Auckland trains will run every 15 minutes until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights under a new timetable starting on Sunday 22 November, Auckland Transport (AT) says.
The change is part of the first update to the timetable that came in when the City Rail Link opened. AT is also adding peak-time trains between Kingsland and Henderson for West Auckland commuters.
What changes on Friday and Saturday nights?
When the City Rail Link opened two months ago, daytime trains went from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes, AT says. From 22 November, that 15-minute frequency will run for three more hours, until 11pm, on Fridays and Saturdays. AT says that adds 48 services a week.
The timetable starts on a Sunday, so the first late Friday service under it will be on 27 November.
After 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, trains will keep running every half hour. AT says the last trains from the city leave between 12.30am and 1.18am, depending on where you are going.
"Running trains every 15 minutes until later in the evening gives more people flexibility to make public transport part of their plans for enjoying everything happening in Auckland as we head towards the festive season," AT chief executive Stacey van der Putten said.
AT does not mention any change to Sunday-to-Thursday evening services in this update.
What about West Auckland?
From Sunday 22 November, East West line trains that currently run between Sylvia Park and Kingsland during peak times will continue all the way to Henderson, AT says.
That means eight trains an hour at peak times between Morningside and Henderson, about one every seven to eight minutes. AT says 110 services a week will be extended to those stations.
Waitākere ward councillor Shane Henderson said that for some West Auckland passengers, the timetable introduced when the City Rail Link opened "didn't line up with their workday", and the change addressed that.
Where can I check the new times?
AT says the new timetable is available on its Journey Planner, the AT website and the AT mobile app from 8 November. If you take the train at a regular time, check whether your usual service has moved before 22 November.
For later trips, AT also runs 35 night bus routes across Auckland, some of them going past midnight.
Why now?
AT says demand has been strong since the City Rail Link opened. More than 108,000 train trips were taken on Friday 30 October, the busiest day on record, and October was the busiest month on record, with 2.1 million trips.
More timetable changes are expected early next year, AT says, with more peak trains on the South City line between the city centre and Ōtāhuhu.
A few dates where it may help
Late November is busy for Auckland's Asian community calendar. The NZ Asia Pacific Film Festival opens on Friday 20 November, and Auckland Korean Day is on Saturday 28 November. The later Friday and Saturday trains start the weekend after the film festival opens, so check the journey planner for the night you are travelling.
Fares are not part of this change. AT's current fares have applied since 1 February 2026, when an adult one-zone trip on an AT HOP card or contactless payment went up to $3. AT also has a $20 daily fare cap for contactless users and a $50 seven-day cap for HOP card users.
