austinallegro

Hello, my parents (in their 70's) are flying to NZ in Feb. 2010 landing in Auckland and wish to visit some cousins in Mount Manganui. Is there a daily train service between Auckland and Mount Manganui? If so, does anyone know how long it might take? My Dad's vision is shot & Mum doesn't drive so renting a car is out of the question.


Here's a long shot. My Dad would like to know if the luggage trolleys at Auckland airport require coins. He wants to make sure he shows up with the right change.

Thanks

nero

They didn't a month ago - so your Dad should be fine. But if things have changed I am sure someone will say.

As for the train I didn't think there was one! May have to go by bus instead! But I am sure someone will say if this is not correct. Here is a link to a bus that could take your parents
http://www.northliner.co.nz/services_con.htm

Good luck with the travels

Am Loolah

In short - no! There isn't a train service.

There is the naked bus company, or they can fly Auckland to Tauranga and then get a cab from the airport.

HTH.

sr71

Also Intercity coaches :

http://www.intercity.co.nz

austinallegro

Hi All, thanks very much for the replies. They've given me food for thought. I'll have to see if everyone can meet in the middle somewhere. The bus looks like it takes about 4 hours each way which is too long. Hmmm. This is going to take some brain-work but it's too much of an opportunity to miss.

When I visited Mt. Manganui in 2006 it was the first time in 90 years that the two sides of the family had met. Time is running out for my parents and for the cousins in Manganui so make this work I shall!

Thanks again for your help.

John

pricklykina

If four hours is too long...then a plane is the best way
Or could they do four hours...after all if you can do 26 hours on a plane then a bus should be a walk in the park!
Of course they would have to get a shuttle to a bus stop too and depending on what time they land, they might need to stay in Auckland over night

How exciting for them though!

Matewx

Hey John,
Why dont you come with your parents??
You could be their driver?
Just a thought

lardyl

As others have said it might be better to fly down to Tauranga
Flights aren't too expensive and if you are on the right side of Auckland anyway.......?
There is left luggage at the airport - but I would have thought that they will be jet-lagged on arrival....
Maybe they could do it on the way out of NZ if they are flying back from AKL??

dorrick

Look at Air NZ "grabaseat" for cheap internal flights

sr71

Air NZ is showing $73 each way in February - seems cheap enough to avoid coaches.

Margaret Parkinson

We fly back from Tauranga to Auckland every time we visit Gail & co and its a good service (35 minutes). We would fly Auckland to Tauranga when flying out but we fly Singapore Airlines and it would just be our luck for our flight to be delayed and miss the connection so someone picks us up. Would this not be possible and then you could fly back?

Am Loolah

They could get the overlander train from Auckland to Hamilton and then see if a coach could take them Hamilton to Tauranga/The Mount? I don't know if it's possible but you could look into it. Hamilton to Tauranga by road is only an hour.

austinallegro

Hi All, Knowing my parents....1. the overlander train from Auckland to Hamilton and then see if a coach could take them Hamilton to Tauranga/The Mount.....might be the best option. The train would let them stretch their legs.

2. A cheap internal flight Air NZ is also a good option.

Hi Pricklykina, it is very exciting for them. The Mother of the Mt. Manganui set left a religious order in 1916, vanished in London, reappeared under a false name in 1919, married a blinded kiwi soldier, moved to NZ, told her husband all her relatives were dead and brothers killed in the war (all survived) and told her sons in WW2 not to visit England when in Europe because there was no one there for them to see (not true). She died in Christchurch in 1971. Her husband never knew her real name nor what she looked like....all made worse by most of my Grand-Father's brothers denying she existed.

Hi Matewx, I'd love to be the driver but Feb is school time for the kiddies and my wife would love to come too so summer 2010 is the only time for us.

Thanks very much again for all the suggestions.I'll make a note of the lot of them and see what works.

John