Auckland Transport on track for FIFA Women's World Cup Auckland Transport on track for FIFA Women's World Cup
Date: 18 July 2023
With just three days until kick-off, Auckland’s transport network is ready to welcome all the fans heading to FIFA Women's World Cup matches at Eden Park, Auckland Transport says.
Auckland’s Eden Park stadium will be playing host to nine FIFA Women’s World Cup matches from this Thursday’s opening match through to the World Cup semifinal on 15 August.
Auckland Transport’s Executive General Manager Public Transport Services Stacey van der Putten says for fans heading to Eden Park there’s no better way to travel than on public transport.
“Whether you’re an Aucklander or you’ve travelled across the globe to watch your team take on the world’s best, the cheapest and easiest way to get to World Cup matches is on AT’s public transport and special event services,” Ms van der Putten says.
“Travel on all AT buses and trains in the hours leading up to World Cup games is included with your tickets and AT is also putting on a range of special event buses from the City Centre, North Shore and East Auckland.
“On match days we’ll also be putting on extra capacity on our Western Line train services which will take fans from the City Centre and West Auckland to Kingsland Station which is right next to Eden Park.”
In the lead-up to the World Cup AT has been working closely with bus operators to recruit more bus drivers and improve reliability so that Auckland is ready to welcome fans onboard.
“Since the beginning of the year Auckland’s bus operators have recruited 450 new bus drivers meaning the reliability of our services has massively improved,” Ms van der Putten says.
Trains to run on all lines on game days
To help make it easy for fans from across Tāmaki Makaurau to head to World Cup games, Auckland Transport and KiwiRail have worked to make it possible for special Eastern Line train services to run via Panmure on game days.
Since March 5 stations on the Eastern Line between Panmure and Britomart have been closed while KiwiRail works to rebuild the foundations under the rail tracks, Ms van der Putten says.
“We’ve worked with KiwiRail to make it as easy as possible for Aucklanders and visitors alike to travel to World Cup games on Auckland’s rail network, which means we’ve brought back special Eastern Line services on game days.
“Work on KiwiRail’s Rail Network Rebuild will continue between game days and we’re looking forward to reopening the Eastern Line permanently in early 2024.”
For the latest information about transport options to Eden Park for World Cup games, make sure to check the AT website before you travel – www.at.govt.nz/events.