The All Blacks, New Zealand Warriors and Harlem Globetrotters will all pull in the crowds this Saturday evening 18 July, putting more pressure than usual on Auckland’s transport network.
But if you’re one of the 85,000 plus fans expected at one of the three big events, Auckland Transport (AT) has you covered with the best ways to get there and home again.
All Blacks’ Nations Cup match against Ireland at Eden Park
If Irish eyes aren’t smiling after the final whistle, they might still be happy with the integrated ticketing and complementary bus, and train services AT is providing on Saturday.
Simply show your match day ticket to the bus driver or train manager and enjoy a free ride to and from the stadium in Kingsland.
Integrated ticketing starts at 3pm and will run until the end of daily services that evening. Gates will open at Eden Park at 5pm and kick-off is at 7.10pm.
50,000 fans are expected to attend so don’t leave it too late, get there early if you can and soak up that pre-match atmosphere inside the stadium or on the streets of Kingsland.
Special event buses and extra trains information
AT will be starting early on Saturday afternoon by running special event buses available for fans from 4pm.
Special event buses will run approximately every 10 to 15 minutes along the Northern busway from Albany bus station, the CBD and from Botany/Pakuranga.
If you are travelling from the North Shore, your best option is to take one of our special event buses that will leave every 10 minutes from Albany Station, stopping at Constellation, Sunnynook, Smales Farm and Akoranga bus stations, before travelling direct to Eden Park.
For getting home after the match, special event buses heading to the North Shore and Botany/Pakuranga will depart from the Eden Park bus hub, while the CBD service will depart from New North Road. These special event buses will run for up to 1 hour following the end of the game.
If you’re planning to cycle or walk to Eden Park, you can visit the Travel to Eden Park Stadium page to find suggested routes from nearby locations.
Extra trains are being put on post-event to handle the extra capacity required. We encourage rugby fans to check our AT Mobile app which will have up to date timetable information including on our additional train services.
There will be bus detours in place around Kingsland and Dominion Road due to the road closures immediately surrounding Eden Park, we’re urging bus users to check our AT Journey Planner for where to catch the bus as there’s plenty of options to get you home after the game.
New Zealand Warriors looking to slay the Dragons in Penrose
The Wahs’ first home game in Auckland in over a month will also be on Saturday 18 July, against NRL cellar-dwellers the Dragons. Kick-off is at 7.35pm and Go Media Stadium is once again sold out with over 24,500 fans expected.
While there is no integrated ticketing available for Warriors fans, frequent train services will be running before and after the game from Penrose Train Station, which is only a short walk from the stadium.
League fans heading west after the match will need to change to a Rail Bus Western (RBW) bus service at Newmarket to then board the train again at Morningside and continue their journey. The Western line will be closed between Waitematā (Britomart) and Morningside from 8:30pm to 10pm.
With the All Blacks’ game kicking off just before the Warriors match, we’re encouraging fans to get to Go Media Stadium early and enjoy the Warriors Women’s NRLW match against the Cowboys which is set to start at 5.15pm.
Get yourself a slam dunk with the Harlem Globetrotters
Basketball legends the Harlem Globetrotters will tip off at Spark Arena this Saturday 18 June, as part of their 100 years anniversary world tour.
The show starts at 6pm, and fans are encouraged to get to the stadium in Quay Park in Parnell nice and early to avoid any clash with All Blacks and Warriors fans heading to their events.
There is no integrated ticketing for this event, but Spark Arena has a train stop a short walk away with services running south to Newmarket and beyond as well as north to Waitematā Station at Britomart.
A myriad of bus routes also service the Spark Arena area near Quay Park, including the Inner Link frequent service, which runs every 10-15 minutes.
General tips for a stress-free evening for sports fans
Roads, buses, and trains will all be very busy after the events, especially for All Blacks fans outside Eden Park. Wait times for special event buses and trains will be long so please make sure you plan well ahead and allow extra time to travel so we can get everyone home safely.
If you’re going the Warriors or Harlem Globetrotters, you can pay for travel on buses, trains and ferries using an AT HOP card or your contactless debit and credit card, smartphone or smartwatch.
A reminder that All Blacks fans can travel for free on buses and trains from 3pm by showing their match ticket to the bus driver or train manager.
For taxis, Ubers and other ride share services, please check your venue’s event information for the designated pick up and drop off zones.
For more information people should visit our website at.govt.nz/events.
How will we be monitoring the travel network on this big night of sport?
We will have a special events team in action at the Auckland Transport Operations Centre (ATOC), a joint venture between AT and NZTA for managing the transport network in real time, that will be monitoring the travel network in real time looking at arterial roads leading to the three stadiums, as well as the wider public transport network.
Our team at ATOC will be keeping a close eye on off and on ramps leading to motorways and will be updating our messaging to motorists and bus drivers on our motorway VMS (variable message signs) boards.
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