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Central crosstown bus changes Central crosstown bus changes

We've made changes to the OuterLink, 64, 650 and 670 routes. Many of your crosstown services are getting an upgrade.

Date of the changes: 17 November 2024

On this page

Overview

On November 17 2024 Auckland Transport completed changes to the OuterLink bus route and other crosstown services. We made these changes to ensure we deliver an efficient and reliable service to our customers.

Benefits

There will be an additional 40,000 Aucklanders within 500m of a frequent crosstown bus service (at least every 15 minutes 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week).

The OuterLink is now more reliable and mid-trip waiting times are shorter.

We increased the frequency of the 650 bus to every 15 minutes.

We extended the 64 bus route to St Lukes.

We also added:

  • more 27H and 27W trips along Mount Eden Road at peak times
  • better bus interchanges at Balmoral Road/Mount Eden Road and Balmoral Road/Manukau Road to make transfers seamless
  • a new morning and afternoon school bus service for students to reach schools in Epsom/Manukau Road.

Planning your journey

Use the AT Mobile App or Journey Planner to plan your route and see how the changes may affect your journey.

Details and maps

For an overview of the crosstown bus changes download the map of crosstown services (PDF, 1.4MB).

For all Auckland central bus routes download the new central bus map (PDF, 6MB).

Better OuterLink and route 101 services

The OuterLink service is a popular and important cross-town route. We have changed the service from a 25.5km-long circular route to a service running between St Lukes and Newmarket via the city centre. This will improve journey times and reliability.

The southern section between St Lukes and Newmarket via Balmoral and Mount Eden duplicates other routes. We have extended the 64 route to run from Newmarket to St Lukes to fill this gap.

We have also removed a short section of the OuterLink and route 101 at the western end of Jervois Road, between Herne Bay Road and West End Road, which was not well-used. This will make the trip quicker for the majority of passengers who do not use this bus stop. School bus services will continue to use the stop at 219 Jervois Road.

For buses to the city centre, the next nearest stop is at 203 Jervois Road. For buses travelling from the city centre, the nearest stop is 270 Jervois Road.

These changes mean that:

  • bus driver changeover will no longer occur while passengers are on board
  • buses will no longer need to wait at Victoria Park or Albert Park
  • customers will no longer need to change buses at Victoria Park, allowing them to quickly get to and from the city centre.

Download the OuterLink route map (PDF, 1.3MB)

Download the route 101 map (PDF, 1.2MB)

Extending route 64 to St Lukes

The 64 route is well established and used by around 1,000 passengers per day.

Route 64 now extends from Kingsland Station to St Lukes via Sandringham Road. This creates a new connection between St Lukes, Mount Eden and Newmarket. It will travel in both directions on Walters Avenue and will no longer travel in a loop using Onslow Road.

It will run every 12 minutes until 8:30pm, and every 15 minutes after that.

The fare on route 64 will remain at $0.01 until Maungawhau Station opens.

The 64 route will change when Maungawhau Station opens in 2026. Between St Lukes and Valley Road, it will travel on Dominion Road. It will no longer travel on Sandringham Road and Walters Road.

Download the route 64 map (PDF, 1.6MB)

Route 650 becomes 65, frequency increased

Route 650, which travels via Balmoral Road from Greenlane and on to Point Chevalier, has been renamed route 65. Its frequency will increase to every 15 minutes, all day, 7 days a week. It will also operate later in the evening.

The route has changed slightly at the Point Chevalier end, now circulating Walker Park in an anticlockwise direction.

All trips will start and finish at Walker Park. Selected trips will also go to Selwyn Village, like route 650 did.

Download the route 65 map (JPG, 1.2 MB)

Changes to the 670 service

Route 670 will become 67A. A new 67B service has been added to run between New Lynn and Onehunga. Combined, the 67A and 67B provide a bus every 15 minutes between New Lynn and Onehunga. The services run from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week.

Increasing the frequency of the 66 service

The evening frequency has increased from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes.

Extending the 68 service

We have extended the 68 route to Onehunga train station. At Onehunga it begins and ends on Princes Street by the train station. When travelling from Onehunga, the 68 bus will still pick up from the Onehunga bus interchange on Upper Municipal Place. When travelling to Onehunga, the 68 bus will use the bus stop on Church Street opposite the library before travelling on to the train station.

New school bus service for Manukau Road schools

A new school bus service, route S513, has been added to transport students from Mount Eden to Epsom schools (St Cuthberts College, Diocesan School for Girls and Epsom Girls Grammar). It travels between St Lukes and Epsom schools via Dominion Road, Mount Eden Village and Mount Eden Road, following the existing OuterLink route.

The morning service from St Lukes to Newmarket:

  • departs St Lukes Mall 7:45am
  • is timed to arrive at Manukau Road by Epsom Girls Grammar at 8:14am.

