Taxis

Taxis play an important role in moving people around both Auckland city and the region. The council has two main functions in managing taxis in the city:

to ensure the public have a safe environment to access taxis where and when they need them
to ensure taxis have a safe environment to access space, where and when they need it.

Click on the image above to view maps of taxi rank locations in the Auckland Isthmus.

Taxi ranks in the CBD

There are taxis operating in the Auckland region - a large proportion of them visiting Auckland's CBD at some point each day.

To ensure the best of use of the limited parking space available, some taxi ranks having different uses at different times of the day. It's important taxi drivers and potential customers check road signs to ensure they are parked legally.

Both passengers and taxi drivers have rights and responsibilities, as set out by Land Transport New Zealand. Visit the Land Transport New Zealand website under factsheets for more information.

In September 2004, Auckland City reviewed the size and hours of operation of each taxi rank in the CBD with a view to:

improving public safety and access
balancing taxi supply with public demand
improving traffic flow by addressing illegal parking behaviour by taxis.

The review was undertaken in conjunction with the Taxi Federation, Land Transport Safety Authority, the New Zealand Police and some inner-city hotels.

Taxis on Queen Street

As of 18 July 2005, Auckland City replaced road signs for short-term parking areas on Queen Street. The new signs state the parks are for private and goods service vehicles only.

This move is in response to taxis misusing 15-minute parking spaces on Queen Street to wait for business, disadvantaging the people they have been set aside for - for example, shoppers, visitors, couriers and delivery vehicles.

Surveys of short-term parking on Queen Street indicated around 20 per cent of parks were occupied by taxis, negatively impacting other street users and taking up valuable CBD street space.

P15 car parks are now signposted for private vehicles or goods service vehicles only. Taxis using the parks illegally will receive an instant $40 infringement fine.

The move to better manage taxi behaviour on Queen Street is aligned with the Queen Street upgrade and has the support of the local business association, Heart of the City, and the New Zealand Taxi Federation.Eastern Viaduct Co-op taxi rank.

Eastern Viaduct Co-op taxi rank

Auckland City has contracted Co-op Taxis to operate a taxi rank in the Eastern Viaduct Basin outside the Maritime Museum. From Monday to Thursday, the rank operates between the hours of 6pm and 8am. It then operates from 6pm on Friday through to 8am on Monday, including all public holidays. It is clearly signposted and has two car spaces.

Night time taxi ranks

Click here to view maps of taxi rank locations in the Auckland Isthmus.

Night time taxi ranks were introduced in the CBD, to make it easier for people to find taxis at night:

Rank details and explanation	Hours of operation	Spaces
Customs Street East, outside the Rose and Crown	6pm - 6.00am	4
Customs Street East, Showgirls	Midnight - 6.00am	5
Customs Street East, south side Queen Street to Fort Lane, outside Queen's Arcade	6.00pm - 6.00am	7
Karangahape Road, between Mercury Lane and East Street	Midnight - 6.00am	7
Karangahape Road, between Pitt Street and opposite East Street	Midnight - 6.00am	9
Karangahape Road, west of Day Street	Midnight - 6.00am	3
Lower Hobson Street, Spy Bar	6.00pm - 6.00am	14
Nelson Street, outside the Empire Hotel	6.00pm - 6.00am	2
Parnell Road, down from the George	Midnight - 6.00am	5
Parnell Road, The Bogg	Midnight - 6.00am	3
Quay Street, outside Price Waterhouse	6.00pm - 6.00am	3
Queen Street, outside/near Vulcan Lane	Midnight - 6.00am	3
Shortland Street, between High Street and Queen Street	6.00pm - 6.00am	3
Shortland Street, between High Street	6.00pm - 6.00am	2
Symonds Street, north of Newton Road	6.00pm - 8.00am	3
Victoria Street East, opposite south side - carpark	Midnight - 6.00am	7
Wellesley Street East, outside HSBC	6.00pm - 8.00am	3
Wellesley Street, outside ASB between Federal Street and Albert Street	6.00pm - 6.00am	3
Wellesley Street West, outside Murphys Bar	6.00pm - 6.00am	3

Other taxi ranks

Following is a list of taxi ranks in the CBD

Rank details and explanation	Hours of operation	Spaces
Albert Street, Stamford Plaza Hotel	At all times	4
Customs Street East, Downtown Shopping Centre, (see Note)	At all times	4
Durham Lane, outside City Life	At all times	2
Federal Street, Sky City Casino	At all times	4
Fort Street	At all times	5
Karangahape Road, by National bank	At all times	2
Karangahape Road, on the bridge	At all times	6
Kitchener Street, opposite the Metropolis	At all times	3
Lower Hobson Street, outside Loaded Hog	At all times	4
Mayoral Drive, down from the Carlton Hotel	At all times	3
Queen Street, Scotia Place, (see Note)	At all times	3
Queen Street, outside 152, (see Note)	At all times	3
Queen Street, outside 371 (Durham Street), (see Note)	At all times	3
Symonds Street, north of Newton Road	At all times	2
Victoria Street West, Victoria Park Market	At all times	7
Wellesley Street West, outside Smith and Caughey	At all times	5
Wyndham Street Heritage Hotel	At all times	3

Note - Auckland City's strategy for revitalising the CBD, entitled Auckland's CBD into the future, may see some taxi ranks relocated, in particular, those currently situated on Queen, Customs and Albert streets.

Updated November 2007