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Pine Harbour weekend ferry service made permanent Pine Harbour weekend ferry service made permanent

Date: 26 January 2023

Following the successful trial of weekend ferry services between Pine Harbour and Downtown Auckland, a permanent weekend service will set sail from this Saturday, 28 January 2023.

Pine Harbour serves the communities of Beachlands, Maraetai, Whitford and the surrounding rural district. There is a well-established and patronised weekday ferry service but previously no weekend services were offered.

The growth in population in the Pine Harbour area coupled with demand for weekend travel prompted Auckland Transport (AT) to trial the weekend service over a six-week period in early 2022.

Franklin Ward Councillor Andy Baker says that, even accounting for the impacts of COVID-19 during the trial period, patronage data showed sufficient support for the weekend service to be made permanent.

“We know the local board and community was thrilled with the outcome of the trial which saw nearly 6,000 boardings during the six-week period.”

Auckland Transport’s Service Network Development Manager Pete Moth says a weekend ferry service allows people from the Maraetai, Beachlands, and Pine Harbour areas to enjoy a faster, easier, and more direct journey to the city centre.  

“The service will also allow Pine Harbour to become a destination for people wanting to visit the area from the greater Auckland region.” 

The service will be provided by SeaLink Pine Harbour Limited and will operate from Pier 3 at the Downtown Ferry Terminal. It’s a 35-minute weekend trip between Downtown and Pine Harbour.

About the trial

  • From 19 March to 25 April 2022, Auckland Transport (AT) operated a six-week trial of weekend ferry services between Pine Harbour and Downtown. Services ran on Saturdays and Sundays as well as the public holidays on Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day.
  • The purpose of the trial was to gauge community interest in a weekend service and for AT and SeaLink to test the operational viability of the proposed timetable.
  • Patronage data showed sufficient support for Pine Harbour ferry services on weekends. Patronage grew every weekend during the trial, with over 1,000 customers per weekend using the service by the end of the trial.
  • Feedback from a survey of customers was used to design a timetable to suit the needs of the community.

See more at: New Pine Harbour Weekend Ferry Service (at.govt.nz)