Auckland Airport, which has the airport code AKL, is in the suburb of Māngere, around 20 kilometres south of the city centre. It is New Zealand’s largest airport, and almost all flights from Europe land here. No train runs all the way to the terminals, so the cheapest way from Auckland Airport to the city centre is the AirportLink bus to Puhinui Station and then the train on into town. The whole journey takes about an hour and typically costs 6 to 7 dollars (around £3).
Here you’ll find all the options with prices, journey times and where to find them at the airport: AirportLink and the train, the SkyDrive express bus, taxis, Uber, shuttle buses and private transfers, and hire cars, which many people use to start their road trip. I also explain how to get between the international and domestic terminals, and how to get back to the airport. 1 New Zealand dollar is worth around £0.43.
Contents
Quick overview
- AirportLink bus and train: typically 6 to 7 dollars (around £3) with contactless payment or an AT HOP card, and about an hour to Waitematā (formerly Britomart) or Te Waihorotiu in the city centre.
- SkyDrive: express bus to SkyCity by the Sky Tower for around 20 dollars (around £8.50) and 35 to 55 minutes depending on traffic.
- Taxi: fixed fares to the city centre from around 60 to 105 dollars (around £25 to £45) depending on the company, and about 30 minutes without traffic.
- Uber and other ride-hailing services: dedicated pick-up points at both terminals, and you see the price in the app before you book.
- SuperShuttle: shared door-to-door minibus for 35 dollars (around £15) for one person and 8 dollars (around £3.50) for each additional person in the group.
- Private transfer: from around 47 dollars (around £20) per person, and it must be booked in advance.
- Hire car: desks at both terminals. You don’t need a car in Auckland, but it’s ideal for a road trip around the North Island and South Island.
How to find the transport from Auckland Airport to the city centre
Auckland Airport has two terminals. The international terminal is used by all flights to and from abroad, and the domestic terminal is used by domestic flights, including those with Air New Zealand and Jetstar. They are just under a kilometre apart, and you can either walk or take a free bus between them, as I explain further down.
At the international terminal, the buses are gathered at the Transport Hub just outside the arrivals area. The AirportLink bus stops at stop A, and the SkyDrive express bus and InterCity’s long-distance coaches stop at stop E between the Transport Hub and the Novotel hotel. Taxis, Uber and SuperShuttle pick you up in the Transport Pick-up Zone, which is a one to two-minute walk out of door 11 in the arrivals area. Follow the orange signs when you’re looking for public transport.
At the domestic terminal, everything stops on the forecourt in front of the building. AirportLink leaves from stop B, SkyDrive from stop A between door 3 and door 4, taxis wait outside door 4, and Uber picks you up in lane 2 by door 2. The airport has gathered the buses and payment details on its public transport page.
1. The AirportLink bus and the train via Puhinui
AirportLink and the train is the option I recommend if you’re travelling alone or as a couple and don’t have too much luggage. AirportLink is an ordinary city bus run by Auckland Transport (AT) that runs between the airport, Puhinui Station and Manukau. It runs every 10 minutes, seven days a week, from around 4.30am to 00.40 at night. The bus stops at stop A in the Transport Hub at the international terminal and at stop B at the domestic terminal, and there’s room for suitcases on board.
The ride to Puhinui takes 13 to 20 minutes, and the bus uses dedicated bus lanes for most of the way. Puhinui is a modern interchange with lifts and escalators, so it’s easy to get from the bus up to the platforms with your suitcase. From here the train takes around 35 minutes into the city centre, and with waiting time you should allow about an hour from the airport to the city. You’ll find timetables and service changes on AT’s AirportLink page.
Fares and payment: contactless or AT HOP card
You can’t pay cash on AT buses. Instead, adults can tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express or UnionPay card, or a phone with Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay, on the card reader both when getting on and when getting off. It costs the same as with an AT HOP card, and with contactless payment you never pay more than 20 dollars (around £8.50) a day. Use the same card or phone for the whole journey, and check whether your bank charges a fee for payments in a foreign currency.
