Bikes in buses trial

About the bikes in buses trial

Phase 2 of the Bikes in buses trial started in July 2025. The purpose of the trial is to understand the practical complexities of having bikes in buses in Auckland. The trial will run for at least one year.

There are bike racks installed in 15 buses on the Northern Express 1 (NX1) route. This is about one third of the NX1 fleet. Each bike rack can hold two bikes.

The aim is to have bike buses in service for all hours that the NX1 service operates, seven days a week. There is partial integration with the AT Mobile App, and users can check the ‘live departures’ section of the app, when they are at the station, to see if the bus headed their way has a bike rack on it or not. This service is not linked to the journey planner section of the app.

All cyclists are welcome to use the bike racks, and we encourage you to provide feedback on your experience using the rack.

If you are a passenger on the NX1, either using the bike rack, or just seeing it in operation, we would love your feedback and observations regarding the bike rack in the bus. An important part of this trial is to better understand the experience of cyclists and NX1 bus passengers, so please share your insights with us via our online survey.

How to use the bus bike rack

Please view the video below for guidance on how to use the bike rack inside the bus.

New Zealand Sign Language video:

Important information when using the bus bike rack

• Enter through the front door and exit via the rear door.
• Lift the rack up to release and lower it.
• Place the front wheel of the bike into the rack.
• Use the restraining strap provided to hold the bike.
• Do not block the aisle of the bus for other passengers.
• You do not have to stand next to your bike but remain nearby to ensure safety of your property and other passengers.
• Be respectful and share the bike rack space in a cooperative manner.

Timetable update (November 2025)

Customers who take their bike on the NX1 have given us the feedback that they want to be able to plan their bus journey ahead of time, but can’t because the bike-enabled buses aren’t timetabled. Due to the dynamic nature of the NX1 frequent service, it’s not possible to predict with certainty when a bike-enabled bus will be at a particular station.

Our goal is for bike buses to be in service for all the hours that the NX1 service runs, seven days a week.

While there isn’t a timetable for bike buses, we can tell you the typical bike bus frequency, to help you plan your journey. At times this typical frequency may be better, at times it may be worse. The table below can give you a general indication of what to expect so you can decide whether the bike bus is the right mode for your journey.

We encourage cyclists to give it a go, and please share your feedback with us.

WEEK DAYS INTO THE CITY

WEEKENDS INTO THE CITY

WEEK DAYS OUT TO THE NORTH SHORE

WEEKENDS OUT TO THE NORTH SHORE

BACKGROUND

Benefits for and impacts on the community

By making it easier for Aucklanders to combine a bicycle ride and a public transport trip, it opens up options for more people to use public transport. This could save many Aucklanders time and money, as well as contributing to health and environmental goals.

Allowing bicycles inside buses will mean that AT provides a consistent service across its Rapid Transit Network, because commuters can already take bikes on trains.

Allowing bikes on the NX1 service provides cyclists with a way to cross the harbour bridge, enabling a more connected and accessible network.

Phase 1 of the trial was completed in November 2024

• A two-week trial of two different types of bike racks, inside double decker buses servicing the Northern Express (NX1) route was conducted. Each rack held two bikes.
• The NX1, as a part of Auckland’s Rapid Transit Network, was chosen because it uses double decker buses and provides a high service frequency.
• The trial was successful and proved the viability of commuters carrying their bikes into, and securing them inside buses.
• Out of the two bike racks trialled, one emerged as the preferred option due to lower impact on bus capacity (it comes with flip down seats and hand holds to create standing area if needed). Bikes were also more secure, and design is sleeker and easier to use. The second bike rack was deemed unsuitable due to taking up greater space, and providing less stability for the bikes. There will be no further testing of this rack.
• An online survey was available for regular customers on these buses to have their say. Feedback from operational staff and volunteers involved in the trial was also gathered. Useful feedback was received from bus drivers and cyclists. Bus customers (not involved in the trial) provided mixed reactions – support and excitement from most respondents but opposition from some, mainly concerned with space taken up by bikes and time taken to manoeuvre bikes into the bus.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. When can I start using the bike racks in buses?
   They can be used now. There are 15 racks installed and in service.
   
   
2. Can I take an electric bike on the bus?
   Yes.
   
   
3. Can I take my cargo bike or bike with a child seat on the bus?
   Yes, maximum bike length is 1.9m. If a bike doesn’t fit in space, it can’t travel on the bus.
   
   
4. How many bikes can fit in the rack?
   A maximum of 2 bikes can use the rack at the same time.
   
   
5. How will I know if the approaching bus is one with a rack?
   There is clear signage on the bus. Look out for the green circular bicycle symbol on the front and the side of the bus. Cyclists waiting for a bike bus can also check the live departures section of the AT Mobile app - buses with a bike rack will be visible on the app with a green cyclist icon.
   
   
6. As a cyclist, how can I be sure there will be a bike bus available when I need it?
   Bike buses are scheduled to operate for all the hours that the NX1 service runs, and seven days a week. However, the dynamic nature of this frequent service means that we cannot guarantee that all 15 trial bike buses will be in service at particular times.
   As this is a trial, we cannot provide 100% certainty about when a bike bus will arrive at a particular station. We will provide as much timetable information as possible at this time. We ask you to bear with us as we work to improve this service.
   
   
7. Why can’t you make a strict bike bus timetable, so that I can better plan my bike and bus journey?
   The NX1 service operates dynamically and frequently, so specific buses cannot reliably be tied to fixed times. The fleet is managed in real time to accommodate refuelling, maintenance, driver shift changes, and other operational needs.
   Only 15 of the 45+ buses in the fleet have bike racks. Scheduling these specific buses at set times would either disrupt services or impact the efficiency of delivering the service.
   The AT Mobile app’s journey planner, and the public information displays at bus stops rely on timetabled services information, not specific vehicle numbers. That is why the bike bus information will only show in the ‘live departures’ section of the app, which can track a specific bus once it has started its trip. We recognise that this limitation means that passengers waiting at the first stop of a trip will not see this information until the bus is at their stop.
   
   
8. Will there only be bike buses in service during peak times?
   No, the goal is for bike buses to be in service for all hours that the NX1 service operates, seven days a week.
   
   
9. Can anyone participate in the trial?
   Yes, this phase of the trial is open to the public.
   
   
10. Can I board the bus with my bike at any of the stops or stations along the NX1 route?
    Yes. This includes: Lower Albert Street (Britomart), Bradnor Lane, Customs Street West, Fanshawe Street, Akoranga, Smales Farm, Sunnynook, Constellation, Albany and Hibiscus Coast.
    
    
11. Should the bus driver help me get my bike into the bus?
    No. Drivers are not obliged to help passengers lift their bikes into the bus, and the bus does not have to be lowered for a bike to get on. This is consistent with passengers taking their bike on a train – they are expected to be able to carry it into the train without assistance.
    
    
12. Do I have to pay extra to take my bike on the bus?
    No. Bikes may travel for free on the bus at any time (cyclist pays normal fare), provided that the safety or comfort of other passengers is not affected.
    
    
13. Why not trial bike racks on the front of buses like other regions of Aotearoa New Zealand?
    We are open to trialling exterior bike racks in the future. If we do, we could compare them to this interior bike rack trial. We have been closely monitoring the recent challenges that other regions have been working through with exterior bike racks blocking the lights of the bus.

How to contact us

Email Fraser.Barrons@at.govt.nz should you have any questions or require further information.