The new service will hit the road next year. Image / Greater Wellington Regional Council
The new service will hit the road next year. Image / Greater Wellington Regional Council
Mana Newlands by Transdev will operate a fleet of ten new zero-emissions electric buses to service a route to and from Wellington's airport.
Currently there's no dedicated public transport link between the airport and the city - much to the embarrassment of the capital.
Instead, passengers have been forced to take the No 2 bus which stops within 700 meters of the airport. Many walk through the nearby Burger King as a shortcut.
Metlink announced the six-year contract with Transdev this afternoon.
The service will operate on the Metlink network, will have Snapper ticketing, credit and debit payments by eftpos, and real-time information.
More details on the exact route will be revealed early next year but there will be 11 stops between Wellington's central train station and the airport. It will run seven days a week.
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter said it was great to finally have the first proper public transport service in place at the airport.
"This is fantastic news to ratepayers and Metlink passengers who have long requested a service to the airport. We've worked diligently to make this happen and I'm looking forward to seeing a service that is fully integrated to all parts of the wider Metlink network."
Wellington currently has no direct public transport route to the airport. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The council's Transport Committee chairman Roger Blakeley said the service would provide access for the whole region, as well as affordability and value for money for public transport users.
"A quarter of all eastern suburbs traffic comes from the airport so having a bus service back in place and fewer private vehicles on the road will help ease congestion and meet our climate change obligations.
"Wellingtonians will tell you that a successful service needs to be frequent, well priced, and at a place people can easily catch it. This new partnership and service ticks all the boxes."
Wellington had a bus service to the airport for two decades, most recently known as the Airport Flyer, until NZ Bus pulled the pin in November last year.
The writing was on the wall for the service, which was heavily impacted by air travel volumes and passenger numbers due to the Covid-29 pandemic.
Towards the end it was only operating between Wellington Railway Station and the airport on weekdays and during peak times.
Mana Newlands by Transdev currently operates Metlink bus services in Newlands and Tawa.
Its parent company, Transdev, is also a Metlink operator, providing rail services across the region.
Transdev New Zealand chief officer and managing director, Greg Pollock, said the new service would provide a high level of customer service.
"Public transport is all about people serving people, and there's nothing that beats the warm welcome for those who are coming home or visiting our city.
