# Commuting times in NZ cities



## Song_Si

*NZ's worst (and best) big city commuting times*
Tuesday Jul 5, 2011









The suburbs of Takapuna and Petone see the biggest increase of traffic during the commute to and from work in Auckland and Wellington.​
*Takapuna and Petone are Auckland and Wellington's respective worst suburbs for the morning commute into the two cities' CBDs, a study has found.*

And in the evening, Remuera is the worst to return from the central city to in Auckland, while Hataitai and Oriental Bay have the worst traffic heading back from the CBD in Wellington.

The study, by location and navigation provider TomTom, compared the time it takes to make the trips off-peak (between 1am and 5am) and peak hour (7am to 9am in the morning, and 4pm to 6pm in the evening).

The data was provided by TomTom navigation devices between July 1 last year and February 28.

The average commute from Takapuna to the Auckland CBD between 7am and 9am is 28 minutes 25 seconds, up from 10 minutes 12 seconds during the free flow period, an increase of 179 per cent. Albany was the next worst in Auckland for the morning commute, with the average morning commute at 40 minutes 48 seconds, up from 16 minutes eight seconds off-peak, an increase of 153 per cent.

The best morning commutes in Auckland were Ponsonby (with an increase of only 36 per cent), Parnell (38 per cent), and Mt Eden (40 per cent).

Heading east proves to be more problematic for commuters: The average commute from the CBD to Remuera stretches from eight minutes 26 seconds to 19 minutes seven seconds, an increase of 127 per cent, and the commute for those heading home to Papakura stretches from 13 minutes 34 seconds to 29 minutes 33 seconds, an increase of 118 per cent.

The best evening commutes for Auckanders are Glendowie (an increase of 44 per cent), Devonport (50), and Mt Eden (52).

Commuters heading in the CBD from north of Wellington have the worst morning commute, with Petone residents taking 26 minutes 47 seconds on average to get in to town, up from 12.09, an increase of 120 per cent.

Johnsonville commuters take 19 minutes 29 seconds to get to the CBD, up from nine minutes 17 seconds, an increase of 110 per cent.

The best morning commutes are for Island Bay (whose trip time increases by 47 per cent during peak hours), Oriental Bay (43 per cent), and Khandallah (32 per cent)

In the evenings Hataitai and Oriental Bay residents have the worst commutes, with their trip times both increasing by 85 percent during 4pm and 6pm.

Porirua has the best evening commute, with the trip only increasing by 29 per cent in evening peak hours.


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## Song_Si

Thought this item may be of interest to people looking to live/work in Auckland or Wellington.

When I was working in international recruitment I met many newcomers to NZ who laughed at NZers' complaints about commuting times, when compared to major cities in other countries.

Before I left New Plymouth, NZ, I was living on the fringe of the CBD, and could walk to work in less than 10 minutes. Driving took longer as public car parking was further away. On a bicycle, 5min, easy.

In Wellington when I worked at the hospital I first lived in Newtown, could walk home for lunch! or more often, to get the laundry in if it looked like rain, or a gale was going to distribute it over the neighbourhood . Later moved to Island Bay and a 15min bus ride to the hospital. Next job was on The Terrace, the gov't part of CBD in Wellington city, could drive in 20min, less on the motorbike, or up to an hour by bus which took a very indirect/lengthy route.

My worst ever was Perth, Western Australia where I faced 2hrs each way, 4hrs/day of train and bus, fortunately it was contract work for 2mths as I wouldn't have kept that up any longer.


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## Song_Si

*Commuter questions*


How long is your commute to work?
and how long would you be prepared to commute for a job?
what do you recommend - find a house then a job, or a job then a house?


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## anski

Song_Si said:


> Thought this item may be of interest to people looking to live/work in Auckland or Wellington.
> 
> When I was working in international recruitment I met many newcomers to NZ who laughed at NZers' complaints about commuting times, when compared to major cities in other countries.
> 
> Before I left New Plymouth, NZ, I was living on the fringe of the CBD, and could walk to work in less than 10 minutes. Driving took longer as public car parking was further away. On a bicycle, 5min, easy.
> 
> In Wellington when I worked at the hospital I first lived in Newtown, could walk home for lunch! or more often, to get the laundry in if it looked like rain, or a gale was going to ditribute it over the neighbourhood . Later moved to Island Bay and a 15min bus ride to the hospital. Next job was on The Terrace, the gov't part of CBD in Wellington city, could drive in 20min, less on the motorbike, or up to an hour by bus which took a very indirect/lengthy route.
> 
> 
> My worst ever was Perth, Western Australia where I faced 2hrs each way, 4hrs/day of train and bus, fortunately it was contract work for 2mths as I wouldn't have kept that up any longer.


Up to 2 years ago my commute time from Mission Bay to City 7km (into car park Queen Street) was 20-30 minutes peak hour weekdays & 15 minutes weekends.
I will be making the same trip on my return so will let you know if time increases.

