Public buses introduced at Hawke’s Bay Airport - cost, luggage space, all you need to know

One of the buses at Hawke's Bay Airport on Monday. Photo / NZME

Public buses are now servicing Hawke’s Bay Airport six days a week, offering travellers another option to get to and from the airport.

Monday marked the first day of the service.

It has been decades since public buses last serviced the airport.

The new bus stop directly outside the terminal is part of a wider shake-up to goBay’s public bus network around Napier, Hastings and Havelock North, which features plenty of changes to stops, routes and timetables.

Buses to and from the airport will run every day except Sundays.

How much does it cost?

A ticket from Napier CBD to Hawke’s Bay Airport (or vice versa) costs $3.20 for an adult or youth ticket, and children under 5 are free.

You can pay by cash or with a Bee bus card.

It is cheaper with a pre-loaded Bee bus card; adults are $2.10 and youth (5-18) are $1.30.

All goBay buses are free, including the airport route, from January 25 to January 31, as the bus changes are introduced.

How long does it take?

Hawke’s Bay Today caught a ride on one of the first buses.

It took 30 minutes from Napier CBD (the route starts near Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s headquarters on Dalton St) to the airport.

The return leg was faster, 24 minutes, largely due to a shorter route around Ahuriri shops. The bus driver was helpful and friendly.

How often does it go?

The buses go fairly regularly, with intervals between one and two hours throughout the day.

On weekdays, the first bus leaves Napier CBD at 6.40am and arrives at the airport shortly after 7am. The last bus makes a stop at the airport at 6.10pm on its way to the city.

The new bus timetable which includes the airport stop. Photo / GoBay

On Saturdays, the first bus leaves Napier CBD at 8.15am and arrives at the airport about 8.45am. The last bus makes a stop at the airport at 5.25pm on its way to the city.

The entire route (Route 4) starts at Napier CBD and stops at Ahuriri shops (opposite Hello Sunshine Studio), Westshore shops (100 Charles St) and the airport. Every second trip also goes to Bay View.

You can hop on other buses from Napier CBD.

Is there luggage room?

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) transport manager Russell Turnbull said there were luggage storage areas on top of the wheel arches, which were available if required.

“People can also utilise the wheelchair areas of the bus, if not being used by these priority customers, to put their luggage.”

What do taxi/shuttle services think?

When the new stop was announced last year, Small Passenger Service Association executive director Warren Quirke said he did not believe it would have a huge impact on the industry, such as for taxi services outside the airport.

He said, in his opinion, business people wouldn’t regularly use it.

“A lot of business people that travel, they just want to hop into a car and get home.”

He said a lot of other travellers were the same.

A historic picture of a Newman's bus which did trips to and from the airport. Photo / Supplied

It is unclear exactly when the airport last had a public bus service.

HBRC does not keep those records. A Hawke’s Bay Today reader sent in a photo of an airport bus running from Newman’s Bus Depot in Napier, sometime around the 1960s, which could be the last time.