Even the big names will have to walk to matches

Only heads of state will have the luxury of being dropped off to the Eden Park stands during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

VIPs other than heads of state can expect to walk to Eden Park like most other Rugby World Cup spectators, after being dropped off by their chauffeurs beyond the stadium's perimeter.

Tournament transport project manager John Strawbridge said at a Tourism Auckland presentation yesterday that streets bordering the ground would be closed to traffic - including limousines - on match nights to protect pedestrians.

He also disclosed that event organisers had received requests to build a park-based helipad, but turned these down as such a facility would have little chance of gaining resource consents in a residential zone.

Mr Strawbridge, an Auckland Regional Transport Authority official, said chauffeurs would be unable to drive guests other than heads of state or team coaches to the ground.

Pedestrians' safety was a priority and guests would be dropped off at sites yet to be determined, such as near the Bond St-New North Rd intersection or in Dominion Rd, or travel on coaches to a new bus terminal at the southwestern edge of the park.

Coaches will be used by up to 5000 guests at each of the nine tournament matches at the park. Those fans are expected to buy hospitality packages allowing them access to a $10 million temporary pavilion to be erected over four months from May by the Rugby Travel and Hospitality organisation.

For packages starting at $995 for pool matches, and rising to $10,995 for the cup final and its two semifinal clashes, guests will be treated to fine dining on showcase New Zealand cuisine in the pavilion, as well as top seats in the stadium itself.

But the transport arrangements were queried by high-end tour operator Guy King, who said VIPs booking travel packages would expect "to be picked up at their hotels, taken to the venue, and collected".

Mr King, who chauffeured guests to Eden Park during the British Lions tour in 2005, said such people were prepared to pay "good money" for the service and would not be happy about being dropped off and having to walk.

"Some people want that personal touch - drop-off points for limos are not going to be good enough," he told the Herald.

Mr Strawbridge said the bus terminal would not be available for limousines, but efforts would be made to allocate drop-off points as close to Eden Park as possible.

Up to 16,000 fans are expected to arrive by train.