) running at least every 15 minutes Monday to Saturdays though much less frequently Sundays. If you don’t mind a 5 to 10 minute walk to a bus stop you can get by without a car in Auckland. However buses are not always reliable, especially during peak hours. Delays of up to 15 minutes are common on certain routes. Buses are also a slow way to travel long distances, and travel is remarkably more difficult going across town than on a main North-South route. If possible consider taking a train or ferry instead. If you are travelling to less frequented areas or outer suburbs be prepared for long travel times and long wait periods (30+ mins) between services.

By train

Travel by train is a good option if you are near a train line, but there are only three lines so many suburbs are not served. While the train service has had a bad history due to under-investment, it has been improving in recent years due to increased investment in train carriages and the upgrading of many of the 36 train stations. An annual patronage increase of 30% was achieved in 2005, bringing total patronage to over 5 million passengers a year for the first time since the 1960s.

There are three lines: the Eastern, Southern and Western Lines. Services on the Southern line run from Britomart station in downtown Auckland south to Papakura, with a few services on to Pukekohe. The Southern Line runs roughly parallel to the Southern Motorway and indeed runs right beside the motorway through part of Auckland City. The Eastern Line is a short line that runs from Britomart through four stations in the east of Auckland City before joining the Southern line just before Westfield station. Services on the Eastern line also continue to Papakura and Pukekohe. The Western line runs from Britomart west to Waitakere Station. There are no train services on the North Shore or in the eastern suburbs of Manukau City.

The Southern and Eastern Lines have the most frequent and reliable services. Trains on these lines combined run every 10 minutes on-peak, 15 minutes off-peak and 30 minutes evenings and weekends. Approximately 80-90% of these services run on-time. The Western Line suffers from somewhat unreliable and less frequent services, and is currently undergoing development to improve frequencies and reliability. Trains on this line runs every 15-20 minutes on-peak, every 37 minutes off-peak and every 30 minutes weekends. Approxmently 60-70% of these trains run on-time.

By car

The Auckland roading network experiences severe congestion at rush hour. The geography of Auckland constrains the network to a limited number of routes. Studies have shown that Auckland has one of the most comprehensive roading networks of any city in the world relative to its size, but lack of investment in public transport means the city is largely dependent on the private automobile. It is often easier and cheaper to hire a car instead of using taxis, simply because the city is so large and spread out. Taxi fares may be NZ$50 - NZ$100 from the airport to a city location, about the same as it costs to hire a car per day.

• Auckland War Memorial Museum, Domain Drive, Parnell. 10am-5pm. It is more than a war memorial, it is a general museum and one of the best in New Zealand. It stands in an imposing position in the Auckland Domain, a large park on an extinct volcano. Suggested donation $5 adult.
• New Zealand National Maritime Museum, Corner Quay and Hobson Street, Viaduct Harbour. Interesting exhibits chronicle New Zealand’s Maritime history. Admission $16 adult, $7 children, $11 senior citizens.
• Sky Tower, Corner Victoria and Federal Streets. At 328 meters, this is the tallest free-standing tower in the Southern Hemisphere, offering views of up to 80 kilometers away.
• Auckland Art Gallery, Corner Wellesley and Lorne streets,. The largest collection of national and international art in New Zealand. It is split across two buildings, the main gallery and new gallery. Adults $7.
• Auckland Zoo, Motions Rd, Western Springs. Sep-May 9.30am-5.30pm (last admissions at 4.15pm), Jun-Aug 9.30am-5pm, closed 25 Dec. Has 150 animal species, 500 animals and a number of different habitats such as the Rainforest and Pridelands (an African savannah). Adults $16, children 4-15 $8, seniors and students with ID $12, family rates available.
• The StarDome Observatory. Located on the slopes of One Tree Hill. The park also contains Maori archaeological sites, a kid’s playgrounds and a working farm.
• Kelly Tarlton’s. Located on Auckland’s scenic Tamaki Drive and the home of Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World. It’s an aquarium which includes a trip through a transparent tunnel while the fish and sharks swim all around you, and tanks of rays with feeding-time talks. Bus routes 740-769.
• Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens. Located in Manurewa (South Auckland) has over 10,000 different plant types spread over 65 hectares with both natives and exotics
• MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology), Great North Road, Western Springs. Situated near the Zoo in Western Springs. $14 Adults, $7 Child & Senior citizens. Children under 5 free. It’s an interactive museum with over 300,000 items. Look out for the WWII Avro Lancaster Bomber and the Solent Flying Boat in the Sir Keith Park Memorial Aviation Collection
• Otara Flea Market. Every Sat, open from 6am - 12 noon at the Otara Shopping Centre, Newbury St. Huge selection of clothes, household items and food. Otara is densely populated by polynesian people and this market reflects the culture of the area. Well worth a wander around. For other markets see local city council websites.

