So your going to the last ever Big Day Out and you want to get there, here’s how http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/events/big-day-out.aspx AT has this to say about it:
Music fans going to the Big Day Out at Mt Smart on Friday are advised to plan their travel and check out transport options to the stadium.
Auckland Transport is putting on extra train services to Penrose Station while the event organiser has joined with commercial bus operators to provide special event bus services.
All track lines will be open on Friday to run trains from Waitakere, Britomart, Onehunga and Papakura to Penrose Station for the festival.
People travelling to Remuera, Ellerslie and Greenlane stations from Newmarket on Friday should take extra care as some services will not stop at these stations, instead some special train services will run direct to Penrose for the festival.
It should be noted there is no free travel on public transport included in Big Day Out tickets. Timetable and further information can be found at www.maxx.co.nz or by phoning 09 366-6400.
Auckland Transport Public Transport Operations Manager Mark Lambert says using public transport for events is very popular so people should be patient.
“Trains will be busy with regular passengers and festival goers particularly in the late morning, so we encourage everyone to be patient and check the timetable.
“After the event large numbers will want to get on public transport so again people should expect some time waiting. Train passengers should consider pre-purchasing their return ticket as people with tickets will get priority queuing at Penrose station.
“Passengers are reminded that alcohol and drugs are not permitted for consumption on any of these services. For the safety of our commuters any persons who are drunk or worse for wear will be refused travel,” says Mr Lambert.
Bus from Auckland City Centre:
Special event buses organised by the event organiser and NZ Bus will depart from Real Groovy (450 Queen St) between 9.30am – 2.30pm, dropping passengers on O’Rorke Road beside the stadium. Return buses will depart from O’Rorke Rd, departing when full between 9.30pm – 1.30am returning to the St James Theatre, Wellesley St.
Bus to Auckland City Centre following the event
NiteRider buses run via Lower Albert St, Civic/St James, top of Queen St and K’Rd between 1am – 3.40am. Tickets, $4.50 (zone A), and $6.50 (beyond zone A).
Northern Express buses will depart Britomart, stop 7045 approximately every 15 minutes to midnight and then every 30 minutes to 3am running to Albany Station via all Northern Busway Stations.
Bus from New Lynn
Additional 008 buses operated by Urban Express will depart from New Lynn Transport Centre, stopping at all stops en route to Mt Smart Stadium. Buses depart at 10.15am, 10.45am, 11.15am, 11.45am, 12.15pm, 12.45pm, 1.15pm, 1.45pm.
Return services will depart from stop 8169 (343 Church St) running to New Lynn Transport Centre from 10.30pm. Normal fares apply.
Train
Additional trains will operate to Penrose Station, a short walk to the stadium. It is best to pre-purchase your special event ticket from the Britomart, Newmarket, New Lynn and Papakura ticket offices as people with tickets will get priority queuing at Penrose station.
Extra services for events are nothing new but I am really pleased to see that AT will be running trains from out west directly to Penrose, they will run mostly half hourly between Henderson to Newmarket then directly on to Penrose and there will still be normal trains in between those times. Oddly for the return journey people will have to transfer at Newmarket so hopefully services will wait should there be any delays to make it easy for people. Auckland Transport are expecting that there will be an additional 20,000 trips on the network on top of the 15500 daily trips that normally happen this week in January and this was one of the key drivers for closing the network between Britomart and Newmarket a week before Christmas so the Parnell works could be completed in time.
There will also be road closures around Mt Smart Stadium
Beasley Avenue will be closed from 6am Friday 20 January to 1am Saturday 21 January.
Maurice Road and O’Rorke Road will be closed from 8pm Friday 20 January to 1am Saturday 21 January.
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I was visiting Auckland on the big day out and almost no one was traveling on the specials because it seemed no one was going to the big day out. Britomart had a couple of girls selling $10 specials (travel and entry to the stadium?) but there was little interest. I really enjoyed the trip out to Onehunga in a well patronised service and there was a real bustle at Onehunga with people getting on and off. A pleasant surprise was how little graffiti there was on the Western line. Most of the stations were clean though parts of the rail corridor and various industrial sites in South Auckland are still as unattractive as ever. With services soon to be electrified, new stations and infrastructure, Wynyard Quarter looking great, Auckland is looking OK, sort of.