Discussion: Rental car needed?

My husband and I have Silver Packages, but have lodging a little ways out of the city - at a place called the AK West motel in Henderson. Will we be able to get around ok with the provided transportation package, or will we require a rental car?

OR are there other orienteers staying in that area who might want to provide rides or share a rental car?

Hello - you're across the road from a train station.

About 1hr trip to the two Sprint races (in a car the same trips would be 20-30min traffic depending).

About 5min trip to Swanson Station where the Silver/Gold buses will shuttle you to the Long events.

Silver package includes an AT HOP card (public transport) and buses to the forest so you won't *need* a rental car to access the World Masters Games events.

The same is not true for Oceania Champs. The Sprint is easily accessible by public transport but the other 3 events require vehicles transport. Car pooling is a great idea because the entry numbers are high and there will be alot of cars!

Thanks, Nick! Unfortunately, we will not be attending the Oceania Champs, just the WMG. So it looks like we can manage without the car.

You're welcome - we're looking forward to hosting you here.

Check out these guys for a very good price and car

We have rented through them 3 or 4 times and always been well serviced,

https://www.rentadent.co.nz/

@NickHarris Hi Nick. How far will you have to walk to the event centre from where the shuttle drops you off? We're staying in Whangaparaoa so it would take us a long time to get to Swanson. We didn't get a Silver card. However, it seems that it's a 2.5 km walk from the event car parks to the event centre so maybe getting a card might be worth it. Does the AT HOP card come "filled", i.e. you don't have to load more $$ on it for the entire WMG?

Thanks. Marg

Nick, while we have an Aucklander here: I see that the Sprint Model has been moved to a location 18 km N of Auckland. Is there a way to get there by public transportation? We're staying very near Eden Park.

@mellis - Hi Marg hope you and Brian are well :)

So... first a caveat: I'm not the right guy to answer these questions, but I'll give you the best steer I can. Detailed questions are better directed to the enquiries email addresses on the Oceania and WMG websites... or wait for Bulletin 2 which isn't far off.

Heres what I can tell you: Don't PT from Whangaparaoa to Swanson to catch the shuttle buses. Thats potentially 3hrs each way. Drive across through Waitoki & Helensville - maybe 45minutes to the Quals (from the base of the peninsula). The length of walk from your carpark to arena will depend a bit on when you arrive. You might get lucky and be directed to park not much further away than the bus drop-off. Even a longer walk is better than 6 hours on PT per day. IMO.

For the Long, the PT trip will be worse, because the event is further north. I understand the bus drop-off and carparking are roughly in the same place, so I expect the walk to arena will be a similar distance.

I understand the AT HOP cards in the Silver/Gold package are "filled" as you put it. Free travel during WMG... I think.

Nick

@DWildfogel - hi there. Yes, the new Sprint Model is on a bus route, but I don't the number or what the timetable is like. I would guess this info will be in Bulletin 2.

"Near Eden Park" is well placed for PT (by Akl standards anyway). You shouldn't have much trouble with bus or train into CBD to switch to a bus to Albany.

For any other AP'ers reading here... considering access to forest events. If you're near a train station along Akl's commuter train network, especially the Western Line, getting to Swanson is a piece of cake. Obviously the further away your accommodation, the longer the train trip will take.

If you're staying north of the Harbour Bridge, you're probably not very close to the trains. Check out the PT connections to Britomart Station to see if there is a convenient option. The problem is that your PT trip to Swanson forms a big U. The further north you get the more you should look at driving straight across the top of the U to Woodhill Forest, using SH18 or thru Waitoki (Kahikatea Flat Rd).

@Nick Harris - thanks for the information re PT, etc. Great to have a local contact we know! Will contact the organizers if I have further WMG questions!