Metlink App

Website update released:  late December 2022

Journey planner shows fares

Previously, fare information was visible only in the detail view of Journey Planner search results. Fares now display on the first summary view of search results, to make travel planning easier.

Cancellation service alerts display in numerical route order

With higher cancellations across the network, the cancellation summary cards now display in route-number order, instead of the order they were created or updated, to reduce scrolling and searching for relevant information.

Bug fixes

• Journey Plan results detail view "VIew map" button is back.

Website update released: 11 August 2022

Map has option to show Buses replacing trains bus stops

Use the "Show on map" tick boxes to show Buses replacing trains bus stops on the map, or turn them off. Descriptions pop up when you click or hover your mouse over the icons.

Separate "Today" and "Upcoming" alert buttons

Alerts relevant on the day will be counted in a pink bubble, and upcoming alerts will be counted in a white bubble. This will help when multiple alerts are overlapping on a service - for example, when several buses replace trains alerts are live for one train line.

Multiple versions of downloadable timetables

Timetable download section will support multiple files to choose from. This will help when a temporary or substitute timetable is in effect before the web timetables are republished, or when both old and new versions of a timetable need to be shown on the website. In future, we hope to provide options for alternate formats of timetables using this feature.

Journey planner accepts 4-digit stop numbers in search fields

Journey planner will display the stop name when you type the stop ID (4-digit code of numbers or letters).

Pro tip: Adding stops to your favourites list is still the easiest way to journey plan between stops. Favourite stops will automatically display in the dropdown list without needing to type anything in.

Bug fixes

• Journey Plan results detail view "VIew map" button is back.

1.3.7 Released 1 June 2022

Filter Real Time stop departure views

• For all stops and stations, you have the option to only show your favourite services
• For train stations, you have the option to filter for Northbound, Southbound services, or both directions. 

Severe alert banner is now an icon in the Mobile/App

• Red alert banner has been removed from top of screen in Mobile and app layouts. It has been replaced with a red alert icon in the footer menu on the Alerts button. This was from feedback that the banners took up useful space on the screen, especially when multiple banners were active.

• Red alert banner only displays at the top of the page on the desktop website.

Other improvements

• Fare zone displays on stop info pop-up boxes on map
• Journey Planner travel options have a more intuitive layout and auto-save your changes

Bug fixes

• Resolved: Facebook login capability reinstated
• Resolved: Service alerts no longer show dates in multiples
• Resolved: Cancellations from/to information no longer delayed
• Resolved: Service alerts display in correct order
• Resolved: Reset password links & prompts simplified
• Resolved: Journey plan details for train trips show station departure times
• Resolved: Form field errors in Journey Planner announce when using a screenreader

Released 29 April 2022

Version 1.3.4

New features

• App: Icon in top-left of screen opens the mobile website for easier access to News, Information or to Contact us.

Improved Journey Planner

• Favourite stops display in autosuggestions in To/From fields
• Journey suggestions detail the first step of the journey: which stop to wait at, which service to catch, and what time the service is scheduled to leave, and if it's running on time
• Journey suggestions include service alerts that relate to the journey
• Journey details include stop numbers and walking distances 

Improved service alerts and notifications

• Cancellations are combined into one service alert per route
• Cancelled services are crossed out on timetable view
• Affected stops displayed in service alert
• Buses replacing trains affected trips are highlighted in pink. These show the usual train departure times as per the train timetable - buses replacing trains have different running times. Click the 'more information' link in the service alert to see bus departure times. 

Bug fixes

• Resolved red alert banners overlapping search results
• Resolved geolocation issue
• Resolved most known accessibility and screenreader bugs
• Resolved saving specific page URLs to home screen on mobile device
• Resolved MyMetlink preferences page "jittering"
• Resolved unexpected log out issues

New features

• Stop information shows how busy bus stops are throughout the day
• View off-peak fares in the journey planner
• More options for logging in, including Facebook and Apple login
• Logins now support Password Manager
• Fare zones, points of interest and Metlink amenities shown on map

Usability

• Map is now the landing page to quickly find stops close to you
• Buttons and tabs larger and easier to select

Easier to use timetables & stop departures

• Improved scrolling and visibility
• Favourite stops included in timetable views
• Stop departures filter to your favourite services

Improved service alerts and notifications

• Service alerts about your favourite stops
• Better visibility of notifications across app views

A MyMetlink account allows you to access your favourites and settings across multiple devices, including a desktop browser. Log in and access your account through the profile icon in the top-right corner of the website and app. 

Customise your notification preferences and manage your favourites in your MyMetlink account. You can also add favourites by selecting the star icon on a stop or service you're interested in to add it to your favourites. 

You can also add your own custom favourite locations, such as Work, Home and Uni, from the MyMetlink preferences page. Favourite locations will appear as options in the Journey Planner, along with your favourite stops. You can also add favourites easily wherever you see the star icon, such as real-time departure pages and timetable pages.

You'll only receive push notifications for service alerts about your favourite stops & services while logged into your MyMetlink account.

Choose how you'd like to get service alerts for your favourite services and stops - by email or push notifications. You also have the option to restrict notifications to only peak times. 

I can't find the Metlink app in the app store

• Check that you are in the New Zealand version of your app store.
• Use the app store search function to search for only "Metlink"
• Or try these links:

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I deleted the app, but now it won't download 

• Check that the app is fully deleted from the device, not just closed, hidden or removed from the home screen using the home screen search function on the device. If trying to download an app that hasn't been fully deleted, the app store won’t give the option to download again because it is already on the device.
• If the app isn’t downloading from the app store, it is likely a problem with the device settings or the account in the app store. Contact your app store for support.

