With COVID-related absences reducing across all operators, Auckland Transport (AT) is returning its train services to their full timetable.

This news comes as passenger numbers hit the 1 million mark across AT’s bus, train and ferry services last week.

Since 7 March, trains had been running to a 20-minute frequency on the Southern, Western and Eastern lines. Pukekohe and Onehunga trains had been operating every 30 minutes.

Auckland Transport (AT) will return to its full train timetable on Tuesday April 19 - the first full working day after Easter.

Bus and ferry services are currently already running to their regular timetables.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff welcomes the return of full train services and that Aucklanders can travel on AT’s Metro network half price for the next few months.

“It’s great to see full services returning soon to our train network and encouraging that so many more Aucklanders are using public transport since the introduction of half-price fares,” he says.

“Last week saw passengers take more than 1 million trips across AT’s bus, train and ferry services—the first time in 2022 we’ve surpassed 1 million journeys over a week.

“On our busiest day last week, Thursday 7 April, we had 175,774 passengers travel on our services. Two weeks earlier we had 147,690 passengers, so in two weeks there was an increase of nearly 20 per cent between our busiest days.

“I encourage Aucklanders to make the most of the cheap fares and consider using public transport for their commute or to explore the region over the Easter holiday.”

Richard Harrison, Manager Metro Optimisation, says AT had been cancelling services as it must, because of COVID absence.

“This is now reducing across all operators, which is why we can reinstate trains to their full timetable, and customers will see fewer cancellations across the network.”

He says to help minimise disruptions AT is supporting operators to get their staff back to work safely, through the use of Rapid Antigen Tests.

For the latest updates, check the Live Departures section on the AT website or on the AT Mobile app.

Jump on board:

In the afternoon peak hours from Albany to the city centre, you can save between 20-40 minutes by catching a bus. It’s similar from the city centre to Manukau too, where you can save between 15-40 minutes by boarding a train in the afternoon.

Public transport is a sustainable, safe and cheap way to get around. As of 1 April, fares across the AT Metro network dropped by 50 per cent, saving passengers an estimated $10 million on bus, train and ferry fares over three months. As well as covering individual trips, the discount covers all AT HOP monthly passes and concessions, and halves the current daily cap from $20, meaning Aucklanders will not pay more than $10 for a day’s travel on the AT Metro network.

Staying safe onboard:

Wearing a face mask throughout your journey remains the most effective way of staying safe while onboard AT services, for both passengers and onboard staff. The use of face masks, particularly those made to medical/surgical standards, has been shown to make a real difference in reducing COVID-19 transmission onboard public transport services. Public transport is a low-risk setting when you’re wearing a mask, so keep up the habit of masking-up when stepping onboard.

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