Public transport in Auckland
Public transport in Auckland, the largest metropolitan area of New Zealand, consists of three modes: bus, train and ferry. Services are coordinated by Auckland Transport under the AT Metro brand. Waitematā railway station is the main transport hub.
An Auckland Transport electric train (AM class) at Puhinui | |||
| Parent | Auckland Transport (AT) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1 November 2010 | ||
| Locale | New Zealand | ||
| Service area | Auckland Region | ||
| Service type | Bus, rail, ferry | ||
| Hubs | Britomart Transport Centre | ||
| Website | at | ||
| |||
Until the 1950s, Auckland was well served by public transport and had high levels of ridership. However, the dismantling of an extensive tram system in the 1950s, the decision by Stan Goosman to not electrify Auckland's rail network, and a focus of transport investment into a motorway system led to the collapse in both mode share and total trips. By the 1990s, Auckland had experienced one of the sharpest declines in public transport ridership in the world, with only 33 trips per capita per year.
Since 2000, a greater focus has been placed on improving Auckland's public transport system through a series of projects and service improvements. Major improvements include the Waitematā railway station, the Northern Busway, the upgrade and electrification of the rail network and the introduction of integrated ticketing through the AT HOP Card. These efforts have led to sustained growth in ridership, particularly on the rail network. Between June 2005 and November 2017 total ridership increased from 51.3 million boardings per annum to 90.9 million.
Despite those strong gains, the overall share of travel in Auckland by public transport is still quite low. At the 2013 census, around 8% of journeys to work were by public transport and per capita ridership in 2017 of around 55 boardings is still well below that of Wellington, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and most large Canadian cities.
Auckland's rapid population growth means that improving the city's public transport system is a priority for Auckland Council and the New Zealand Government. Major improvements planned or underway include the City Rail Link, construction of the Eastern Busway between Panmure and Botany, and the proposed City Centre–Māngere Line, a light rail line between the city centre and Auckland Airport.