Public transport is often the easiest way to get around Auckland during the festive and summer season.

However, for those planning a ‘stay-cation’ in Auckland, there will be changes to public transport services during the summer holiday period. With many Aucklanders out of town, and some workplaces closed, demand is lower for many of our buses, ferries and trains during this time.

The main disruption will be on trains with the closure of the Auckland rail network from 27 December to 28 January 2026, to enable crews to work efficiently and safely. The network will be fully closed for most of this time, with the exception of some Southern/Eastern and Onehunga Line services returning between 19 and 26 January.

Auckland Transport Director of Public Transport and Active Modes, Stacey van der Putten says when trains aren’t running, invasive work can be completed much more quickly and safely.

“This work is essential to getting City Rail Link up and running, without it we simply won’t be able to run more trains, more often”, says van der Putten. “KiwiRail’s work completed on sections of the Southern, Eastern and Western lines has already improved reliability. Over summer, the Rail Network Rebuild programme outlined by KiwiRail a year ago will be completed, with work across at least 40 different sites.”

“Rebuilding aging foundations, installing modern drainage and renewing old assets that slow down trains will help ensure we get the most out of CRL into the future as services are increased.”

A summary of the changes for trains, buses and ferries is below.

Train services

25 December (Christmas Day)

• Trains are operating on an hourly basis, with rail replacement buses operating in between these trains. Check before you travel.

26 December (Boxing Day)

• For the Western Line, there are service changes due to works at Henderson Station continuing. Check before you travel.
• For all other lines, trains are every 20 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes during the evening (Sunday timetable)

27 December – 18 January

• Full rail network closure.

19 – 26 January

• Trains only running between Newmarket to Puhinui, and to Manukau on the Southern Line & on the Onehunga Line.
• No trains running on the Western and Eastern Line.

27 – 28 January

• Full network closure for City Rail Link testing.

Bus services

Bus services will be reduced from Thursday 25 December 2025 to Friday 2 January 2026 due to lower commuter demand during the holiday period.

In general, services will operate to a weekend timetable, but we encourage everyone to plan their journey ahead using the AT Mobile app, or our website.

Wednesday 24 December

• Normal timetable

25 December (Christmas Day)

• Sunday timetable

26 December (Boxing Day)

• Sunday timetable
• Late night services equivalent to Friday / Saturday night timetable

Saturday 27 December

• Saturday timetable
• Normal Saturday late night services will operate

Sunday 28 December

• Normal Sunday timetable

Monday 29 December

• Saturday timetable
• Late night services that start at 1am or later will not operate

Tuesday 30 December

• Saturday timetable
• Late night services that start at 1am or later will not operate

Wednesday 31 December (New Year’s Eve)

• Saturday timetable
• Additional services after midnight

Thursday 1 January (New Year’s Day)

• Sunday timetable

Friday 2 January

• Sunday timetable
• Late night services equivalent to Friday / Saturday night timetable

Saturday 3 January onwards

• Regular timetables resume

Some routes have specific changes that differ from the above:

• NX1: will operate on a special peak timetable based on the Saturday timetable, with 13 peak services extended to Hibiscus Coast instead of Albany.
• Route 321 (Middlemore Station to Britomart via Greenlane Hospital): will operate on an adjusted weekday timetable to service the hospitals.
• Route 395 (Waiuku to Papakura): limited to one morning (6:48am) and one evening (6:33pm) trip.
• Route 805 (Devonport Wharf to Belmont Shops): will operate on a weekday timetable because there is no Saturday timetable.
• Route 866 (Albany Station to Newmarket via Ponsonby and Auckland Hospital) and Route 966 (Beach Haven to Newmarket via Ponsonby and Auckland Hospital): will operate on a special timetable based on the weekday timetable with a 30-minute frequency all day. This provides a better service for Auckland Hospital while train services are not operating.
• Route 986 (Hibiscus Coast Station to Albany Station via Dairy Flat): Will operate on a weekday timetable because there is no Saturday timetable.
• Waiheke Island: routes operated by Waiheke Bus Company will use weekday timetables on 29–31 December to meet increased holiday demand.

Ferry services

There are changes to ferry timetables during the holiday period. Most services have changes or reductions between Christmas Day and Sunday 4 January. The temporary timetables vary by route.

We encourage everyone to plan their journey ahead using the AT Mobile app, or our website. Our journey planner tool can help you find the next ferry, or an alternative way to travel including the AT bus network.

More information is available at at.govt.nz/holidaytimetables

Ferry services contracted by Auckland Transport

Bayswater

• No service Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• On statutory holidays (Boxing Day Friday 26 December, New Year’s Day 1 January, and 2 January) a Sunday timetable will operate. Check before you travel.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Birkenhead

• No service Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• On statutory holidays (Boxing Day Friday 26 December, New Year’s Day 1 January, and 2 January) a Sunday timetable will operate. Check before you travel.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Devonport

• Reduced timetable on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• On statutory holidays (Boxing Day Friday 26 December, New Year’s Day 1 January, and 2 January) a Sunday timetable will operate. Check before you travel.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Gulf Harbour

• This service does not operate on Saturdays, Sundays or statutory holidays.
• This means no services Thursday 25 December (Christmas Day) to Sunday 28 December, and again from Thursday 1 January (New Year’s Day) to Sunday 4 January.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Half Moon Bay

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• On statutory holidays (Boxing Day Friday 26 December, New Year’s Day 1 January, and 2 January) a Sunday timetable will operate. Check before you travel.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Hobsonville Point / Beach Haven

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• On statutory holidays (Boxing Day Friday 26 December, New Year’s Day 1 January, and 2 January) a Sunday timetable will operate. Check before you travel.
• On all other days normal services will operate.

Pine Harbour

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• Reduced services from Monday 22 December to Sunday 11 January. Check before you travel.
• Normal weekday service resumes on Monday 12 January.

West Harbour

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• Reduced services from Monday 22 December to Sunday 4 January. Check before you travel.
• Normal weekday service resumes on Monday 5 January.

Non-Auckland Transport ferry services

Matiatia (Waiheke) Fullers360 & Island Direct

• Altered timetables on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) for both operators.
• On New Year’s Eve (Wednesday 31 December) a weekday timetable will operate, with Fullers360 operating delayed late night final services after midnight.
• A weekday timetable will apply, meaning normal services on Monday 29 December, and Tuesday 30 December.
• Weekend (reduced) timetables otherwise apply between Boxing Day (Friday 26 December), and Sunday 4 January.
• Normal weekday service resumes on Monday 5 January.

Rangitoto Island

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December)
• Holiday or weekend timetables apply between Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) and Sunday 4 January. Check before you travel.
• Normal weekday service resumes on Monday 5 January.

Tiri Tiri Matangi

• No service on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December).
• Reduced service (weekend timetable) from Gulf Harbour to Tiri Tiri Matangi only, from Boxing Day (Friday 26 November) to Sunday 4 January.

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