New and improved bus services for east Auckland
With the Eastern Busway is opening in 2027, routes will change for better connections, more buses, and easier access.
On this page
Project details
Start date
April 2026End date
2029Location
East AucklandTransport involved
BusOverview
When the Eastern Busway fully opens in 2027, some east Auckland bus routes will change to make the most of the new dedicated bus corridor.
Bus services will be redesigned to:
- provide better connectivity between services and busway stations
- provide more buses
- make it easier to reach more destinations.
Some of these changes will take place in 2026, while others will occur once the Eastern Busway fully opens in 2027.
We are also proposing to extend all AirportLink services from Manukau to Botany Town Centre as part of the Airport to Botany (A2B) project in 2028-29, providing a faster and more direct connection between east Auckland and the airport.
We have some ideas on what the improvements should look like, but we’d like to hear what you think about the routes, the hours buses will operate, and how frequent services should be.
Timeline
New 37 route and 352 changes
A new 37 route launches between Manurewa, Clendon, Puhinui Station and Highbrook.
To avoid duplication with the 37, the 352 will shift to Greenan Drive, Bellingham Road and Accent Drive, providing a more direct connection from Flatbush and Ormiston to Highbrook.
Service improvements for routes 35 and 353
Route 35 will run every 30 minutes in the evening and have later Sunday services.
Route 353 will start earlier on weekdays and Sundays, improving access across the day.
New 356 replaces 314
A new 356 service is planned to replace the 314, linking Ormiston and Flatbush with Manukau Station, Ōtara and Middlemore Hospital.
Services are proposed every 20 minutes at peak and every 30 minutes at other times, subject to local road completion.
Frequency upgrades for 711, 712, 733, 734 and 735
Routes 711, 712, 733, 734 and 735 will improve frequencies, with peak upgrades on 711 and 712 and all services running at least every 30 minutes.
Services will continue to connect with ferries and use bus lanes near Pakuranga Station.
Busway opening and future extensions
When the Eastern Busway opens, route 37 will extend to Pōhatu Station and routes 351–353 will use the station.
Further changes from 2027 include:
- evening frequency improvements to route 70
- frequency improvements to 72C/M
- route changes to 72X
- a proposed peak only 706
- a potential AirportLink extension from Manukau to Botany in 2028-2029.
