Auckland’s BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival is back at Manukau Sports Bowl, and Auckland Transport says getting there should be simple — and cheaper — for anyone holding an event ticket. With tens of thousands expected across four nights, the city’s biggest Lunar New Year finale is leaning on free public transport and dedicated shuttle-style buses to keep crowds moving.
Free buses and trains from mid-afternoon
Auckland Transport says bus and train travel is free from 2pm until the end of daily services for ticket holders who show their event ticket while travelling. The festival runs Thursday, February 26 to Sunday, March 1, with gates open 4pm to 10.30pm each night.
Event buses timed for peak arrivals and late finishes
To speed up access to the venue, special event buses will run to and from Manukau Sports Bowl each day from 3.45pm to 11pm. Services will depart from Manukau Train Station, Stop A on Davies Avenue, travel via Manukau Westfield Shopping Centre, and continue to the venue outside Gate B, before returning and repeating the loop.
AT says one bus has also been wrapped in a Chinese New Year theme and will appear on Route 70 between Botany and Waitematā (Britomart).
More travel details and service information are available via Auckland Transport’s events page.
Weekend rail changes on the Eastern Line
AT is warning of a weekend disruption for people planning to travel by train. During the event weekend, there will be a partial closure on the Eastern Line, with trains not running between Waitematā and Ōtāhuhu.
Trains will continue between Ōtāhuhu and Manukau. If travelling from Waitematā, AT’s suggested route is to take a Southern Line service and change to the Eastern Line at Ōtāhuhu. Replacement buses will also operate between Waitematā and Ōtāhuhu on the closed section.
Four nights of lanterns, food and fireworks
Organisers expect more than 110,000 people across the four-day festival. The programme includes over 500 handmade lanterns, traditional and contemporary performances, and more than 50 street stalls serving food across cultures. Family-friendly rides and activities are also planned, including a Shoot for the Stars basketball court with skills sessions.
A fireworks display is scheduled to close out the evening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Year of the Horse, with a Kiwi centrepiece
This year’s festival celebrates the Year of the Horse, with Auckland Transport describing the symbol as representing vitality, speed, independence and an unrestrained spirit. Alongside the classic lantern displays, event organisers are also spotlighting a distinctly local touch: a giant moa lantern as the first in a new Kiwiana Lantern Series, intended to reflect Aotearoa’s natural history within the festival’s wider Lunar New Year story.
For background on the zodiac traditions linked to the Year of the Horse, see Encyclopaedia Britannica’s guide to the Chinese zodiac.
With free public transport from mid-afternoon for ticket holders, extended event buses, and a programme built for families as well as lantern-lovers, the Manukau Sports Bowl is set for a bright, busy finish to Auckland’s Lunar New Year celebrations.