The app won't download from the app store

If the app is not downloading from the app store to your device, the problem will be the app store or the device (not within the Metlink app).

Check these things in the device settings:

• Check whether your device has to be connected to wifi to download apps, or if it allows mobile data for app downloads.
• If using mobile data to download, check that the phone plan mobile data allowance hasn’t run out.
• If using wifi, check that the wifi is turned on in the device and that you have a wifi connection.
• Sometimes weak mobile coverage can prevent mobile data downloads from completing.
• Some devices will not run updates or downloads if the battery is too low – try plugging in the device to charge.
• Check you are logged into your profile in the app store, and that there are no blocks or error messages on your account (sometimes this happens if a payment method for the app store account is expired) – this can prevent even free apps, like Metlink app, from downloading or updating.
• Check that there is enough storage available on the phone. Metlink app updates are very small files, but if your phone storage is completely full, nothing can download to the device.
• Check that you are using the latest version of your phone's operating system or system updates. Sometimes old versions of operating systems do not function correctly, and can cause many different issues.
• Try turning off and restarting the phone. This often clears background problems in the device so that it can function with less errors.

Create a MyMetlink account to customise your experience

• Set your favourite stops, stations, and services to get service alerts relevant to you, and set your notification preferences. If you’ve got a MyMetlink account, your settings will be updated automatically.

MyMetlink

I can't remember my username

• Your username is an email address. If you have several email addresses or an old email address, give those a try.
• You can phone the Metlink Contact Centre on 0800 801 700 and they can try to find your account in our records to confirm your username. No one can see your password in our system or change it for you, but they can send you a link in an email to reset your password.
• Once you are logged in, you can always change your email address or password in your MyMetlink profile.

I can't remember my password

• Use the "forgot password" function to get a password reset email.
• You can phone the Metlink Contact Centre on 0800 801 700 and they can send a password reset link to your email. For security reasons, they can't see your password and they can't change your password for you.
• The latest versions of the app support Password Manager functionality on most devices. Once you have reset your password, be sure to allow the Password Manager to save your username and password.

Selecting favourites

You need to be logged into a MyMetlink account to add or manage favourites. Click the Favourite icon (it looks like a star, and appears on most views in the app) to add or remove that selection from your favourites.

If you are logged into your MyMetlink account, but still can't add or change your favourites, the Contact Centre may be able to manually set favourites to your MyMetlink account in our system.

Alert notifications

Notifications, such as emails or notifications to your device, are sent based on your notification preferences. Notifications only get sent if you are logged in and have that station, stop or service added to your favourites.

I want to turn notifications off

You can still find all active alerts in the app in the Alerts section, on a stop/station page or a service/timetable page at any time, even if notifications are turned off.

• In your MyMetlink preferences, you can set the app to only send notifications during peak time.
• In your device's notification settings area, you may have options for how alerts from different apps appear on your device. Some device settings give the option to pause notifications or combine similar notifications into a summary.
• If you want to pause notifications for a short time, you can log out of your MyMetlink account to temporarily stop notifications and still use the Metlink app. When you're ready to receive notifications again, log in to your MyMetlink account in the app.

I keep getting logged out of MyMetlink in the app

Older versions of the app had reports of people being logged out unexpectedly, especially in iOS (iPhone). Updates to the app have since addressed those issues. Check that you are on the latest version of the app and have installed the latest system updates to your device.

I can't select favourites

You need to be logged into a MyMetlink account to add or manage favourites. 

If you have a MyMetlink account, but still can't add or change your favourites, the Contact Centre may be able to manually set favourites to your MyMetlink account in our system.

I'm not receiving alert notifications

Older versions of the app reported issues of alerts not working for some people. Updates to the app have since addressed those issues.

Notifications, such as emails or notifications to your device, are sent based on your notification preferences. Notifications only get sent if you are logged in and have that station, stop or service added to your favourites.

Some areas in the region have very poor mobile coverage, making it harder for information like alerts to get to your device, and notifications may have expired before your device has enough coverage to receive them.

Map isn't centering to my location

• Check that location services are enabled for your device and for the Metlink app (in your device settings).
• Weak mobile coverage makes it harder to find a device's location, and will affect all apps the use location-based features.
• In general, the location function within apps is only as good as the accuracy of the device's GPS. If the GPS cannot connect to a good signal, it won't be as accurate, or may not load at all.
• The Metlink app will default to the last location used in the app if your location isn't registering. Try tapping the "recenter" icon from the menu near the top-left of the map.

Pages or map aren't loading

Slow loading and glitching is not a widespread issue for app users, so the app itself may not be the root cause. Smartphones and apps can slow down, freeze or crash for various reasons, usually due to full storage space or using older versions of the operating system or an outdated version of the app. Slow loading can be exacerbated by unreliable data coverage or having lots of other apps running in the background.

Check these things in the device settings:

• Check whether your device's settings require you to be connected to wifi or if it allows mobile data usage.
• Weak mobile coverage can slow down page loading. Check your signal strength - the more "bars" you have, the faster pages will load. 2G and 3G data coverage will run slower than 4G or 5G. Coverage can vary greatly between mobile service providers in some areas.
• If using mobile data, check that your phone plan mobile data allowance hasn’t run out.
• If using wifi, check that the wifi is turned on in the device, and that you're not using airplane mode.
• Check that there is enough storage available on the phone. Metlink app doesn't use much data, but if your phone storage is completely full, this can slow down your device, making apps and pages slow to load.
• Background apps that use a lot of data, such as video streaming and social media, can slow down your device or other apps while they are running. Close all background apps, launch the Metlink app again.
• Try turning off and restarting the phone.