Today’s Trains, Buses, Ferry RWC Arrangements, Cloud Programme

in Bus Motorways RWC 2011 Trains by Jon C — September 8, 2011 at 11:31 pm | 7 comments

Here’s trains, buses, ferry and road information for the Rugby World Cup 2011 Opening ceremony at Eden Park today Friday and for getting around Auckland.

For the weekend North Harbour Stadium matches go here

Here’s the Friday plan:

Regular commuters

• City workers told to leave town after 3pm

• Normal train services will be affected. From about 3.30pm commuter train frequencies out of Britomart will reduce to about every 20 minutes, with some terminating at Otahuhu, to allow 5 minute frequency event trains to take fans from Britomart to Kingsland. Buses will replace some trains on the Western Line from about 5pm to midnight.
• Britomart Station entrances and train transfers will change to manage the huge crowds. All passengers not going to the match will be directed to the eastern Takutai Square entrance of Britomart (Westpac end) to get priority boarding onto their trains.The position of most bus stops around Britomart will be temporarily re-located. Each affected bus stop will have information on the relocation or go to www.maxx.co.nz.
• The last trains from Britomart are 1.17am on the Onehunga Line 1.36am on the Western Line, 2.15am on the Eastern Line, 2.30am on the Southern Line.
• If you use buses to or from Auckland’s CBD, you need to be aware that the position of some bus stops will be moved away from the Britomart area
• Get to the Fanzone early to ensure you are in the best spot to catch all the action. Consider finishing work early to give yourself plenty of time.
• If you’re going to the official Opening Ceremony and opening match at Eden Park, leave early and plan to be in your seat by at least 7pm so you don’t miss what will be a spectacular show. It starts 7.30pm sharp and there will be pre-ceremony entertainment.
• Quay Street and the surrounding area will be closed so avoid driving near there, or arrange deliveries and essential trips for early in the day. Managed access for businesses, with deliveries through designated routes, is until midday Friday 9 September.
• If you’re not going to the match avoid travel around Eden Park as there will be road closures and parking restrictions, there will be delays and congestion
• Fullers say there is a  suspension of ferry movements and possible delays . All ferry movements will be suspended in the ferry basin from 7.50pm to 8.15pm, or until the ferry basin is clear of opening ceremony craft and firework barges.The following services will be cancelled or delayed:Delayed - Birkenhead – Auckland 7.55pm. Will be held at Birkenhead until 8.15pm
  Delayed - Auckland – Half Moon Bay 8.00pm will be held at Auckland until 8.15pm
  Cancelled - Devonport – Auckland 7.45pm
  Cancelled - Auckland – Devonport 8.00pm• Last sailing from Devonport to Auckland – 7.15pm, until after the fireworks event
  • Last sailing from Auckland to Devonport – 7.30pm, until after the fireworks event
   Additionally, in the event that sailings that are due into the ferry basin around the suspended period are running late, those sailings will be held away from the wharf area until the end of the fireworks display. These could include the 7.15pm from Waiheke Island and the 7.15pm from Half Moon Bay.

  Fullers will be required to reduce its speed at various points around the harbour from early afternoon onwards which could result in other delays.

Going to the Game

• Trains and special event buses are free with a match ticket from 4.30pm until the end of service on trains and for buses until one hour after the match, or until crowds are cleared. The aim is to clear crowds using event public transport within 70 minutes of the match finishing
• Trains running every 5 to 7 minutes between Britomart and Kingsland, stopping only at Kingsland Station. Trains from the west running approximately every 15 minutes to Morningside Station. Special event trains from the south.
• Special event buses from Albany every 10 minutes stopping at all Northern Busway Station, Takapuna from Hurstmere Rd every 15 minutes, midtown CBD from Queen St outside the Civic every 5 minutes, Newmarket and Mt Eden every 10 minutes and from Manukau city centre/Botany Town Centre/Pakuranga Plaza every 30 minutes
• All rail services and the majority of special event bus services will be accessible for the mobility impaired. A mobility shuttle will operate to / from the Morningside train station to the venue
• Taxi drop off points on Bond St, New North and Dominion roads, taxi ranks after the match on Dominion Rd and New North Rd
• A mobility taxi rank is located in Bellwood Avenue near Cromwell Street for mobility drop off / pick up. People being picked up need to make sure the vehicle is in place before the end of the match to avoid the road closures.
• A limited number of accessible parking spaces will be provided in Bellwood Road (between Cromwell Street and Dominion Road), an orange mobility sticker is required for access.  A shuttle service will operate between this point and the venue.
• Walking? The Fan Trail, a walking route packed with entertainment, which starts in the city at Queen Elizabeth Square (opposite the Britomart Transport Centre) and ends at Eden Park
• Timetables

Late night trains

Trains will run into the early hours all week during Rugby World Cup 2011.

