I was quite heartened to see that the Airport Express bus route is having its timetable expanded, so that it will run all night, every night of the week. Buses will operate along the route (which roughly goes: Queen Street-Symonds Street-Mt Eden Road-SH20 Motorway-SH20A-Airport) every 15 minutes throughout the day, and then every 30 minutes at night time.
Here’s a fairly decent map of the route:
My first question when finding this out was “will anyone use it at 3am?” Well if you look at the arrivals and departures of planes at the airport – it does seem like there is often a pretty small gap between the “last arrival/departure” (usually around half past midnight) and the “first arrival/departure” (often around 3.30-4am). Considering that people can take a while to get through customs, and also that they have to check in for international flights a couple of hours before the flight takes off, I do actually think that there is probably never a completely dead time at the airport. Therefore, I think that it’s very much possible that there would be demand for the service at all hours of the day and night. It certainly beats having to catch a $50 taxi.
One slightly annoying aspect is that the buses along Mt Eden Road will only pick up or drop off passengers for the airport. I guess that makes sense in that “this is an airport bus”, but if someone is willing to pay $16 to get from the CBD to their house in Mt Eden at 3am in the morning (which would still be cheaper than a taxi) why shouldn’t they be allowed?
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$50 would be a cheap taxi ride to the airport. To central Auckland, it costs more like $60-$80. This bus is a really good serive and I’d like to more people using it to save money – for anyone traveling north of mt eden, it’s far cheaper to take the bus as far as possible then catch a taxi from there, if necessary. And there is very litle time difference.
What is the new line up at wellington airport for taxis and shuttles? Are wellington combined taxis to get their own lane where the shuttles now sit?and what about green cabs – will they be allowed their own spots this time?
One thing for sure – the flyer bus will get a prime spot!!!!
It makes sense to keep it simple and reliable and Airport only. $16 will get you a taxi fare to Mt Eden, so there’s no need.
I was pretty pissed off earlier in the year when coming back from Melbourne I got in at 11pm, sped through customs/immigration, and waited for the airport bus as I had a return ticket to use. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they stopped at 11pm!! I had to take a $30 shuttle service into town and I still have a return airbus ticket to use.
And I’m doubly pissed off having organised a trip to Aussie in January carefully avoiding arriving back after 10pm that they suddenly announce they are going 24/7!
I think the original timetable was stupid – last flights from Aussie arrive after 10.30pm usually and are full, cause they are generally cheaper – that was a criminal waste of opportunity there not to recoginse that and arranage timetables accordingly so that people could get through customs / immigration and be able to catch that bus at say 11.45pm.
So fuck the Airport Express – I still have that return tix and they are going to accept it next time whether they want to or not.
And another thing – when you are waiting for the bus at the airport there are no SIGNS anywhere telling you where to wait – I’ve waited at some bus stop only to have the airbus pull up at another stop and I had to run with others to catch it. How’s that for service?
Just get a train running out there 24/7 – that would be far better.
Signage for the Airport Bus could definitely be improved. I know overseas it is always extremely clear where to go – even if you are in a country where you don’t speak the language!
I must say I really do like the idea of even one little bit of public transport operating 24/7. Perhaps a first step towards creating some more regular 24/7 routes
I think it’ll be a good indication of the accuracy of the patronage figures from the Beca report on Southwestern rail corridors and the potential for “special trains” to and from the airport…
I can see them taking the first step of extending the Onehunga branch through Mangere and into the airport with a small yard and depot in one of the green fields out there which service the airport trains then run 8 trains with luggage storage etc… The tickets to or from the airport station could be $10 bucks and from any other station on the line normal pricing, with monthly passes for unlimited trips for $100 (for the workers) this could be done as a PPP to be completed at the same time as the CBD tunnel…
It is interesting to look at the merits of Airport rail. The Beca study seemed to indicate that it was a marginal investment, with its viability depending largely on assumptions of much higher PT modeshare in the future (which I think is quite likely btw).
I think a lot of the benefit of Airport rail will be indirect benefits such as improved trip reliability, a ‘world-class city’ boost, savings for people who would otherwise take a taxi, and so forth. How does a cost-benefit analysis measure stuff like that? Does it?
I think that getting the designation sorted, plus doing further work into the economic benefits of Airport Rail should be a priority. There is no point building this before the CBD Rail Tunnel, but hopefully it might happen not too long after it.
While some signs inside the airport pointing the way to the bus would be handy, I found it without too much difficulty last time I came out of the terminal (I have seen worse elsewhere in the world). The real time display at the stop probably helps tourists identify where the bus leaves.
I agree more 24/7 buses/trains would be good – perhaps one way to start would be to run normal buses to 1-2am. A few times I have been caught in town midweek with no nightrider, and even on Friday and Saturday nights there is a long wait between the last bus at 11pm and the first N31 at 1.30am.
Longer running times for buses means split shifts for drivers could be banned, which would also support greater off peak frequencies. Drivers could reasonably expect to be compensated for driving ‘unsociable hours’. While this may require greater public funding, Aucklanders would save plenty from not being forced to catch taxis.