The fare depends on how many zones you travel through, and you pay a single combined fare for the bus and train when you board the train within 30 minutes of leaving the bus. An adult typically pays 6 to 7 dollars (around £2.50 to £3) from the airport to the city centre. Fares are usually adjusted once a year, so check the exact price in AT’s journey planner or app before you travel.
An AT HOP card makes sense if you’re spending a few days in Auckland or travelling with children. The card itself costs 5 dollars (around £2), and from the machines you buy it for 25 dollars (around £10) with 20 dollars loaded on it. There are machines at stop A in the Transport Hub and outside door 4 at the domestic terminal, and the Take Home Convenience shop in the international terminal also sells the card. With a HOP card you never pay more than 50 dollars (around £20) over seven days. Children aged 5 to 15 get a discount with a registered HOP card, but not with contactless payment, and children under 5 travel free with an adult.
Two train lines into the city centre
Two train lines run from Puhinui into the city centre: the East West line and the South City line. Both run through the City Rail Link, a tunnel under the centre with new stations, and Britomart, the old terminus by the harbour, is now called Waitematā. So you can simply take the first train heading into town and get off at the station closest to your hotel. Both lines run roughly every 15 minutes during the day and more often at peak times, so you rarely have to wait long.
The East West line runs via Ōtāhuhu, Panmure and Ōrākei and reaches Waitematā after about 34 minutes, then continues to Te Waihorotiu, Karanga-a-Hape and Maungawhau. The South City line runs via Newmarket and Grafton and reaches Karanga-a-Hape, Te Waihorotiu and Waitematā in 31 to 37 minutes. Waitematā is by the harbour and the ferries, Te Waihorotiu is right in the centre by Aotea Square, a few minutes’ walk from the Sky Tower, and Karanga-a-Hape is on Karangahape Road with its bars and restaurants. AT has an overview of the lines and the new stations on its City Rail Link page.
Trains run from around 5am until close to midnight on weekdays and a little later on Fridays and Saturdays. AirportLink runs later than the trains, so if you land late, check the last train from Puhinui before you get on the bus. At weekends and during holidays, trains are regularly replaced by buses when there’s work on the line, so check AT’s service changes before you travel. If you have neither a card nor a phone for contactless payment, you can buy a train ticket with cash at Puhinui Station.
From Waitematā onwards into the city
Waitematā Station lies beneath the Britomart district at the northern end of Queen Street, directly opposite the Downtown Ferry Terminal, where ferries sail to Devonport and the wine island of Waiheke. From here it’s about a 10-minute walk to the restaurants at Viaduct Harbour, and most hotels in the city centre are within a 15-minute walk of one of the central stations.
If you’d like to stay right by the station, the five-star The Hotel Britomart on Galway Street is a stone’s throw from Waitematā, and you can see prices for The Hotel Britomart here. If you’re unsure where to stay, read my guide to where to stay in New Zealand. Auckland is the first base in the guide, with hotels in three price ranges, and I also cover the rest of the round trip from the Bay of Islands to Christchurch.
2. SkyDrive: the express bus from Auckland Airport to the city centre
SkyDrive is the airport’s express bus to the city centre, operated by the bus company Ritchies. The bus runs directly between the airport and SkyCity’s bus terminal on Hobson Street at the foot of the Sky Tower. At the international terminal it stops at stop E between the Transport Hub and the Novotel, and at the domestic terminal it stops at stop A between door 3 and door 4. The SkyBus airport bus, which you may come across in older travel guides, no longer runs between the airport and the city centre.
The first bus leaves SkyCity at 5am, and the last leaves the domestic terminal at 10.30pm. According to the airport, there’s a bus every half hour. The journey takes about 35 minutes without traffic and up to 55 minutes at rush hour. An adult single ticket costs around 20 dollars (around £8.50), and there are discounts for children, students and seniors. Two suitcases and a small piece of hand luggage are included in the price.
You buy your ticket on SkyDrive’s website, and it arrives as a QR code in your email, which the driver scans. The bus may be full if you haven’t booked, so it’s a good idea to book once you know your arrival time. The ticket is valid on any departure the same day if there’s space, so it doesn’t matter much if your flight is delayed.
