Rail commuters told how to dodge rugby fans

Auckland Transport is encouraging rail commuters to go home earlier than usual tomorrow. Photo / Michael Craig

Auckland Transport is encouraging rail commuters to go home earlier than usual tomorrow to ease pressure on trains carrying rugby crowds to the Blues vs Stormers match at Eden Park.

Its advice follows difficulties in November when regular passengers were trapped on trains packed with U2 concert-goers and which did not make scheduled stops at stations on the way to Mt Smart Stadium.

One commuter pushed an emergency button to stop a train between stations, blocking the railway line to three or four other services carrying thousands of rock fans and nearly causing them to miss the start of the Irish band's act.

Although Auckland Transport and rail operator Veolia will run four extra "event" trains from Britomart to Eden Park from just before 6pm tomorrow, rugby fans with tickets to the match will also be entitled to free travel on normal services from 4.30pm.

That is to discourage them from using cars to reach the park, around which some roads will be closed to traffic.

Two extra trains will run from Westfield to Britomart from 5.50pm via the eastern railway line through Glen Innes, and a special service leaving Papakura at 6.08pm will go straight to Eden Park via Newmarket for the match's 7.30pm kick-off.

The four special trains leaving Britomart will stop only at Grafton Station on the way to Eden Park.

Auckland Transport spokeswoman Sharon Hunter said regular commuters should heed signs above their drivers' cabs so as not to board them by mistake.

Regular rail services along the western line will be replaced by buses between 8.30pm and 11pm, to clear the tracks for rugby trains to leave Kingsland Station for Britomart every five minutes after the game.

This is the target frequency for Rugby World Cup trains.

Westbound trains will leave Morningside Station every 10 minutes after the game.

Ms Hunter said the city's rail system would be busy tomorrow evening, although the normal Friday commuter rush hour from 4.30pm to 5.30pm was expected to precede the rugby travel peak of 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

She said all regular commuter trains would make their scheduled stops but "if for any unforeseen reason a decision is made to operate non-stop, this will be communicated to passengers".

Auckland Transport's public transport operations manager, Mark Lambert, said events attracting large crowds meant there had to be some changes the way other travellers got around.

TRACKSIDE

* Commuters are urged to go home early or stay in the city later to avoid rugby crowds on trains tomorrow.

* Extra train and bus services will be running from just before 6pm from various points around Auckland to Eden Park.

* Rugby fans with tickets are entitled to free travel on normal train services from 4.30pm and on special event buses.