My worst experience was living on Sydney's upper north shore & commuting over the Sydney Harbour Bridge each day!!!!!!!!!! was improved when harbour tunnel was built.


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## inhamilton

Soon it's going to take only about an hour to get from Hamilton to Auckland. They've just started on the 4 lane Waikato expressway bypassing Ngaruawahia and Huntly.


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## topcat83

I must admit that as a Londoner born and bred I still chuckle when I hear about Auckland's 'horrendous traffic jams'. I used to travel 1.5 hours from Rickmansworth, in NW London, to Camberley, to the SW. And that didn't even go into London itself - just around the M25 (also known as 'the biggest car park in the world'). 

And London doesn't have a 'rush hour' any more - it's a continuous traffic jam. Auckland is busy from 7 to 9 am, but then it all miraculously goes away. 

Mind you, once I start commuting from Miranda I may change my tune....


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## kiwigser

inhamilton said:


> Soon it's going to take only about an hour to get from Hamilton to Auckland. They've just started on the 4 lane Waikato expressway bypassing Ngaruawahia and Huntly.


And I still find it hard to pronounce Ngaruawahia


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## anski

Topcat, we used to take sandwiches & a Thermos to survive the M25, it was that bad.


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## eastendoflondon

London is massively overpopulated. The roads have taken a lot of abuse over the years and the recent hard winters have made the tarmac split in most boroughs so it needs constant repair work. It costs the councils a fortune to do this work.

My commute is dependant on the weather. I choose one of the following : Motorbike when it's a cool dry day(Fireblade)
Scooter when it's raining(Aprilia)or 
Bicycle if it's lovely and hot(choice of mountain bike or hybrid).

We do have the tube in London but that's too crowded for my liking.

From Wanstead in East London to Euston takes me about 40 mins in rush hour either way door to door apart from the bicycle which takes 45 mins.Tube takes 45 mins door to door if it runs well and there aren't any strikes on!
If i used my car it would take me another 30 mins at least *plus* £8 congestion charge each day *plus* £10 parking each day.
The main issue regarding overpopulation though is the effect it has on the health and emergency services.Hospitals are suffering in London and UK in general.
Unfortunately when you have a 100% free health service people come from all over the world to use and abuse it.
Somethings gotta give soon.


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## kiwigser

eastendoflondon said:


> From Wanstead in East London to Euston takes me about 40 mins in rush hour either way door to door apart from the bicycle which takes 45 mins.Tube takes 45 mins door to door if it runs well and there aren't any strikes on!
> If i used my car it would take me another 30 mins at least *plus* £8 congestion charge each day *plus* £10 parking each day.
> The main issue regarding overpopulation though is the effect it has on the health and emergency services.Hospitals are suffering in London and UK in general.
> Unfortunately when you have a 100% free health service people come from all over the world to use and abuse it.
> Somethings gotta give soon.


I used to commute from Maple Cross to the Cromwell Road in Ken, by an beemer 1150gs, 35 in 45 out for the 20.5 miles. Did it for 8 years and only once ended up in Hillingdon Hospital. I hated it when the clocks went back, setting off in the dark and returning after dusk, horrible.


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## eastendoflondon

I know Maple Cross very well. Went to catholic school in Rickmansworth.
I used to commute from Watford to Bank on a CBR600f Sport.The M1 was good fun on the Supersport. Raced all manner of cars usually Porshes and Jags.Hated the commute once i got off the M1 though.
GS must have been wasted in Central London as is anything above 250cc imo!
Scooter does the job nicely!


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## Song_Si

a matter of perception . . . 
I have a friend now living in New Plymouth, previous working life all UK/Europe, she'd not lived in a small city (50k) before, and is now, by local standards, a _long-distance commuter_ - from one side of the city to the other, three or four sets of traffic lights along the way. 
Many locals wouldn't do it - 'such a long way'!


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## eastendoflondon

Song_Si said:


> a matter of perception . . .
> I have a friend now living in New Plymouth, previous working life all UK/Europe, she'd not lived in a small city (50k) before, and is now, by local standards, a _long-distance commuter_ - from one side of the city to the other, three or four sets of traffic lights along the way.
> Many locals wouldn't do it - 'such a long way'!


Exactly.My gf who is from NZ said the first time she used the tube in London she arrived on the platform and saw on the digital board the next train was in 10 minutes.She was like wow!that's quick.Within a matter of weeks if the board said anything longer then 5 minutes she would be unhappy to haveto wait that long.

I was in Christchursh over christmas and a couple of we drove into the CBD on a few occasions from the beach. If we came across 3 or 4 cars at the traffic lights my gf mum would moan about the traffic!!!

On a side note upwards of 50% of cyclists in London don't acknowledge red lights.


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