SkyDrive is a good choice if your hotel is in the southern part of the city centre around the Sky Tower, Victoria Street and Federal Street, or if you’d rather stay on one bus than change at Puhinui. If you’re staying by the harbour, it’s about a 10 to 15-minute walk downhill from SkyCity to Waitematā and Viaduct Harbour. If you want to stay right by the bus terminal, SkyCity Hotel Auckland is in the same complex as the Sky Tower.
3. Taxi from Auckland Airport
Only licensed taxi companies are allowed to pick up passengers from the airport ranks, and according to the airport these are Alert Taxis, Auckland Co-op Taxis, Cheap Cabs and Corporate Cabs. At the international terminal, the taxis wait in the Transport Pick-up Zone in lanes 2 and 3 outside door 11 by the arrivals area, and at the domestic terminal they wait outside door 4. If you’ve booked a taxi in advance, the driver will meet you inside the arrivals hall.
Each company has its own fixed fare from the airport to the city centre, and according to the airport’s overview of taxis and shuttle buses they range from around 60 to 105 dollars (around £25 to £45), including the airport fee. There’s a big difference between the companies, so ask the driver about the fare before you get in. Taxis are allowed to add a surcharge when you pay by card.
The journey to the city centre takes about 30 minutes without traffic, but the motorway is often busy at rush hour, when it can take up to an hour. If there are three or four of you going to the same hotel, a taxi from one of the cheaper companies costs roughly the same as SkyDrive tickets for the whole group, and it takes you right to the door.
4. Uber and other ride-hailing services
At the international terminal, Uber picks you up in the Transport Pick-up Zone in lane 1, a one to two-minute walk outside door 11. At the domestic terminal, the pick-up point is in lane 2 by door 2. Some ride-hailing services use the Off-site Transfer Zone behind the Te Arikinui Pullman hotel instead, a five to seven-minute walk north of the Transport Hub, so always check in the app where the car is waiting.
The airport charges 5.50 dollars (around £2.30) for each pick-up, and this is added to the fare. You’ll see the price in the app before you book, and it depends on the type of car, the traffic and demand. When lots of flights land at the same time, prices go up, and a fixed-fare taxi may then be the best option. Only book the car once you’ve collected your luggage and got through customs and the biosecurity check, as this can take a while in Auckland.
5. Shuttle bus and private transfer
SuperShuttle is a shared minibus that takes you all the way to your hotel along with other passengers. At the international terminal, it leaves from the Transport Pick-up Zone in lane 2. According to the airport, the trip to the city centre costs 35 dollars (around £15) for one person and 8 dollars (around £3.40) for each additional person in the same group, so it’s cheapest when there are several of you. Allow around an hour, as the bus drops off other passengers along the way.
A private transfer is a pre-booked car with a driver who waits for you in the arrivals hall and drives you straight to your hotel. On GetYourGuide, prices start from about 47 dollars (around £20) per person. It’s more expensive than the bus, but it gives you peace of mind after the long journey from Europe, especially if you’re travelling with children or have a lot of luggage.
Book a private transfer from Auckland Airport here.
The transfer must be booked at least 10 hours in advance, so it’s not something you can sort out once you’re standing in the arrivals hall. Enter your flight number when booking so the driver can keep track of any delays, and check how many people and suitcases the price covers.
6. Car hire from Auckland Airport
New Zealand is a country made for a road trip, and many people pick up their car right at the airport. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, ezi, Europcar, Hertz, National, Sixt and Thrifty all have desks at the airport. At the international terminal they’re in the Transport Hub, and at the domestic terminal they’re on the ground floor of car park R. Hire companies without a desk at the airport usually pick you up in a shuttle bus from the Off-site Transfer Zone. Book your car well in advance, especially for the summer from December to February, and compare prices on car hire at Booking.com before you travel.
New Zealand drives on the left. If your driving licence isn’t in English, according to New Zealand’s official tourism website you’ll need to bring an English translation or an International Driving Permit, and you must always carry your licence when driving. From the airport, you take the motorway into Auckland in about half an hour without traffic, but parking in the city centre is expensive, and you don’t need a car in the city itself.
