Air
Auckland International Airport ( AKL ) is the largest
international airport in New Zealand. It is located on the Manukau Harbour,
15 miles southwest of the city center. There is one international terminal and two domestic terminals (Air New Zealand and Qantas), all linked by an Interterminal bus available from 6am until 10:30pm daily.
Airport amenities include: a massive shopping center including duty free
outlets, numerous restaurants, coffee shops and bars, an interactive
flight-themed children's play area, a nostalgia museum and an arcade. The Bank
of New Zealand provides currency exchange and ATMs are available in each
terminal.
The AirBus shuttle runs every 20 minutes between the airport and the city,
stopping outside major hotels and Aotea Square. The other two
main door-to-door shuttle operators are Super Shuttle and Johnston's Shuttle Link.
Train
Tranz Scenic manages the country's rails and offers day (the Overlander) and
night (the Northerner) service between Auckland and Wellington. Fares start at
NZD69 one way. Trains arrive and depart from the recently opened Britomart
Transport Centre, located about 1km east of the city center. The Tranz Scenic passenger rail service links Auckland
to Hamilton, Rotorua, Waitomo, National Park, Palmerston North and Wellington.
Bus
There are regular coach services between Auckland and most larger towns and
tourist areas. They serve as much as a sightseeing vehicle as a form of
transportation. The major bus lines usually compete for passengers by
issuing multitude of pass options and many are designed especially for
backpackers. The major buslines usually operate from the Sky City Coach
Terminal on Hobson Street.
Car
Before renting a car, it is important to keep in mind that New Zealanders drive
on the left side of the road. Driving is the most popular form of
travelling from point to point on both islands and the roads are generally under
good maintenance in the cities. SH1 (State Highway 1) is the main north/south artery connecting
Auckland with Hamilton and Wellington in the south and Whangarei in the north.
This
article is authored and
copyrighted
by Royal Exclusive Travel
|