The extra trains, which run until about 2am on Eden Park match days, are part of a range of enhanced public transport services during the Tournament. Ferries and buses will also be providing late night services on match days.

On days when matches aren’t on, including weekdays, the last train services from Britomart will leave at about midnight. On Sundays trains will operate to a Saturday timetable, meaning the last train from Britomart will be 12.08am on the Eastern Line, 12.10am on the Southern Line and 11.50pm on the Western Line, which will have services extended to Waitakere.

On match days train travel is free with a match ticket from three hours before kick off until the end of services. Special event bus services are free from three hours before kick off until an hour after the match, or when crowds are cleared. For the opening ceremony and match free travel begins from 4.30pm.

Auckland Transport and train operator Veolia Transport will be providing an additional 1,400 train services during the Tournament. About 400,000 extra journeys are expected to be made by rail in September and October.

Late night buses, ferries

Buses will also operate later during the Tournament. The NiteRider bus operating to Auckland’s suburbs from the central city on Friday and Saturday nights into the early hours will be enhanced. It will also run on Sundays when matches are on.

On match nights 11 high capacity bus routes will have increased frequency from 10.30pm and be extended through until 1.00am. They include the Inner and Outer LINKs, Northern Express and routes to Botany, Swanson, Henderson, Blockhouse Bay, Lynfield, Waikowhai, Devonport to Takapuna, Beachhaven, Glenfield and Long Bay. On Sundays the Henderson 224, Mt Eden Rd 277 and Waterfront 769 will operate later during the Tournament.

On match days Fullers Ferries will be putting on extra and later sailings to Waiheke Island and Devonport. For example, the final sailing to Waiheke for the semi-finals, bronze final and final will be at 2am. Passengers will need to book for the last sailings.

Other Fullers ferries running later on match days will be Half Moon Bay, Birkenhead/Northcote Point and Bayswater.

Ferries from Pine Harbour/Beachlands (Pine Harbour Ferries) and West Harbour (Belaire Ferries) are also running special late services on match days.

Auckland Harbour Bridge

The usual afternoon peak lane configuration across the bridge of five northbound lanes and three for those driving south has been suspended, and the NZTA will have four lanes open in both directions.

Police will be coming down hard on anyone who stops on the bridge to watch fireworks.

Fireworks start just before 8pm. They are being let off from around various buildings and the water.

Queens Wharf opens at 3pm and is limited to 12,000 people.

Programme for The Cloud Opening Night

Tamaki Herenga Waka – fleet arrival

Dave Dobbyn and band at Queens Wharf

Mass haka and kaihoe procession - Eastern Viaduct/Quay Street

Mayoral welcome on Queens Wharf, followed by haka

The Finn Brothers concert - headline act

Opening Ceremony from Eden Park live on the waterfront big screens

Sound and lighting show – Auckland’s biggest and brightest fireworks and light show set to music composed specially for the occasion by Don McGlashan

Opening Match from Eden Park live on the waterfront big screens

Concert by New Zealand’s top musical talent on Queens Wharf, featuring Dane Rumble, Midnight Youth, Kora and Manuel Bundy.

10.15pm Dane Rumble

10.45pm Midnight Youth

11.30pm Kora

12.50am DJ Manuel Bundy

2am Queens Wharf closes.

Gin Wigmore plays the finals 

Check out inside Shed 10 and The Cloud here

TIMETABLES

Timetables for Trains, buses

Fan walk to the game

Devonport, Waiheke Ferries www.fullers.co.nz,

Others  www.pineharbour.co.nz or www.belaire.co.nz for full details on ferry sailings and conditions.

SEE ALSO

Eden Park as you won’t see it as a member of the public

See what Party central -The Cloud & Shed 10 look like

Army of tow trucks waiting near the bridge

How to get to North Harbour

Wi-Fi on Public transport 

RWC advertising ban - watch what you wear 

Kingsland  station becomes Emirates station  

Tags: Eden Park Rugby World Cup 2011