The afternoon service from Newmarket to St Lukes:

  • departs Newmarket 3:25pm
  • is timed to arrive at St Lukes Mall at 4pm.

Download the S513 route map (PDF, 1.5MB)

Why these changes needed to be made

The OuterLink was not meeting its promise of a bus every 12 to 15 minutes. It was often unreliable, and buses would catch up to each other along the route. This meant there could be a long wait for a bus and then 2 turn up at once.

Circular routes such as the OuterLink are problematic, as buses often need to wait at some bus stops to keep to the timetable. This often happens while passengers are on board, creating a poor journey experience.

We were also aware that some crosstown journeys were not as easy as people would like. To create a better service, we've also made changes to some of the bus routes that cross Auckland’s central area.

Will my journey cost me more?

Most journeys will not cost more. However, for trips that run through a different fare zone, it could cost more if you:

  • get on or off at a different bus stop than you currently do
  • transfer between buses inside a different fare zone.

Fares are calculated based on the bus stops used, including the bus stop where a transfer is made.

This could happen when transferring to or from route 64. This route starts and ends in the ‘Isthmus’ fare zone but passes through the ‘City’ zone. If you transfer between another bus, such as route 25, while in the City zone, you will be charged a 2-zone fare.

Bus stops in the ‘zone overlap area’ cover both fare zones. If you use those stops, you can avoid being charged for both zones.

See a map of fare zone boundaries and bus stops in the zone overlap areas (PDF, 215KB).

To view the list of bus stops in the zone overlap area, visit the Fare zones webpage.

How the changes may affect your current journey

Most people will not have to change the way they currently travel. Some may need to transfer between buses or trains to complete their normal journey or will change to use different services. We are supporting these journeys by increasing the frequency of alternative services and creating better interchanges for easier transfers.

We've put together some examples of journeys between suburbs. These show the new crosstown bus routes you could use. They also show where you may need to change buses.

St Lukes to Mount Eden Village

Take route 64 from St Lukes to Valley Road, near Mount Eden Village.

Mount Eden Village to Manukau Road

Take route 64 to Newmarket then transfer to route 30 or 309 for Manukau Road.

Use route S513 if you are a student travelling to an Epsom school near Manukau Road.

Epsom to St Lukes

Take route 30 or 309 to Newmarket then transfer to route 64.

Take route 30 or 309 to Green Lane West then transfer to the frequent route 65.

Epsom to Parnell

Take route 30 or 309 along Manukau Road then transfer at 277 Broadway to an InnerLink or OuterLink bus travelling to Parnell.

St Lukes to Newmarket

Take new route 64.

Mount Eden Village to Dominion Road

Take route 64 from Valley Road, near Mount Eden Village. Transfer To Dominion Road buses at the Valley Road shops.

Newmarket to Parnell, city universities and Wellesley Street

Customers on this route can continue as normal, though the improved OuterLink service will be more reliable. 

St Lukes to City Centre

Take the OuterLink via Point Chevalier.

Take route 22 from Morningside Drive.

Westmere, Point Chevalier and Herne Bay to Wellesley Street and city universities

Customers on this route can continue as normal, though the improved OuterLink service will be more reliable and offer shorter journey times.

Dominion Road to Newmarket

Take any Dominion Road bus (any 25 bus) to Valley Road. Change there to a 64 bus on Valley Road heading towards Newmarket.

Balmoral to Newmarket

Take the 65 bus to the Green Lane West and Manukau Road intersection. Change there to a 30 or 309 bus on Manukau Road to Newmarket.

Take a bus heading towards the city centre on Dominion Road (any 25 bus) and change at Valley Road to the 64 bus on Valley Road heading towards Newmarket.

Take a bus heading towards the city centre on Mount Eden Road. Change at the Mount Eden Village to the 64 bus on Valley Road heading towards Newmarket.

Mount Eden to Carrington Road, Mt Albert

Take the 64 or 65 bus to St Lukes and change there to the OuterLink bus to Carrington Road.

Mount Eden to Mount Albert Grammar School

Take the 64 bus from Valley Road or Sandringham Road to St Lukes and walk to school via Taylors Road.

Take the 65 bus along Balmoral Road to the next bus stop past St Lukes (by Taylors Road) and walk to school via Taylors Road. There are frequent buses on Dominion and Road and Mt Eden Road to connect with the 65 bus on Balmoral Road.

Bus stop and street changes

The following bus stop and street changes have been made. These changes will help customers who now need to include a bus change in their trips. This includes new interchanges and layover areas.

Cornwallis Street, St Lukes layover

Consultation dates: 12 August to 1 September 2024

We aim to create a place for buses and bus drivers to wait between trips. This will require the removal of 11 on-street parking spaces to enable buses to turn around and 10 for bus parking. This will leave 16 on-street parking spaces and 27 off-street parking spaces in Warren Freer Park.

