Moving to Auckland - advise & recommendation

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nakedmolerat

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#151426 25-Aug-2014 11:35

1. Is it true that if you live in North Shore, driving to Middlemore every morning to work is a silly idea?

2. What about if you live in Middlemore and drive to North Shore every morning - the traffic is lighter?

3. Which suburb is UFB-ready???

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Networkn
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#1115019 25-Aug-2014 11:38

As you drive over the bridge toward the shore, there is a huge sign which reads, North Shore Major Turn Off, which is entirely true :)

1) I know someone who does that and hates it, they are buying a new house over this side of the bridge to be closer to Middlemore.
2) I'd imagine so, but still it's a long drive, an accident or rain would make it unbearable.
3) www.chorus.co.nz/maps will allow you to check potential addresses for VDSL/UFB

kenkeniff

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#1115021 25-Aug-2014 11:40

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/current-conditions/webcams/auckland/traffic.phtml

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/dir/North+Shore+Hospital,+124+Shakespeare+Rd,+Westlake+0622/Hospital+Rd,+Auckland/@-36.8762356,174.7299271,12z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x6d0d39c3dfadeb2b:0x25668158d37001aa!2m2!1d174.757354!2d-36.781156!1m5!1m1!1s0x6d0d4e8d9d71c38d:0x597d0aa1db145d96!2m2!1d174.8383834!2d-36.9617185?hl=en

Handle9

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#1115036 25-Aug-2014 12:01

1) Yes
2) A bit but not much. You still have to go through the city.
3) It's super variable. As above use the maps.

The only time I'd really consider a commute like that would be if I had flexibility in working hours and the ability to work from home.

nakedmolerat

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#1115037 25-Aug-2014 12:01

I know people who work in Hamilton but live in Auckland and travel there daily!

nakedmolerat

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#1115049 25-Aug-2014 12:10

Handle9: The only time I'd really consider a commute like that would be if I had flexibility in working hours and the ability to work from home.

Ok, point taken.

I just think that North Shore is a "better" place to live than Auckland city...

wasabi2k

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#1115050 25-Aug-2014 12:10

IMO - you can handle suburb + 1 - under an hour 1 way in good conditions.

e.g. Shore -> City, South -> City, City/Central -> South etc

if you add in 2 hops it is a nightmare - e.g. Shore -> City -> South - if it rains or there is an accident you are talking 2 hours.

West -> South is okish
Short -> West is fine
West -> Shore is fine

Check UFB Maps.

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wasabi2k

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#1115053 25-Aug-2014 12:11

Formatting broken so can't edit last:

"The Shore" covers a large area and number of suburbs, as does "South" and "West"

There is nothing inherently better about the Shore, there are nice parts and terrible parts, as is the case out West and down South.

trig42

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#1115057 25-Aug-2014 12:21

Once the Waterview Tunnels open, there will be a decent link between Albany in the North and Manukau in the south (and point between).
This *should* take a bit of pressure off the CMJ/Bridge/Newmarket and make a commute from Takapuna/Northcote etc bearable to about Ellerslie, not much further from there to Middlemore. The morning commute South at the moment is good from about Newmarket - the choke is the bridge and CMJ.
Going north from Middlemore, your choke is going to be from about Greenlane onwards to the bridge - should be OK most times from there to North Shore Hospital.

If it were me and I could afford it, I'd be looking at Epsom/Greenlane/Ellerslie to live. I cannot afford those areas though (maybe Ellerslie in a pinch).

After the Tunnels open, Albany, or even a bit south of that are good options.

Dynamic

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#1115058 25-Aug-2014 12:22

Have a look at West Auckland. There is a new tunnel in progress that will link the North Western motorway to the Airport motorway and would get you to Middlemore in reasonable time once open. If working at North Shore hospital, the Upper Harbour motorway is relatively quiet and would get you most of the way pretty quickly.

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networkn

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#1115061 25-Aug-2014 12:27

I really like living in Mt Roskill too I'd have to say, lots of development there as well

Inphinity

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#1115063 25-Aug-2014 12:30

nakedmolerat: 1. Is it true that if you live in North Shore, driving to Middlemore every morning to work is a silly idea?

2. What about if you live in Middlemore and drive to North Shore every morning - the traffic is lighter?

3. Which suburb is UFB-ready???

1. & 2. As others have said, this sort of commute can be quite painful at peak times. Depending on specific locations, you're talking something like a 25-30km commute, which would probably be an hour or so on an average day, and 2+ with an accident or other negative factors. You could keep it to about 30min or so most days by going before 7am.

3. Lots, use the chorus address checker already linked to see if a specific area you're looking at is covered.

It really does make a lot of sense to 'live and work' in the same area of the city, unless you have flexible hours that you can work around traffic. The idea above that transitioning 1 'zone' is pretty good, but there are so many factors and transiting these distances is typically very dependent on one or two arterial routes, and roadworks, accidents, or even bad weather can cause horrendous backlog at times.

And if you're going down the path of 'which area is best to look to live' there are lots of answers, many of them personal opinion, and partly depends on your priorities.

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trig42

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#1115064 25-Aug-2014 12:30

Yep, I like Mt Roskill, and Mt Albert.

CokemonZ

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#1115081 25-Aug-2014 12:51

Smart question before making the move.

I live in Birkenhead on the Shore, and drive to Penrose every day, a similar journey to what you will make.

Between 7 and 9, and 4:45 - 6, it is terrible, typically an hour plus.
Outside of those times, 25 - 35 minutes depending on lights/suburbia.

Your experience will vary, doing it every day in traffic is pretty intense.

Even with the northern bus way, there would be at least one bus change/bus to train/ ferry to train change, which makes public transport a bit slow.
I've tried, I live 35 metres from a bus going to town, and work a 5 minute walk from a bus stop in Penrose (or 25 minute walk from the train).
It takes me about 1 hour and 35 minutes in peak hour.

If middlemore is where you are going to be based for long term, the shore might not be a great choice.

toyonut

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#1115084 25-Aug-2014 12:55

Yep, you can commute, I wouldn't want to do that to Middlemore from the shore though. You would have to go through the shore onramps which can be bad, cross the bridge which is generally terrible, go through city traffic at spagetti junction and then the Ellerslie traffic, then the traffic that builds up between Otahuhu and East Tamaki, then Manukau and finally get off at Otara and into the rabbit warren around Middlemore. If stop go traffic frustrates you, avoid a commute like this otherwise get a really comfy automatic car and find a radio station you enjoy.

Hamilton to AKL is pretty much clear until you get into south Auckland by comparison.

Try Vultr using this link and get us both some credit:

http://www.vultr.com/?ref=7033587-3B

xpd

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#1115097 25-Aug-2014 12:59

Auckland traffic anywhere generally bites at peak times.... If I was to drive from Whangaparaoa to Manukau during peak times, I can kiss goodbye minimum 2hrs. However on a weekend, I can be out in Pukekohe within 1hr 15mins.

Bus service isn't bad, certain things could be improved but overall it tends to get you where you need to be in a reasonable time. Monthly pass is the way to go. Bus saves on stress of sitting in traffic, parking location, parking costs, wear and tear on your vehicle (goodbye clutch and brakes in rush hours ;) ) etc etc....

XPD / Gavin

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