The Waikato Expressway vs Te Huia

I currently live in Cambridge and have had two occasions recently to drive to Auckland. What a dream the new expressway is (although there a few surfacing repairs to do).

Both occasions have taken me little over 70mins – sticking to the 110km speed limit of course – on a wide and safe road. You can then park where you want to park – clearly as close to the venue that you want to be at – and/or tiki tour in your own private vehicle – e.g. driving back on the beautiful coast road via Kawakawa Bay.

There is an alternative of course – as recommended by Michael Wood. I could have taken Te Huia. It would have taken a lot longer – please see below. I would have been highly limited as to the times I travelled. On both occasions the nearest station point was 30km from my destination.

“Te Huia runs return services from Frankton (Hamilton) to the Strand (Auckland) twice a day during the week, and once on Saturdays.

The service has an estimated running time of:

• 2 hours, 25 minutes from Frankton to the Strand (98 minutes to Papakura)
• 2 hours, 17 minutes from Rotokauri to the Strand (90 minutes to Papakura)
• 1 hour, 56 minutes from Raahui Pookeka | Huntly to the Strand (68 minutes to Papakura)

The total journey from Rotokauri to Britomart in Auckland will take an estimated 2 hours 35 mins (subject to the transfer time at Papakura or Puhinui if you are transferring trains).”

I do get that some people do not have private transport – but surely a daily bus would save plenty in and of itself. Even if you made it free to those in need.

Virtual signaling and not being prepared to acknowledge a screw up is so expensive … for the taxpayer.