My advice is therefore to take AirportLink or SkyDrive into the city and pick up the car on the day you move on. A classic start to a road trip heads east to the Coromandel Peninsula, which you can read about in my post on Coromandel, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. If you want to head south along the west coast past Raglan and Mount Taranaki, you’ll find the route in my post about the North Island of New Zealand.
If you’re driving north towards Northland and the Bay of Islands, part of the motorway north of Auckland is a toll road, the Northern Gateway Toll Road, with no barriers. The toll is paid online after your trip, so ask at the desk how the hire company handles it, as many add an admin fee on top.
Between the international and domestic terminals
If you’re continuing on a domestic flight after landing from Europe, you’ll need to change terminals. The free inter-terminal bus runs every 15 minutes between 5am and 11pm and takes about 10 minutes. At the international terminal it stops at stop B in the Transport Hub, and at the domestic terminal it stops at stop C outside door 2.
You can also walk. The route is 950 metres long, follows a green line on the pavement and takes 10 to 15 minutes. It’s fine if the bus has just left, but not much fun with two large suitcases in the rain.
You’ll need to collect your luggage and go through customs and the biosecurity check before you can transfer to a domestic flight, and the airport recommends allowing around three hours for the connection. If you’re flying on with Air New Zealand and there’s more than an hour until departure, you can drop your bags at the airline’s transfer desk on the ground floor of the international terminal. If there’s less than an hour, take the inter-terminal bus straight to the domestic terminal.
Getting back to the airport
From the city centre, take the train to Puhinui and the AirportLink bus from there. Take an East West line train towards Manukau from Waitematā, Te Waihorotiu or Karanga-a-Hape, or a South City line train towards Pukekohe. Check on the screen that the train stops at Puhinui, as not all trains run all the way to the end of the line. At Puhinui, change to AirportLink, which reaches the domestic terminal in 13 to 17 minutes and the international terminal in 18 to 20 minutes.
Give yourself plenty of time, and allow extra at rush hour and at weekends, when trains may be replaced by buses. The airport recommends arriving at least three hours before an international flight and one hour before a domestic flight. SkyDrive runs from SkyCity from 5am, and if you have a very early flight, you might consider spending your last night near the airport. Novotel Auckland Airport is a few minutes’ walk from the international terminal, and you can see prices for Novotel Auckland Airport here.
If your trip continues to Melbourne, I’ve covered the airport bus, taxis and the cheap alternatives in my guide to getting from Melbourne Airport to the city centre. If you’re landing in Sydney, you can read where to stay in Sydney, and if you’d like to see more of Auckland before moving on, I’ve written about sights and day trips in Auckland.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re heading and how you’re travelling:
Britomart, the waterfront and Viaduct Harbour: Take the AirportLink to Puhinui and then the train on the East West line to Waitematā, which typically costs 6 to 7 dollars (around £3).
Midtown, the Sky Tower and Karangahape Road: The AirportLink and the train to Te Waihorotiu or Karanga-a-Hape, or SkyDrive straight to SkyCity if you’d rather avoid changing.
3 to 4 adults going to the same hotel: A taxi from one of the cheaper companies costs roughly the same as the SkyDrive tickets and takes you right to the door.
Children or lots of luggage: A private transfer or SuperShuttle, so you avoid the change at Puhinui.
On a tight budget: The AirportLink and the train with contactless payment. It’s the cheapest way into the city.
If you land late in the evening: SkyDrive, if you can make the last bus at 22.30 from the domestic terminal, and otherwise a taxi or an Uber. The AirportLink runs until after midnight, but check the last train from Puhinui.
Touring the rest of the country: Pick up your hire car on the day you leave Auckland, so you don’t have to pay for parking in the city centre.
Travel ressources & websites I use all the time 👇
• Booking.com has the best offers on hotels and unique places to stay
• GetYourGuide is the best place to book tours & activities with free cancellation
• Welcome Pickups is the best & safest place to pre-book airport transfers
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