With lots to do and see in the city, it’s helpful to know how best to get in and travel around. So here is an updated guide on the best ways to get in, out and around on public transport - it's cheaper and easier than you think!
Before you set off
How to pay
No cash is accepted on board any public transport vehicle, so this means you must use an AT HOP card or a contactless payment method (such as contactless debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.) HOP Cards can be found at many convenience stores in the central city, check out the AT website here to see where you can purchase an AT HOP card if you do not already own one.
Kids travel free on weekends
All kids ages 5-15 with a registered AT Hop card travel free of charge on buses and trains on weekends and public holidays. Children under 5 travel free all days of the week when accompanied by a fare paying passenger.
The AT Journey Planner or AT Mobile app
We recommend you plan your trip using the AT Journey Planner or the AT Mobile app in order to find the best route possible, as well as the most recent updates on bus and train services in real time.
Bring your bikes and scooters and enjoy the city centre on wheels
Bikes and scooters travel free with any fare-paying passenger on most ferry and train services, subject to available space. Peak train times not recommended. On buses, scooters and bikes are allowed if they are folding. See here for more information.
Deals and fares
Not aware of how cheap and cheerful public transport can be? The points below are worth knowing about.
Kids ride free on weekends and public holidays.
Children 5-15, inclusive, travelling with a registered AT HOP card can travel free on trains, buses and ferries* on weekends and on public holidays. Children under five already travel free of charge. *Applies to the following weekend ferry services: Bayswater, Beach Haven, Birkenhead, Devonport, Half Moon Bay and Hobsonville Point. Standard child fares apply to Waiheke services.
Off-peak fares set to become permanent.
Good news for people travelling frequently or off-peak – with a daily fare cap of $20 introduced for travel on trains, buses (excludes SkyBus) and Bayswater, Birkenhead, Northcote Point and Devonport inner harbour ferry services using AT HOP. Anyone can get an off-peak discount. Just travel with an AT HOP card or contactless payment method during off-peak hours: before 6am, between 9am to 3pm, after 6.30pm until end of service on weekdays, all day on weekends and public holidays. Just be sure to tag on and off using the same card or smart device. If you travel on multiple services, each tag-on must be during one of these periods for the off-peak discount to apply.
Catching a ferry + bus or train in one trip? Only pay for one fare.
Ferry services have joined AT Metro’s integrated fare system. This means you can transfer between AT bus, train and most ferries and pay just one fare for your entire journey with your AT HOP card. Check all fares here
Buses
There are many buses that come in from all parts of Auckland to the city centre, with the main ones being the Outerlink, Innerlink, TamakiLink and Northern Express buses.
- The OuterLink (bright orange bus) is a journey that covers the inner suburbs of Auckland City including Parnell, Newmarket, Pt Chevalier, St Lukes, Mt Albert, Westmere, Herne Bay and the city centre.
- Runs in both directions on the loop route and are scheduled every 12-15 minutes Monday-Friday (6am-midnight) and every 15 minutes on weekends (6am-midnight).
- Best locations to depart the OuterLink bus for city centre exploring are Wellesley St.
- The InnerLink (bright green bus) is the easiest way to get around the inner city. This loop will pass by Britomart, Spark Arena, Parnell, The Auckland Museum, New Market, Karangahape Road, Ponsonby Road, Victoria Park, SkyCity and Queen Street.
- Runs in both directions and is scheduled for every 10-15 minutes Monday-Friday (6:10am- midnight) and every 15 minutes on weekends (6:20am-midnight).
- Best locations to depart the InnerLink bus for city centre exploring are Victoria St W, any stop along Queen St and Customs St.
- The TāmakiLink (bright blue bus) is the easiest way to get into the city centre from the Eastern Bays. This route travels along Tāmaki Drive from Britomart, passing Spark Arena toward Okahu Bay, Mission Bay, Kohimarama Beach, St Heliers Bay and Glen Innes.
- The TāmakiLink bus operates every 15 minutes in both directions
- If you’re coming into the city centre from the Eastern Bays, the best stop to depart the bus is on Customs Street near Britomart.
- The NX1 bus is perfect for connecting those coming from the North Shore into the city centre, traveling along the Northern Busway from Albany Station, Constellation Station, Sunnynook Station, Smales Farm, Akoranga station, and then to Downtown at the Lower Albert St bus station.
- The NX1 travels in both directions very frequently daily (every 3-5 minutes during peak times) from 5:30am-midnight with a night busses on Fridays & Saturdays.
- The best location to depart the bus for city centre exploring its end stop on Lower Albert Street.
While you’re in the city, the City Link (bright red bus) can help you visit all areas of the heart of the city looping from Wynyard Quarter to Britomart up Queen Street to Karangahape Road along to Pitt Street and back down Queen Street toward Wynyard Quarter. This bus runs every 7-8 minutes on weekdays (6am-midnight) and every 10 minutes on weekends (6:20am-midnight).
New Airport Link e-bus service
Getting between the city centre and the airport has been made easier with the introduction of the new Airport Link ebus service – providing 13-20 minute frequency connections between trains and the airport. The service will run from the recently upgraded Puhinui station.
Trains
Trains cater to those coming in from areas in the East, South and West of Auckland dropping passengers in the heart of the city at Britomart Station.
Western Line, Southern Line, Eastern Line and Onehunga Line
- The Western Line operates between Swanson and the city centre Waitematā (Britomart) via Henderson and New Lynn.
- The Southern Line operates between Papakura and the city centre Waitematā (Britomart) via Manurewa and Newmarket.
- The Eastern Line operates between Manukau and the city centre (Britomart) via Sylvia Park and Panmure.
- The Onehunga Line operates between Onehunga and the city centre Waitematā (Britomart) via Penrose and Ellerslie.
Click here to see the Auckland train network line map to see what station is closest to you, and how they connect to get in to the city centre.
Ferries
Ferries are a great option for visitors coming in from the North Shore, Waiheke Island and areas such as Hobsonville and Half Moon Bay.
Ferry services have joined AT Metro’s integrated fare system. This means you can transfer between AT bus, train and ferry and pay just one fare for your entire journey with your AT HOP card.
People using the Devonport ferry to get between the North Shore and the city centre will enjoy 20minute frequency services over an extended peak window across the morning and afternoon, with services also linking up with the updated Devonport bus timetable
Services to and from the city centre and Hobsonville Point (via Beach Haven) are being boosted from 12 trips a day to 18 (from 6:15am-10:55pm weekdays) with 8 trips on the weekend (from 8:25am-10:55pm).
To see Auckland ferry maps and timetables, click here.
See here for more details on ferry journeys into the city centre.
Know what buses to look out for
OuterLink Bus
Innerlink Bus
Citylink bus
Tamalink Link Bus
Photo indicative only - Northern Express Bus looks exactly like this double decker bus in image.