Newmarket Train Station

Public transport is not what you would call exempleary in Auckland — if you want my advice, the sooner you get driving the better. My wife takes the car to work so I am often at the mercy of the elements of public transport as I go about my business in Auckland. There’s nothing too interesting about this station — I guess ‘functional’ would sum it up. I found it odd that there is only one ticket machine — that must be a pain if you are here at rush hour. The handy thing for me is that I can get a train to Henderson from here and then walk home. There are a few odd characters hanging around during the day — especially waiting on the train that goes out West. I lived in London for years so am very skilled at not making eye contact if needs be. A train station that fulfills its purpose but lacks character.

Newmarket is a very interesting station of sorts. Being an upper class suburb you would expect similarities within this destination but there are some questionable individuals to be found here. The actual station itself is fine, it is a nice open space and gets heaps of sun in the afternoon. There is a marketplace of a handful of random stores outside the train station and a nice open area to sit.
While your average person is at work, the people that fit into the ‘other’ category come out to play. Whilst I was there during the day recently I had a questionable looking man try to steal the jacket I placed down on the seat, and a lovely old lady start telling me her life story and how she brings herself here every week to go on daily excursions by herself. So cute!

Auckland transport doesn’t have the best reputation and as a frequent traveller on both bus and train, I’ve experienced the worst of it. Luckily for me, the Newmarket train station is one of my daily stops. It’s away from the headache of people traffic in Britomart, and while it has it’s fair share of train-​hoppers, Newmarket’s outdoor platforms feel way more spacious. It’s location leads you to Station Square and the heart of Newmarket– Broadway– which makes it great for stopping over there for a quick coffee or bite to eat.
If you’re travelling all day, there’s an underground carpark right by the train station– you pay a small fee depending on how long you are there, but it’s extremely convenient for those who work long hours. At the moment there is only one ticket machine at Newmarket, so I’d suggest picking up an AT HOP card if you don’t have one, it just makes life so much easier. Newmarket Train Station isn’t perfect, but it’s a huge improvement in Auckland transport.

Newmarket is considered quite a fashionable suburb of Auckland and the renovations and upgrades of it’s train station looked like it was going to keep to the theme. Unfortunately, the train station courtyard if full of uncoordinated council seating, almost as disjointed as it is impractical. The shops surrounding the courtyard have yet to be used to their full potential, although they have tried to use the vacant stores in an art exhibition.
The train station itself has a help desk, which is rare for an Auckland train station, but oddly placed gates and only one ticket dispensing machine, in what is possibly busiest station after Britomart. At least they have a street washing machine in the courtyard on a Tuesday night.

This is the train station in Newmarket. Besides catching trains here there isn’t much else, but you can buy tickets and top up AT Hop cards here. For a train station it is pretty good, very clean too. Mostly I go here for the dairies, this is dairy central and with four available my Diet Coke and Jelly Belly’s are never far away. The inner courtyard space is good for waiting around for people or trains and new benches have just been added too.
There are a few other small businesses which surround the station including a Southern Maids which you almost miss because it is hidden in a corner. All their doughnuts are made here so if you’re a doughnut fan this is where you can satisfy your inner Homer Simpson.