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Central crosstown bus changes Central crosstown bus changes

Auckland Transport is making changes to central isthmus crosstown bus services including the OuterLink, 64, 650 and 670 routes.

Date of the changes: 17 November 2024

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Overview

We are making changes to the OuterLink bus route in November. These changes will ensure we deliver an efficient and reliable service to our customers.

It is not meeting its promise of a bus every 12 to 15 minutes. It’s often unreliable, and buses are catching up to each other along the route. This means there is sometimes 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 adhere to the timetable. This often happens while passengers are on board, creating a poor journey experience.

We are also aware that some crosstown journeys are not as easy as people would like.

To address these problems, we're making changes to some of the bus routes that cross Auckland’s central area. This includes increasing the frequency of routes 650 and 670.

These changes mean 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).

We will support these changes with other improvements for customers who will now need to include a bus change in their trips. This includes new interchanges and layover areas.

We consulted on OuterLink and route 650 changes in 2019 and feedback received helped inform our plans and saw us introduce the added improvements we now propose. See background on the changes for information on the consultation.

There was a pause in rolling out changes after the 2019 consultation for several reasons, including consideration of what other infrastructure was needed on the network (like interchanges) to support the changes.

Benefits

The OuterLink is now more reliable. Mid-trip waiting times are shorter. Passengers get a better service, making it more attractive and popular.

We increased the frequency of the 650 bus to every 15 minutes. This allows more people to get to more destinations, more often.

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.

Details and maps

To view the changes to central bus routes, download the map (PDF, 1.4MB).

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, but currently has poor reliability. We can improve journey times and reliability by changing the service from a 25.5km-long circular route to a service running between St Lukes and Newmarket via the city centre.

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

We will also remove 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 is not well-used. While these buses will no longer use the stop at 219 Jervois Road, school bus services will continue to use this stop. This will make the trip quicker for the majority of passengers who do not use this bus stop.

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 bus driver changeover will no longer occur while passengers are on board so 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 now well established and used by around 1,000 passengers per day.

Route 64 will extend from Kingsland Station to St Lukes via Sandringham Road. This will create 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)

Increasing the frequency of route 650

Route 650, which travels via Balmoral Road from Greenlane and on to Point Chevalier, will be 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 will change 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 currently does.

Download the route 65 map (JPG, 1.2 MB)

Changes to the 670 service

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

Increasing the frequency of the 66 service

The evening frequency will increase from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes.

Extending the 68 service

We are extending the 68 route to Onehunga train station. At Onehunga it will begin and end 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, will be added to transport students from Mount Eden to Epsom schools (St Cuthberts College, Diocesan School for Girls and Epsom Girls Grammar). It will travel 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)

What these changes mean

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 people’s journeys by increasing the frequency of alternative services and creating better interchanges for easier transfers.

The new and existing services will be more reliable and, in some cases, run more often.

The changes may affect your current journey. The AT Mobile app can help you plan and track your journey from 17 November, when these changes come into effect. We will also have AT ambassadors on the ground to help passengers when the changes to come into effect.

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.

To view the fare zone boundaries and the bus stops in the zone overlap areas, download the map (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

St Lukes to Mount Eden Village

Take the frequent 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 the frequent 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 Mt Eden Road. Change at the Mt Eden Village to the 64 bus on Valley Road heading towards Newmarket.

Mt 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.

Mt 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 are required to facilitate these changes.

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 are engaging on how the changes will affect bus users and the wider community. Give your feedback on Cornwallis Street changes (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 are engaging on how the changes will affect bus users and locals. Give your feedback on Eden Park bus stops (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.

Give your feedback on the Walker Park bus stops (opens in a new tab).

Drop-in information sessions

Find out more about your new bus services on:

  • Saturday 19 October, anytime between 11am and 2pm at the Epsom Library, 195 Manukau Road. Epsom
  • Thursday 24 October, anytime between 1pm and 3pm at the Mt Albert Library, 84 St Lukes Road, Mt Albert
  • Wednesday 30 October, anytime between 12pm and 3pm at the Mt Eden Village Centre, 449 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden
  • Thursday 31 October, anytime between 10am and 1pm at the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall, 487-489 Dominion Road, Mt Eden
  • Saturday 2 November, anytime between 11am and 2pm at the Mt Eden Village Centre, 449 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden
  • Saturday 9 November, anytime between 10am and 12pm at the Parnell Library, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell
  • Saturday 9 November, anytime between 1pm and 3pm at the Epsom Library, 195 Manukau Road, Epsom.

Background on 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, AT 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

 AT now has a new plan that addresses many of the concerns raised during consultation.

“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