Ways to get to Auckland central from the airport
As I am doing research on how to get from Auckland Airport to the Auckland city central for the Urban Sketchers Symposium, I thought I would share my findings. And don't forget to follow my coverage on the main Urban Sketchers Youtube channel.
Make sure to check the payment method and whether they accept your type of credit card. Some of the shuttle buses can be booked last minutes, so you can book your ride first, have a meal, then walk to the pick up location (check their websites).
RIDESHARE or PRIVATE HIRE CARS (NZD 40-60, ~25 min)
Uber and Ola are the two rideshare or private car hire companies with permission to pickup and drop passengers at the Auckland Airport. You'll need internet connection for this.
Pickup point for passengers arriving at the Auckland International Terminal is located outside Gate 11.
SUPER SHUTTLE (NZD 30+, 40 to 50 min)
Super Shuttle is an airport transfer bus service that can drop you at your preferred location.
SKY DRIVE (NZD 17+, 40 to 50 min)
Sky Drive is also an airport transfer bus service but this only stops at SkyTower (map) located in Auckland central.
This is a much better deal if your hotel is near SkyTower.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If you want to challenge yourself by taking public transport, download the AT Mobile app first.
You can enter your pick up location and destination and the app will provide a list of travel options including price and time.
It's pretty straightforward. To make it even more foolproof, ask around at the bus stop or the driver which directions the buses are going.
Payment will be with the AT HOP public transport cards which you can purchase at the airport.
Journey time will be at least one hour and that does not include missing the buses and having to wait 15-20 minutes for the next one.
More information on public transport in Auckland can be found on Wikipedia.