Puhinui Station to Close (until 2021). Marks Physical Start of Airport to Botany Works

Written by Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Please read if you use Puhinui Station

Today Auckland Transport sent out word that Puhinui Station is set to close next month until early 2021. This is because the station is set for its major upgrade as part of the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit – Stage 1 works that will allow:

  • Britomart to the Airport via Puhinui: 45 minutes
  • Manukau to the Airport: 22 minutes
  • Papakura to the Airport via Puhinui: 35 minutes

From Auckland Transport:

Puhinui Station $60M upgrade to start in September

Published: 2 August 2019

Construction on the new $60M Puhinui Station Interchange will start late next month.

The station will provide a seamless experience for bus and train commuters, particularly those heading towards Auckland Airport. The new interchange will open in early 2021 and is partly funded through the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT).

During construction, the existing train station will be temporarily closed, from Saturday, 28 September to early 2021.

This is required to enable the build to be completed as quickly as possible and to remove any health and safety risks to members of the public.

To limit disruption during the station closure, a new, free, Puhinui-Papatoetoe loop bus service will run every day, with services every 10 minutes during peak times, providing station users with southern and eastern train line connections from Papatoetoe Station.

The 349 Puhinui-Papatoetoe service will not require a HOP card or cash ticket, and takes 10-15 minutes in each direction.

Watch a short video about the closure and planned works below:

Auckland Transport Chief Executive Shane Ellison says the temporary station closure will be worth the wait.

“We understand any level of disruption is challenging, however, when we re-open the Puhinui Station Interchange in 2021 we’ll have an amazing, new and modern facility that will transform and revitalise the area.

“The new station will also allow for easy bus and rail connections from the interchange to the airport, Manukau and Britomart. Travel times to the airport from Puhinui will be only 10 minutes along priority lanes.”

The Puhinui Station Interchange is being delivered in stages, the first stage is an early improvement of the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit project. This project is led by Auckland Transport, and forms part of the wider Southwest Gateway programme.

The Southwest Gateway programme involves the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport and Auckland Airport working together to deliver transport projects that will improve access to the airport and its surrounding area to benefit workers, travellers, tourists and freight movements.

Find out more

For more information, updates, and to find out more about the new 349 Puhinui – Papatoetoe bus service and other alternative travel options – please visit: at.govt.nz/PuhinuiStation

To find out more about the individual projects, please visit:

Source: Our Auckland

A little YouTube video on the project:

If you are coming from south of Manukau the 33, 365 and 361 are also available:

Travelling from Papakura to Manukau (via Eastern Line)

Option 1

  • Catch the train to Papatoetoe and transfer to the Eastern Line to Manukau.

Option 2

  • Catch the train to Homai and transfer to:
    • the 365 bus (from Homai Interchange) to Manukau,
    • or the 361 bus (from stop 2171 opposite 98 Browns Road) to Manukau.

Option 3

  • Catch the train to Manurewa and transfer to the 33 or 362 bus to Manukau.

Travelling from Manukau towards Papakura (via Southern Line)

Option 1

  • Catch the 365 bus to Homai Interchange, or the 361 bus to Browns Road (stop 2178 at 96 Browns Road, Homai) and transfer to the train to Papakura.

Option 2

  • Catch the train to Papatoetoe and transfer to the train to Papakura.

Option 3

  • Catch the 33 or 362 bus to Manurewa and transfer to the train to Papakura.

Source: Auckland Transport

Looking forward to 2021 when Stage 1 is operational. Now onto Stage 2 which we want as Light Rail all the way to Botany please!

Airport to Botany Puhinui Interchange with Stage 1. Source: Auckland Transport

2 thoughts on “Puhinui Station to Close (until 2021). Marks Physical Start of Airport to Botany Works”

  1. Hi Ben. I hope you are well. Good to hear this. It has always been my desire to take the train from Britomart or Meadowbank to the Airport. Direct. No A380 bus. And before I die !!!. Wouldn’t / shouldn’t Stage 2 be Onehunga to the Airport ?

    In terms of other urgent projects, has the Auckland Council and / or AT run out of money ? Can’t exceed the Council’s 268% borrowings to rates ratio?

    It was 265% in October last year ?

    1. Afternoon Colin
      Stage 2 of A2B or Airport to Botany is Light Rail (or Bus) from Airport to Botany (18km) connecting up with the Eastern Busway at Botany itself.

      Airport to Onehunga is apart of City Centre to Mangere Light Rail which keeps being bummed around by NZTA and Twyford. However, there is a push to have at least the Airport to Onehunga leg tacked on to A2B so at least we have something in that department.

      Airport trips will always require a transfer one way or the other unless you catch the 380 directly at this point in time.

      As for debt the current figure was just below 265% to peak 2023 then head down again.

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