Benefits

  • Bus drivers will have a safe place to wait between trips.
  • The changes will allow for more reliable bus services in the area.
  • Buses will not have to wait outside residential homes.

We engaged on how the changes would affect bus users and the wider community. Learn more about the Cornwallis Street changes consultation outcome (opens in a new tab).

Walters Road, Mount Eden bus stops

Consultation dates: 30 August to 15 September 2024

For the Route 64 bus service, we will create 2 new bus stops near Kingsland Station. This will require the removal of 4 on-street parking spaces at the southern end of Walters Avenue and 4 on the western side of Sandringham Road, just along from the petrol station.

Benefits

  • Customers will be able to get on and off route 64 buses to more conveniently reach Kingsland Station, Kingsland shops and Kowhai Intermediate School.
  • The new stops are not immediately outside residential homes.

We engaged on how the changes will affect bus users and locals. Learn more about the Eden Park bus stops consultation outcome (opens in a new tab).

Walker Park, Point Chevalier layover and bus stops

Consultation dates: 6 September to 28 September 2024

We will create 2 new bus stops and a bus waiting space near Walker Park. This will require the removal of on-street parking spaces on Walker Road and Target Street.

We will also remove bus stops on the other side of the road, restoring on-street parking there, as route 65 will change from clockwise around Walker Park to an anti-clockwise direction.

Some kerb realignment is also needed on the corner of Target Street and Point Chevalier Road.

Benefits

  • Customers will be able to get on and off route 65 buses safely.
  • The waiting space will enable drivers to take a well-deserved break between trips.
  • The bus waiting space will not be immediately outside residential homes.

We are engaging on how the changes will affect bus users and the wider community. Learn more about the Walker Park bus stops consultation outcome (opens in a new tab).

Drop-in information sessions

We ran drop-in sessions to give the community more details about the new bus services. These sessions ran throughout October and November 2024.

Background to the changes

In 2019, AT consulted with people in the Sandringham, Balmoral, Epsom and Mount Eden areas on the proposed removal of the southern part of the OuterLink, the introduction of a new route 640 and improvements to route 650.

The changes that AT proposed would change the OuterLink route so that it would only run from St Lukes to Newmarket via the city centre. Most of the southern half of the current loop would be replaced by improvements to the current 650 and the introduction of a new 64 bus service.

The consultation ran from 18 November to 23 December 2019 and received 1,186 feedback responses. The key themes were:

  • 39% said they didn’t want to take more than one bus to complete their journey.
  • 20% said they liked the promise of a more reliable OuterLink service.
  • 10% said they liked the increased frequency on route 650.
  • 5% said they would need to walk further if the proposed changes were made.

Following the consultation, we paused the project because:

  • we needed more time to further understand the impacts of the closure and construction of Maungawhau (Mount Eden) Station
  • we also needed to monitor the effect of the new 64 bus service on travel patterns
  • we needed to consider what improvements could be made to bus stop infrastructure at key transfer locations to make it easier and safer to change from one bus to another.
  • a lot of change was already happening in the area, with Maungawhau (Mount Eden) Station closing and the COVID-19 pandemic.

How we reflected feedback in our plans

The feedback received helped inform our plans and saw us introduce added improvements.

“We do not want to lose our connection to St Lukes”

Extending the 64 to St Lukes will provide a link between Mt Eden Village and St Lukes.

“I do not want to transfer” / “Interchanges on Balmoral Road are not good enough”

New neighbourhood interchanges at Greenlane West/Manukau Road and Mount Eden Road/Balmoral Road will make transferring easier, safer and more accessible at these locations.

“Wait until the impact of the Mount Eden station closure has died down”

Changes will not go live until late 2024 (4 years after Mount Eden station closed).

56% of users will benefit from a more reliable OuterLink

The OuterLink route will be shorter and have a beginning and end to better manage its timing and reliability.

10% liked the idea of a more frequent 650

This is now planned.

Further benefits of new option

  • Greenlane Clinical Centre will get a frequent bus service stopping outside.
  • There will be a new morning and afternoon school bus for Epsom schools. Students most affected by the change would be able to recreate their OuterLink journey on a one-seat school bus.
  • Better crosstown routes would improve and simplify the bus network, making it easier to use Auckland’s public transport services.

Main differences between the 2019 proposal and the 2024 plan

  • Route 64 is now in place and has been operating for 4 years.
  • There are now bus stops for route 64 on Valley Road, nearer to Mount Eden Village.
  • Route 64 will be extended to St Lukes and will no longer run on Onslow Road but in both directions on Walters Road instead.
  • The OuterLink will no longer travel on Jervois Road west of West End Road.

Download the 2019 Central Crosstown bus changes consultation report (PDF, 1.9MB, 32 pages).

Download the Central Crosstown Bus Services Consultation brochure (PDF, 639KB)

Contact us

For more information on this project, contact Auckland Transport