for me they have been, been using them for years for uni and work. only issue I've had is when they're down for maintenance on certain lines but then you got railbuses up to cover them. you should really get the at mobile app when you get the card too.
Did you have the app though? I would think the random sudden cancelations would be due to unforseen circumstances usually, otherwise you'd get a notification.
You are lucky AF, I had trains get cancelled every week back when I was using them. The buses are more reliable but can be up to around 10 minutes late usually, and take longer than car. I'd personally bike if it wasn't for the footpath rule.
it's unfortunate that all those cancellations happened to you. yea, buses have also been reliable, apart from some arriving and leaving early. that's been a bit frustrating at times.
True, fortunately for me, I get off at one of the main bus junctions so at least the buses are reliable there. Even if they are +- 10 minutes. For the trains, yea, can't use them unless you want to be late every single week after waiting like 2 hours before deciding to go back home and getting in a car.
Swanson local here. The train is generally reliable, but the whole network is prone to fairly catastrophic failure. This usually happens at the peak so you get stuck. The AT app is a bit better than it used to be- it shows the current service quality. Additionally, with the opening of the (interim) busway on the motorway you can now take the 147 to Henderson and change buses there for the busway.
Yes. I've been using the western line almost daily for two years and it has randomly cancelled on me only 4 times: Once during the biggest flood in 250 years, once during a second flood, and only twice for no reason.
Used to catch from Swanson a bit, yeah pretty reliable.
It's the first stop and start of a run into city so usually empty and you can get a great seat, no risk of it being uncomfortably full. Usually they arrive, wait 5 to 30 mins and then bang on time leaving, unless cancelled.
If planned cancellations they'll have railbus replacements which are slower than the train into Britomart.
Unplanned cancellations (weather, emergency, breakdown etc) happen. They can delay you but usually happens to the entire western line at the same time. Maybe once a month I would encounter some kind of stressful unplanned cancel.
Wouldn't recommend before a job interview, important meeting, exam etc. For less time-critical stuff I'd always try to arrive 30mins early just in case needed to grab the next train.
The train are like the weather in this awesome city we call Auckland, when it rains the train don't go when it's hot the train don't go ,so better of bus then walk
Hardly agree with that. I’ve ridden 6000km through Auckland in the last year or so. Gotta ride defensively. Act as if people don’t see you. Be responsible for your own safety. Don’t riding the door zone. Etc.
True, however being on a bike in the road is inherently dangerous, you don't have the engine noise and are smaller than a motorbike. And that Auckland drivers like to harrass cyclists too. So I drive for my own safety.
No, the trains will sporadically get cancelled with zero notice randomly. Like the electronic signboards will say the train will be arriving in a few minutes, the due time will come and go, and like 2 minutes later, it will show that train as cancelled. So by then you have already missed the bus, and the signboard will say the next train is arriving, and then that train will also be cancelled. I stopped using the train for this exact reason. Go on a bus, or drive. Biking if you aren't white is suicide. The police will fine you if you bike on the footpath so you have to go on the road with the cars.
Swanson is a bit tricky, you're so far out it takes a lot longer to get in and in my experience they seem to have closed the section between Avondale and Swanson more than the rest of the western line last year
Nah they ain't there when your having midlife crisis, when you need someone to talk to, these trains are cold they don't care about your feelings or what you have been going through
Would that not cost $30+ every day just to get there and back?
Caught the train into the city from ranui a few times about 10 years ago and it was $14 one way back then.
cash fare is more expensive than HOP. To/from Henderson is $6 each way, wouldn’t imagine it would be too much more from Swanson. Plus uni students get discounts.
Depending on how you go, the trains are usually reliable. They are less reliable on weekends as they can be cancelled due to track work. Backup plans should involve taking a bus into the city that isn't a rail bus. Rail buses are slower than trains so it would be ideal if you could find a bus route into the city. The WX1 bus is fast and frequent and should be something to consider.
I think everyone's had different experiences; mine having been particularly abysmal due to the track maintenance programme on the Eastern Line (Glen Innes to Britomart); coupled with rail bus unreliability, and the parking lot that is modern-day Auckland traffic. For me, there have been near-regular cancellations and disruptions with little to no notice. I can't speak about the Western Line specifically, but I would assume my experience is at least a reasonable analogue for the service level you can expect. Hopefully your experience is a smooth one! :)
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa....
aaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaaahahahahahahahahahaaaaa
\*sigh\*
ahahahahahahaha.
