I’ve long complained that Auckland’s bus network maps are an incomprehensible mess, so it’s nice to see that booklets on Auckland’s public transport system being given out to overseas visitors here for the Rugby World Cup include something that actually makes a bit of sense – showing a much simplified version of the inner-city’s bus network – focusing on the higher frequency routes: 
There’s always an interesting balance to be found in drawing public transport maps between simplicity and detail of information. There’s also a question of how geographically complicated you want to be, compared to how stylised you want your map to be (the London Underground map being a famous example of style over accuracy).
I’m quite a fan of the map above – particularly for this role of highlighting to visitors that our bus network isn’t necessarily impossibly complicated – while also showing the best route to use for accessing various attractions around Auckland.
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Would be nice if it showed me how to get from K Rd to Richmond Rd without having to pay twice…
I don’t think that’s the fault of the map 😉
might need to walk a little…. bit mad though that 020… my bus, seems its main job is to mop up all the left over stops after the reshuffle
Buses to Dominion Rd from Britomart?? There’s style over accuracy, then there’s info that’s just wrong…
Well spotted Andrew. That yellow line should hook back to the St James for Dom Rd services.
I thought they moved the B Line buses to outside Britomart or is that only the Mt Eden Rd ones?
And it’s interesting that apparently Mt Eden Station and the B-line route are completely unconnected.
I’m working on an alternative. Here’s a preview of it and its take on the above two issues:
And in case image tags are filtered and the map isn’t showing, here’s a link to the map preview.
It uses different colours to differentiate Mt Eden and Dominion Rd routes. Same for the two different possible terminus points for Manukau Rd services. Frequencies: Solid lines are 10 mins or better, dashed lines are 15 minutes, dotted lines are 30 minutes. This is the weekday frequency map, Saturday and Sunday maps are also in the works.
Once a friend of mine has finished the iPhone app for it, and/or I’ve found a way to cover the costs of time dedicated to making it and of completing it (I’ve only done the Isthmus and North Shore so far), I hope to release it publicly.
Sorry, here’s a link to the same preview in PNG format – different colours and lines show clearer.
Looking good so far.
I was actually at this map yesterday thinking it was bad.notice how it seems like Eden Park is in the middle of nowhere and no bus routes cross over or connect with the grey rail lines. Also the graphic is miss leading in it’s categories as Newmarket is purple indicating shopping yet other purple icons indicate western springs or ferry. The icon colours should match the type of activity or amenity and the bus lines should indicate where, if at all where they connect with the western rail line.
It’s better than what we’re used to. However, because the first and most important thing a rugby fan needs to know is how to get to Eden Park, it fails rather terribly.
As a regular resident of the city, I see it as a start for conceptual mapping of the city. I quite frequently have to visit other parts of the city, but decent information about where buses go and where to catch them is hard to come by. If I had a web-enabled phone, it wouldn’t be so difficult. I imagine in 5 years things will be somewhat different, but even then there will still be a section without them.
Excellent idea, poor map. As a former cartographer, and current map lover and Aucklander I struggle to ‘read’ this. Looks like AT hired the same designers for the silly (old) Link graphics for the seats and bus art. Welcome to bad 90s fonts and graphics. Can we not 2011 it up a bit?
And what is up with the Soviet Russia title font?