AKL · Layover Guide
Auckland
Stop in Auckland.
Best layover: 4–16h
LayoverScore™
Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.
Exit realism
Comfortable window
Enough room in Auckland for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.
Landside playbook
If time slips
- Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
- Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
- One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.
Worth knowing
- Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
- Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.
Planning a stop in Auckland?
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Places to stay
Search hotelsLayoverScore™ breakdown
Score 62 · Discover 49 · Ease 27
Why Auckland scores 62
Getting there
SkyBus Express $11 · Uber/Taxi $50
min to center
train- 01SkyBus (45-60 min, $18 NZD)
- 02Taxi/Uber (35-45 min, $70-90 NZD)
- 03Public bus 380 (60-75 min, $5.50 NZD)
- 01Take the ferry to Devonport for waterfront cafes and Mt Victoria views
- 02Walk across Auckland Harbour Bridge or bungy jump off it
- 03Explore Ponsonby Road's boutiques and brunch spots
- 04Visit Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki for Māori and Pacific art
- 05Climb Mt Eden (Maungawhau) for 360° volcanic crater views
Experiences in Auckland
Timed tours and tickets for Auckland are listed on our partner site.
Open listingsOpens in a new tab.
Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.
Where to stay →Drop your luggage. Don't drag it around the city.
Auckland Airport Left Luggage
International Terminal, Arrivals Level
$15/bag
2 min walk
LugMaster Auckland CBD
Queen Street, CBD
$8/bag
0 min walk
Sudima Auckland Airport
Adjacent to International Terminal
$89/day
5 min walk
From the terminal to the good part.
SkyBus Express
to-city
Runs every 10-15 min, drops at Sky City in CBD
50 min
$11.00
Uber/Taxi
to-city
Faster during off-peak, pickup at Door 8
40 min
$50.00
Public Bus 380
to-city
Budget option via Manukau, requires AT HOP card
70 min
$3.00
Auckland Explorer Bus
Hop-on-hop-off covering 14 stops including Sky Tower, Viaduct, Museum
24-hour pass, good for quick city overview
$30
per day
Getting there
Get an Uber from the airportAt the airport
- 01Strata Lounge with runway views and local wines
- 02Te Ao Māori cultural zone in international terminal
- 03Regional Wines bar featuring NZ vintages
More Oceania layovers
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