Carol Darby

I am travelling from Australia to Vancouver with Air New Zealand business class. I have a 14 hour stopover in Auckland and wish to use their lounge for some of that time.

I would like to know what toiletries they supply in the showers. I would like to freshen up before my next long flight. Due to restrictions of liquids in hand luggage it would be good to know if they supply extras such as deodorant and the like.

Any other tips would also be appreciated. My thought is to have a sleep as my flight gets in at 5.30am (1.30am Perth time where I will be coming from). Then catch the shuttle into Auckland and have a look around. Then back to the airport lounge to have a shower and a bite to eat before my next flight.

Thanks

Carol

cavemanzk

There is basic supplies it showers e.g. Soap and Shampoo.

Pretty sure outside the showers there is an vending machine with additional items (Although paid).

The Lounge in AKL is Airside, e.g. you can't really goto it on arrival if you are wanting to head out of the City.

kyanar

It's probably worth warning you that Auckland Airport is ridiculously poorly served for transport into the city. The cheapest method to reach the city would be the Skybus, and that's $16 each way and takes 30-40 minutes depending on traffic. Provided the entirety of what you want to do is wander up and down Queen Street and attractions very close to it and don't mind paying $32 for the privilege, this might be OK. If you were planning on checking out things like museums, galleries, parks, etc, you will not have enough time.

libertyuk

Bearing in mind arriving so early, you can be leisurely going into downtown Auckland, not least because many things wont be open during the morning rush. The Skybus is fine (traffic is better since the Waterview Tunnel opened, but leave yourself plenty of time returning to the airport), you can catch it, go to a cafe downtown have a coffee and a decent breakfast (i.e. you could choose to sleep through breakfast on PER-AKL and eat downtown instead). You can buy a return ticket for the bus at the airport and use it to catch any bus on the way back.

After eating, drinking you can then wander around the shops, go up the Sky Tower, go to the Museum and get a ferry to Devonport and back. There are city bus tours, and you could ride the inner city orbital buses and get on and off along the way (although you'll need some NZ$ change to do so).

There is luggage storage facilities at the international terminal if you don't want to carry you hand luggage about all day.

The good thing is that if you get bored or tired, you just get the Skybus back to the airport, go through immigration and go to the lounge, freshen up ready for the flight to Vancouver. Do all that and you'll be ready for dinner on the flight and a good sleep through to Vancouver, which is only 3-5 hour time difference.

sbiddle

I personally think transport connections from AKL into the city are fantastic.

The cheapest way to get into the city if the A380 airporter bus and then the train. This is (from memory) just under $5 if you have a HOP card but is significantly more without one. It only takes an hour to get to Britomart which isn't much longer than the Skybus which is around 40 - 50 mins depending on traffic.

The Skybus is also $18 for the fare and $17 online purchases or $32 return It went up from $16 single far not long after Skybus took over the service from NZ Bus.

A day is plenty of time to go into the city and see the sights. I'd actually recommend catching the A380 airporter bus and train to Parnell and then walking around the Domain and then walk to the City.

curioustill

Yes but remember that Auckland public transport is stuck in 1959 BC. Infrequent buses and infrequent trains. Unlike proper cities (Hong Kong) where buses and trains come every 2 minutes

sbiddle

Auckland also has around 1/5th the population of Hong Kong so that's hardly comparing apples with apples.

It's also worth noting the HKG Airport express runs every 10 mins during the day which matches the 10 min frequency of the Skybus into the City.

Carol Darby

Thank you everyone. There is some great advise and it will all be very helpful.

I will make up a mini toiletries pack (deodorant, toothpaste etc) so that I can have a shower at the airport lounge.

I will have dinner on the plane from Perth as it departs at 7.30pm. I definitely won't have breakfast. I will have a rest at the lounge on arrival then put my hand luggage into a locker ($11) and catch the Skybus or similar into one of the suggestions made and have a good walk around. It is more to stretch my legs rather than just sit around all day. I won't go real early to beat the traffic. It will be winter and dark. Also my 5.30am arrival time is 1.30am Perth time and I won't have had much sleep on the 6 plus hour flight. I plan on being back at the airport 4-5 pm in time to freshen up for my 8pm flight. Regards Carol

Markhm

Hi Carol...to clarify. You cannot land, use lounge to freshen up, then go into town. Lounge is airside, which you can access via transfers, but you have to choose. Lounge or town.

Carol Darby

Thanks for the latest update which I have confirmed with the airport. I was able to locate a number for Auckland airport. So I guess I will just see how I feel after the flight from Perth. If I feel okay I won't transit but will have a rest in the general part of the airport and then get the shuttle into Auckland. But if really tired I will just transit and be prepared for a long boring wait in the lounge. Thank goodness the return flight only has a 5 hour layover. While on the phone to the lounge I was able to confirm they don't supply deodorant but they will give me a toothbrush and toothpaste.

curioustill

There really isn't anywhere decent to rest after arrival into Auckland at the airport. No seats between gate and customs - all walking. After clearing immigration/customs you are landside and in a public area which is really noisy.

sbiddle

I've actually never seen a lounge with deodorant. It's the sort of thing I always have in my carry on anyway.

cavemanzk

The only time I can think of would be in the Air China lounge in PVG, what they offer as apart of there shower service is crazzy.

jawnbc

There is a public shower landside, once you leave the secure area--it's to your immediate left, and you can hire a towel and toiletries from the convenience store near the McDonalds. They're not maintained to the same standard as an airline lounge, but they're more than adequate.

You can also prebook www.cheaptaxi.co.nz and pay less than half the metered charges from the airport to the city and vice versa. Use them all the time. No issues.

I always have deodorant in my carry-on.

Carol Darby

Thanks again everyone. All very good information.