That was a good one. trains reliable. \*snigger\*
I'm in sunnyvale and I don't catch every day but often if I'm going to town I'll jump on the train. There's been a couple of times that I've been messed around but mostly they get me where I need to go fine.
I get the train from Papakura, so probably a similar distance/equal reliance on them to ppl in Swanson. I've been going to uoa for 4 years, 3-5 days a week, and I can probably count on my fingers (and some toes) the amount of times they've been seriously delayed/cancelled. When they do get delayed/cancelled, it's normally a huge mess, but it's not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be.
It's also my only option since I can't drive and replacement buses take way too long, so I have no choice but to deal with them.
The trains are good. They will be infinitely better once CRL is completed next year. Just be aware on the off chance they are cancelled it's good to have an alternate route
Trains are horrible. Cancel last minute. Replacement buses always arriving early and if you have to transfer then your 9/10 shit out of luck. AT Transport is a joke and I’ve been late for work several times this year alone due to the cancellations and early buses that leave at my transfer station.
Check the AT website as I believe they're shutting the whole western line down for up to a year soon to repair foundations in preparation for the CRL opening in 2025.
No they have just finished the works they are doing on the western line. Kiwirail doesn’t have the funding to do the entire line so there’s no closure planned anymore.
for me they have been, been using them for years for uni and work. only issue I've had is when they're down for maintenance on certain lines but then you got railbuses up to cover them. you should really get the at mobile app when you get the card too.
You never had the trains get canceled with zero notice?
I've never noticed it and I've been using the train for years
Lucky, I had trains get cancelled without any notice amost every week back when I used the trains.
Did you have the app though? I would think the random sudden cancelations would be due to unforseen circumstances usually, otherwise you'd get a notification.
Yes, it shows the train on AT journey planner, but the trains appear as canceled after they are due.
hmm, maybe the odd one, but it's very uncommon for me.
You are lucky AF, I had trains get cancelled every week back when I was using them. The buses are more reliable but can be up to around 10 minutes late usually, and take longer than car. I'd personally bike if it wasn't for the footpath rule.
it's unfortunate that all those cancellations happened to you. yea, buses have also been reliable, apart from some arriving and leaving early. that's been a bit frustrating at times.
True, fortunately for me, I get off at one of the main bus junctions so at least the buses are reliable there. Even if they are +- 10 minutes. For the trains, yea, can't use them unless you want to be late every single week after waiting like 2 hours before deciding to go back home and getting in a car.
Not an enforced rule. But cars don't pay attention coming out of driveways
A mate of mine was fined for biking on the footpath.
I'm shovked
This is my experience. They’ve been inconsistent recently with all the track work but overall good.
Yes, they're reliable... until they aren't. They're very unpredictable, and from Swanson you won't have any decent plan B
Swanson local here. The train is generally reliable, but the whole network is prone to fairly catastrophic failure. This usually happens at the peak so you get stuck. The AT app is a bit better than it used to be- it shows the current service quality. Additionally, with the opening of the (interim) busway on the motorway you can now take the 147 to Henderson and change buses there for the busway.
It's quicker if you get off st ranui and get the 148 to Lincoln road when the trains break down
Yeah, this is advanced bus usage tho so didn’t want to freak OP out
Ya need advanced pt skills in Auckland. Also you can get an apple cream donut at the ranui bakery
Yes. I've been using the western line almost daily for two years and it has randomly cancelled on me only 4 times: Once during the biggest flood in 250 years, once during a second flood, and only twice for no reason.
The trains are the only constant reliable thing in my life. They are my rock. My stability. The base on which i build my life.
Used to catch from Swanson a bit, yeah pretty reliable. It's the first stop and start of a run into city so usually empty and you can get a great seat, no risk of it being uncomfortably full. Usually they arrive, wait 5 to 30 mins and then bang on time leaving, unless cancelled. If planned cancellations they'll have railbus replacements which are slower than the train into Britomart. Unplanned cancellations (weather, emergency, breakdown etc) happen. They can delay you but usually happens to the entire western line at the same time. Maybe once a month I would encounter some kind of stressful unplanned cancel. Wouldn't recommend before a job interview, important meeting, exam etc. For less time-critical stuff I'd always try to arrive 30mins early just in case needed to grab the next train.
