Heading to Avondale by Train: The CRL Works Both Ways.
By Marcus Amosa, Chair, Avondale Business Association
There's been a lot of talk since the City Rail Link opened: new stations, faster trips, easier commutes, all of it pointed one way, into the CBD. Fair enough. But nobody's talking about the trip in the other direction (except me).
Avondale is only a few stops from the city, and now it's faster and easier than ever for the CBD, and pretty much all of Auckland, to come our way. And you'll be going against the flow the whole way. While everyone else is jammed in heading into the city for work, you're heading out to us on a train with room to sit down.
We're not going to pretend Avondale is like the CBD. We haven't got the polished bars, big-box retailers or restaurant precincts with harbour views. What we do have is real, unpretentious, slightly edgy, genuinely good, and now it's closer than it's ever been.
Meeting a friend has never been easier. Brown Street Café is consistent and easy-going, made for exactly that, and just a few minutes' walk from the platform or bus stop. You won't need to line up at the station, but you may need to at Burnt Butter, a small but seriously tasty award-winning diner. Whatever you order, get a cheese scone on the side. Then there's Tokos Tacos, the best tacos in the city and only a 50m walk from the platform. You'll be back on the train and having dessert in the CBD before you know it.
Or, if you're heading out for a gig, Hollywood Cinema is where you want to be. New Zealand's longest-running cinema palace calls itself Avondale's "church of cinema," but these days it's just as much a church of live music. The Beths have sold out multiple nights there, The Datsuns rocked the room earlier this year, and Bret McKenzie chose it to close out his national tour. Add 35mm classics on the big screen and not a bad seat in the house, and it's easy to see why it's one of the city's most-loved venues. It's only a 6-minute walk from the station, and you won't have to worry about a sober driver.
Want affordable fresh fruit and veg? The Avondale Markets, a regional institution, are a 9-minute walk away, and the regulars will tell you to get there early for the best picks. Come by train and you'll skip the Sunday morning traffic jam of cars queuing to get in and circling for a park. You'll be through the gates with your bags out while they're still looking for a spot.
And once the new Te Hono community centre and its destination playground open next March, they're just a 4-minute walk downhill, easy enough for the whole family. Add the Avondale aquatic centre we're pushing for, and you'll have the kids at the pool, the library and the playground, then fast asleep on the train ride home.
So next time everyone else is fighting the peak-hour crush into the CBD, do the opposite. Hop on, head to Avondale, and come for a visit.