Absolutely the CBD tunnel must come first but I’ve had the idea that the $900 million required to extend the line from Onehunga, double track Onehunga and provide a new airport yard with airport trains could be done as a PPP in conjunction with the CBD tunnel…
Is great that it shows on the map the connection to Western Line trains at Mt Eden. I also know the 380 bus from Manukau is diverted so it stops at Papatoetoe station. These seem to be a good start in bus-rail integration however you wonder how many people know about this, so I think it needs to be more widely advertised, maybe ads on the trains or signs on the platforms, and in the airport.
Also how do they justify the $16 one way/$22 return cost. For a 1.5hr bus to Papakura only costs $7.50.
Its actually much cheaper taking the train to Papatoetoe, and then getting on the bus, which only costs $8, although the journey planner won’t tell you this. Also it takes a bit longer because of the 30min frequency of the 380.
Given the airport is a major employment hub, there really needs to be a monthly pass option where the cost is the same as if it was a normal commuter bus trip.
Adding to Luke’s point, why are airport buses so expensive? This appears to be an international trend. Does the airport take a cut or is it because the next best option is an expensive taxi?
I think the answer is “because they can”. Generally people don’t travel to the airport particularly often, so when they do they don’t mind paying a bit more than normal.
I think its for the same reason that a taxi to the airport is far more expensive than a taxi going a similar distance – because the airport company can charge a premium to access their land if you’re a transport company. Its the way it seems to work in the rest of the world, and also I believe part of the reason why it costs about 4 times more to jump on the train at the airport stations in Sydney compared to getting on at the next one down the line.
I could be wrong though.
The Wellington airport bus costs $8 each way from the city, or 20% less if you have a Snapper card. While this might make the Auckland service seem rather expensive, the distances are greater:
Britomart – Airport: 21.6km
Wellington CBD – Airport: 8.1km
I’m pleased the revamped Auckland arrangements have removed two irritations of the old service: the door-to-door hotel service in downtown Auckland that added unnecessary time to the schedule, and the lack of any intermediate stops along the airport route aside from Mt Eden village. Perhaps the abandonment of the downtown hotel stops meant they had more leeway to run a stopping service along the entire route.
If the airport gets a rail station then trains could go to all areas on the network at standard distance fares. Premium fares for an airport service (be it rail or bus) should only charged on direct non-stop routes (like the Heathrow Express). And why is there only one regular bus service at the airport (going to Manukau)? Why no bus services to Albany, Henderson or Howick, making the Airport terminals an integrated part of the PT network.
The signs and indicators are shocking. Even I couldnit find them.
I don’t see any reason in changing premium fares at the airport, it’s just extortion becuase they can.
More buses indeed, Why not extend the 380 to Manukau City and on to Botany and Pakauranga or Howick? And do a similar route westerly via Onehunga out to Henderson.
Perhaps running the airbus up the busway to an Albany terminus could be very effective, that would result in an airport bus line running the length of the city (and in pretty good time too, even Albany station would only be one hour ten minutes from the international terminal).
The Wellington Airport bus used to be less than $6. The new price is just gouging (whether airport fees or the bus co are responsible I don’t know).
Shall we buy a bus Nick and run a cheap bus from Britomart to the two terminals for $5..?
Jeremy, I wonder if the airport charges for access to its land? Are the roads within the Airport’s land still public roads? I’m not sure they are.
For drop off and pick up there are no gates, the road code gives a definition of a public road, IIRC it includes gravel roads on farms behind closed gates so I don’t see how they could…
Operating a commercial service on land owned by someone else without their permission, might be pretty dodgy.
I’m not sure about what’s required legally, bus stop access, waiting etc, I am but a lowly law enforcement officer and the world of business frightens me tremendously…
I have the feeling we wouldn’t get within 1000m of the terminal door unfortunately….
Hi – I work for Auckland Airport, and thought I could clarify a couple of points made here.
I can confirm that Auckland Airport does not charge public transport operators at all, including for access or per passenger. In fact we have invested significant time and money into working with Auckland public transport planners to help improve access to the airport, and we’re really pleased to see Airbus Express going 24/7.
We do have concession arrangements with private transport operators such as taxi’s and shuttles, mainly to ensure a consistently high quality of service and provide some protection for consumers. Each of the individual licence holders pays a fee that is set as part of their own tender, and is not set by Auckland Aiport.
Public and private transport operators set their own prices.
Hope that helps at least some of the questions above.
Cheers
Rich
Thanks for clearing that up Richard. Nick and Jeremy, it looks like your business idea is a goer!
Nick/Jeremy, if you like I can put you in touch with the people at the airport who deal with the public and private transport operators, and they can talk to you about your business case and hopefully give you some useful background information on the hows, whys, wheres, whens etc.
While public transport operators connecting to the airport aren’t charged and don’t have concession arrangements in place like private taxi and shuttle operations, there will likely need to be an operating arrangement of some kind to cover various things like service standards, compliance with airport regulations, etc, and I’m also guessing there may be some requirements through council or other local government bodies or authorities for you to consider and/or comply with.
I’m not sure if Jeremy was actually being serious…. he might have been though.
Ha, thanks Richard, I’m the black sheep from a family of entreprenuers and really enjoy my work in law enforcement, I was commenting on the fact that there was an opportunity for anyone willing to undercut the current high price of $15…
Please forward me the info however, to jeremymichaelharris@gmail.com and I’ll forward it on to a family member of mine I think may be interested…
Cheers…