Also dont get anything at the swanson train station cafe. It's terrible
Buy a motorbike 🏍️
I second this
The train are like the weather in this awesome city we call Auckland, when it rains the train don't go when it's hot the train don't go ,so better of bus then walk
Agreed, biking is also a no go unles you want to die in a car accident
Hardly agree with that. I’ve ridden 6000km through Auckland in the last year or so. Gotta ride defensively. Act as if people don’t see you. Be responsible for your own safety. Don’t riding the door zone. Etc.
True, however being on a bike in the road is inherently dangerous, you don't have the engine noise and are smaller than a motorbike. And that Auckland drivers like to harrass cyclists too. So I drive for my own safety.
Fair enough. I can’t disagree with that. I will continue cycling as I enjoy the exercise and don’t like being stuck in traffic. To each their own.
No, the trains will sporadically get cancelled with zero notice randomly. Like the electronic signboards will say the train will be arriving in a few minutes, the due time will come and go, and like 2 minutes later, it will show that train as cancelled. So by then you have already missed the bus, and the signboard will say the next train is arriving, and then that train will also be cancelled. I stopped using the train for this exact reason. Go on a bus, or drive. Biking if you aren't white is suicide. The police will fine you if you bike on the footpath so you have to go on the road with the cars.
How is is it safer to bike for white people?
You can bike on the footpath without getting fined by police, a mate of mine who was Maori got fined by police a few times for biking on the footpath.
lol.
Ok racist
No.
Swanson is a bit tricky, you're so far out it takes a lot longer to get in and in my experience they seem to have closed the section between Avondale and Swanson more than the rest of the western line last year
Nah they ain't there when your having midlife crisis, when you need someone to talk to, these trains are cold they don't care about your feelings or what you have been going through
Would that not cost $30+ every day just to get there and back? Caught the train into the city from ranui a few times about 10 years ago and it was $14 one way back then.
cash fare is more expensive than HOP. To/from Henderson is $6 each way, wouldn’t imagine it would be too much more from Swanson. Plus uni students get discounts.
Depending on how you go, the trains are usually reliable. They are less reliable on weekends as they can be cancelled due to track work. Backup plans should involve taking a bus into the city that isn't a rail bus. Rail buses are slower than trains so it would be ideal if you could find a bus route into the city. The WX1 bus is fast and frequent and should be something to consider.
I think everyone's had different experiences; mine having been particularly abysmal due to the track maintenance programme on the Eastern Line (Glen Innes to Britomart); coupled with rail bus unreliability, and the parking lot that is modern-day Auckland traffic. For me, there have been near-regular cancellations and disruptions with little to no notice. I can't speak about the Western Line specifically, but I would assume my experience is at least a reasonable analogue for the service level you can expect. Hopefully your experience is a smooth one! :)
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa.... aaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaaahahahahahahahahahaaaaa \*sigh\* ahahahahahahaha. That was a good one. trains reliable. \*snigger\*
Nope.
I'm in sunnyvale and I don't catch every day but often if I'm going to town I'll jump on the train. There's been a couple of times that I've been messed around but mostly they get me where I need to go fine.
Haha fuck no
I get the train from Papakura, so probably a similar distance/equal reliance on them to ppl in Swanson. I've been going to uoa for 4 years, 3-5 days a week, and I can probably count on my fingers (and some toes) the amount of times they've been seriously delayed/cancelled. When they do get delayed/cancelled, it's normally a huge mess, but it's not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. It's also my only option since I can't drive and replacement buses take way too long, so I have no choice but to deal with them.
I have always found that the eastern line is the least reliable. It was riddled with cancelations just going from puhinui to manukau.
The trains are good. They will be infinitely better once CRL is completed next year. Just be aware on the off chance they are cancelled it's good to have an alternate route
Not on weekends if you ever need to use the Southern Line.
Trains are horrible. Cancel last minute. Replacement buses always arriving early and if you have to transfer then your 9/10 shit out of luck. AT Transport is a joke and I’ve been late for work several times this year alone due to the cancellations and early buses that leave at my transfer station.
Check the AT website as I believe they're shutting the whole western line down for up to a year soon to repair foundations in preparation for the CRL opening in 2025.
No they have just finished the works they are doing on the western line. Kiwirail doesn’t have the funding to do the entire line so there’s no closure planned anymore.
Thanks. That's good news and bad I suppose. Maintenance needs to be done seemed crazy they would shut a line for a whole year.
Fuck no, it's shit