Aidy and Clare

Hi guys, well I'm planning on taking a trip over to see if I can secure a job offer as so far it's not happening by application alone. Still need an offer to get EOI selected.
I've had a phone interview but the money was just too bad to take the job.

Anyway, I'll be staying in Auckland, but I was hoping to visit Torbay as this is where we are thinking of moving to.
Are there regular enough buses to get from CBD to Torbay and back?
And am I right in thinking it takes about an hour boths ways? Or is there a train?

And for you guys who live to Torbay or nearby, is there anything in particular that's worth going to see. I want to get a feel for the place, even though it'll be a relatively quick one.

Cheers

nik

Hi
I'm sure there will be someone along who can give you specifics, but we are looking at the north shore - probably no further north than Mairangi Bay to make the journey to my job in the CBD manageable and I have been looking at houses on trade me, then entering the address on Maxx journey planner to get an idea of how long it will take to get to work. It has been really useful as there are some places I've ruled out as the journey is too long. the link is here:
http://www.maxx.co.nz/journey-planner.aspx

Good luck in your job hunt!

Aidy and Clare

Thanks, going to need all the luck I can get I think.

Anyway, are you planning on driving or taking the bus for your commute?
Thanks for the link by the way, very useful

nik

I am going to bus it as my friends in Auckland tell me the new bus highway is really quick and the harbour bridge was a bottle neck when I last lived in Akld 10 yrs ago, so I doubt it has got any better!

Ideally I'd like to bus the whole way, but if not then cycle / drive to the park n ride and then bus in. there is some good stuff on the bus system in wikipedia which told me where the bus stops where and then I looked at how long it took from each stop to work out where would be feasible to live. I am conscious I have to get back to pick my kids up from after school club so I don't want a really long commute so I'm trying to keep it to less than half an hour on the bus.

Here is the wikipedia stuffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Busway,_Auckland

I have become such a location /bus nerd - I can't wait to get there and try it out for real!

Tango1

You can get a bus from the Britomart (train station on Queen Street Auckland direct to Albany in about 25 minutes if its a one or two stop bus. Then you'll need to get a bus across to Torbay another 15 mins.
What to look at.......depends if you are wanting to look at schools, beaches, Torbay shops, there's not really that much here other than houses and nice beaches......but thats whats nice about it.
I do Torbay to CBD Auckland 0630 takes about 35 mins by car and 30 mins home around 4pm.
PM me when you are visiting and I'm happy to give you a quick tour.

Aidy and Clare

Hi Tango, thanks for your reply.
Houses and beaches sounds perfect! We have three young children so that's all we need really, and a couple of shops to pick up the essentials.
I'll be over in mid April, and I'll take you up on your offer if you don't mind, even if just for a quick coffee and a chat!

I'll drop you a PM before I leave.

Cheers
A

BEVS

What a lovely helpful thread. Karma all round coz you are all looking a bit karma-less.

janeyk

Hi
I am also to in Torbay and must follow Tango down the motorway at the same time OH drives to Albany and catches the bus as he works central CBD I work in Grafton at the Uni so car is easier, however the car is poorly this week and I have been commuting on the bus direct from Torbay there are fast buses that actually go straight the way through in the morning to Newmarket via Grafton and CBD as well as direst CBD fast ones, so far I have had no problem with the morning ones but going home can be a challenge with times and reliability as the hospital bus has not turned up so I had to walk from grafton into town and wait 1/2 hour, OH also has had issues with the volume of people getting on the bus of an evening to.
If you are like me that have primary school children after school care at Torbay only goes to 5.30pm so you do not need to be mucked around.
Saying that I was recused on Monday by a kiwi knight in shinning armour who was also waiting for the same bus and then led me to the other bus and back in Torbay ran and got his car to take me and DS back up the hill (you would not get that in the UK)

Having said that Torbay is a fantastic place to live its beautiful and friendly and I love it a little transport hassle occasionally is worth it its a case of building up contacts. My little cul de sac of 20 houses consists of at least 10 Expats!

Foxesecho

Hi Aidy

Buses are:

stop D2 opposite train station (Britomart) the northern express every 10 mins during the week, every 15 mins at weekend to Albany bus station

Then the 887 platform 1b to Torbay shops every 30 mins, 10 to and 20 past the hour week days or hourly at the weekends from 10 to the hour.

HTH

Can also meet for a coffee. I feel another BE meet up coming

janeyk

see meet up thread one scheduled for 10/4 Flax cafe Browns Bay 10.45

RickAlbany

id be keen to meet to, be nice to put some faces to names!