• The Waitakere Ranges are Auckland’s best kept secret. With stunning waterfalls breathtaking views and rugged but beautiful beaches.
• Climb the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
• Do the Sky Jump, a cable controlled base jump from a height of 192m on Sky Tower.
• Visit Ponsonby, Auckland’s cafe mile.
• Wine tasting on Waiheke Island. Waiheke is home to some fantastic wines and has some of the best beaches in the area. Can get crowded during the weekends, but very quiet during the week, it seems a world away from Auckland, and is only 35 minutes away via Ferry.
• Greater Auckland wine route here:
• Rainbow’s End, is New Zealand’s premier family-based theme park with many rides and attractions. Bus routes 471-472, 474, 487, 497
• Take a ferry from downtown to Rangitoto and climb to its summit. Fantastic views of the Waitemata harbour and Auckland city.
• Hire skates in Okahu Bay and take a scenic skate along Tamaki Drive
• Drive or walk up one of Auckland’s many volcanic cones such as One Tree Hill or Mount Eden to experience panoramic views of the city, and to see sheep and cows in a major metropolitan area!
• Spend a day exploring the beauty of contemporary Maori culture in Auckland’s city centre and urban bush sites.

• The Viaduct Harbour provides upmarket dining, starting at $30 for mains.
• The Deve Bar & Brasserie 460 New North Road, Kingsland Has top-notch beef & lamb amongst others. A relaxed place, and the neighbourhood has other good restaurants, cafes and a couple of bars.
• Saika Japanese Takeaway, Elliott St, 10AM-9PM (closed on national holidays). Common Japanese food. Gyudon, Katsudon, Chicken-don etc. Japanese-speaking staff available.
• GPK restaurant and bar. Mt Eden, Dominion Rd. Woodfired pizza specialty.
• Japanese Cuisine Bien, 55-65 Shortland St. Lunch M-F 11am-3pm; dinner Tu-Sa 6-10pm. Sushi, teriyaki chicken rice bowl, eel, etc.
• South Vietnam Restaurant, 39 Elliott St. Lunch: M-F 11am-3pm, Su 11am-10pm, closed on Saturdays. Dinner: Tu-Sa 5:30-10pm, closed on Mondays and national holidays.
• Valentine’s Restaurant. Buffet restaurants in heaps of places around Auckland.
• New Orient Restaurant, Strand Arcade, Queen St. Chinese restaurant. A la carte or buffet options.
• Hare Krishna Food For Life, 286 Karangahape Rd. vegetarian dinner.
• Korean Pancakes, High St opposite the New Gallery.
• Finale Restaurant and Cabaret, 350 Karangahape Road. Buffet meal and Drag Cabaret Shows.
• Ariake Japanese Restaurant, Corner Albert & Quay Streets. Cheap lunch specials. Serving most Japanese dishes, but no Teppanyaki. Lunch: Mon-Sat 12p-2p; dinner: Mon-Sat 6p-10p (9:30pm last order); closed on Sundays & New Zealand Public Holidays
• Sushi Bento, Parnell Village, Parnell Rd. Premier Sushi destination.
• Burger Fuel, Parnell Rd. Delicious gourmet burgers.
• Mezze Bar, Little High St Arcade. Serves tapas and other dishes. Often busy but worth the wait.
• Al Volo Pizzeria, 27 Mt Eden Road. 5-9:30pm, til 10:30 Fri and Sat, Closed Mondays. Limited seating, but you can order from the Corner Bar across the street. Will deliver to central suburbs.
• Mexicali Fresh, Prince’s Wharf. 11am-10pm. Fast, fresh & healthy Mexican food on Auckland’s waterfront.
• For kosher food, the Auckland Jewish Community Centre, which includes the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, has a kosher shop located on Greys Avenue, Auckland CBD (right next door to the Duxton Hotel) and is open every day except Mondays, Saturdays and Jewish festivals. It includes a large range of kosher products.

