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COVID-19 update: Transport in Auckland under Alert Level 3

The Government has announced that Auckland will be moving to Alert Level 3 at 11.59pm, tomorrow night Tuesday 21 September. The government has indicated this will be reviewed in two weeks. Level 3 means stay at home and in your bubble, as per Government advice.

While at Alert Level 3, travel is allowed for essential personal movement in your area such as:

  • Accessing essential local services and businesses
  • Going to work, however, you should work and learn from home where possible
  • Low-risk recreation in the local area
  • Extended bubble arrangements in special situations
  • Travelling to vaccination appointments

For more information of where and when you are permitted to travel go to: www.covid19.govt.nz

Mayor Phil Goff says Alert Level 3 does not mean we should become complacent. As long as COVID-19 remains in the community we are still at high risk. We must stay the course and follow the Alert Level 3 rules that will help keep us safe. 

“Following the guidelines, as well as getting vaccinated in large numbers, has helped reduce transmission and enabled us to move down alert levels. Moving further down the alert levels depends on us keeping up this effort.

“Keeping vaccination numbers high is critical. We are fast approaching 80 per cent of Aucklanders getting their first dose. We need to maintain this momentum and seek to vaccinate the maximum number of Aucklanders to reduce the chance of COVID being a risk to people’s wellbeing.”

Public transport continues to operate with strict health and safety requirements in place. As per government advice, you must maintain physical distancing and scan the Ministry of Health’s NZ COVID Tracer app QR code, plus you must wear a face covering on buses, trains and ferries and at bus stop and stations.

Customers must tag on/off with their AT HOP card and we strongly recommend that you register your AT HOP card to help with contact tracing should it be required. This will also allow us to monitor passenger numbers and make fast adjustments to services, if required, due to changes in demand.

If you need a face covering, masks are on sale from vending machines at public transport facilities across Auckland. The masks are in 42 machines at bus and rail stations and ferry wharves.

Buses, trains and ferries will continue to operate on weekend timetables until further notice so customers can continue to rely on the AT Mobile App and journey planner to plan their journey. This will also help enable essential workers and passengers on essential journeys to exercise physical distancing.

Those travelling on public transport should avoid peak times unless it is necessary. This is to further ensure that the required distancing between staff and customers can be maintained.

Passengers must get on and off the bus through the backdoor but any passenger with mobility issues can still use the front door of the bus.

AT has taken numerous measures to help keep customers safe on our network and maintain effective and safe public transport services for our customers, these include:

  • Our AT Mobile app indicates the available capacity that is on a bus or train service at any given time adjusted to alert level restrictions, so customers will know if distancing will be achievable before they board. Bus drivers will move to only dropping customers off once a vehicle is at capacity.
  • We’re ensuring that all public transport is being thoroughly cleaned regularly.
  • We will be actively monitoring our timetables while at Alert Level 3 and will make changes to timetables as needed. For timetable information download the AT Mobile app or go to: www.at.govt.nz
  • Our cleaners and other essential staff are using PPE and will maintain clear physical distancing rules ­ — such as using the ‘bubble’ rule with our teams, strict hand-washing prior to and after completing tasks — and other measures as they go about their work on our vehicles, stations and facilities to minimise the risk of COVID-19 as much as possible.

We know this is a challenging time for us all. We ask that people be understanding and patient of everyone else who is in the same situation.

And remember, please travel only if necessary.

The best place to find the latest information about the COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is on the Government’s special COVID-19 website: https://covid19.govt.nz/

Auckland Transport’s COVID-19 page is at: www.AT.govt.nz/COVID19

For any general queries call us at 09 355 3553 – Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.