There are some good cheap food courts about. Try next to the Queens’ Arcade at the bottom of Queen st for a variety of Asian food for lunch (slightly hidden entrance). The Ponsonby International food court has the cheapest eats in this somewhat pricey neighbourhood.

• Midcity, Wellesley Street, Opposite the ASB Bank (corner of Albert and Wellesley Streets). They are open 24/7. This is probably the best internet cafe in the city and has the fastest and most reliable computers / network. There are many internet cafes around the CBD area with prices ranging from $2 per half an hour to $5 per hour. There are 40 HotSpots that offer WiFi connectivity, most notably Esquires cafe (inside Skycity Queen Street, Middle Queen Street, Lower Queen Street, Nelson Street), Starbucks (Victoria Street, K’ Road, Lower Queen Street) and various cafes around Auckland.

• Phone Services, there are currently two major carriers in New Zealand, Vodafone and Telecom. Vodafone runs a GSM/GPRS network and therefore has broader support for phones, while Telecom run an outdated CDMA network. A sim-card connection pack from Vodafone costs roughly around $30 and comes with $5 worth of credit. Telecom has broader coverage even in remote areas away from major cities compared to Vodafone.

Auckland is generally a fairly safe place to visit. Be vigilant as you would in any other cities in the world, and with a little bit of common sense you will be safe. Being part of a group is obviously safer than walking about alone, particularly for women. Try to stay in lit areas and avoid dark side streets. Consider carefully where you leave your car especially if you park it in daylight and will have to relocate it after nightfall. Theft from cars is a common problem in New Zealand, so don’t leave valuables in your vehicle, or at least make sure they’re hidden from sight.

The local emergency contact number is 111 for all Police, Fire and St John Ambulances, from a mobile phone, the numbers 111, 112, 911 and 999 will all work too. Friday and Saturday nights can be dangerous on the road due to the high rate of drink driving and “boy racer” culture. Excessive speed, poor vehicle maintenance and bad driving attitudes can result in fatal crashes and care should be exercised. Areas in central Auckland to be vigilant around.

• Karangahape Road (K Rd): A large number of pubs and clubs are located here, however, care should be taken late at night as assaults and theft can occur.
• Lower Queen Street: During the day this is a repectable shopping area but care should be taken after dark as there will be few pedestrians about. A number of homeless people sleep around this area, they won’t hurt you, and if you do have to go here at night time, walk quickly or in a group and you’ll generally be fine.
• Fort Street: The centre of Auckland’s red light district. After dark this area may be rather intimidating and it pays to be sensible.
• High Street/Vulcan lane: During the day this is an elegant and upmarket shopping area but care should be taken late at night as assaults and theft can occur.
• Viaduct Harbour: A large number of bars are located here and care should be taken late at night as intoxication levels rise.

• Flights to Auckland from Aberdeen
• Flights to Auckland from Belfast Intl
• Flights to Auckland from Birmingham
• Flights to Auckland from Bristol
• Flights to Auckland from Cardiff
• Flights to Auckland from Edinburgh
• Flights to Auckland from Glasgow
• Flights to Auckland from London City
• Flights to Auckland from London Gatwick
• Flights to Auckland from London Heathrow
• Flights to Auckland from Manchester
• Flights to Auckland from Newcastle