Half price fares
Half price fares until 30 June 2023
All Metlink fares will be half price. This move follows the Government’s announcement that public transport fares will be temporarily reduced across the country to ease the cost of living.
Download FAQ Sheet
Updated 1 February 2023
Frequently asked questions
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Why are some fares discounted more than 50%?
The Government asked for public transport fares to be halved. Metlink has ensured that every fare is discounted by at least 50%. This means that some fares are rounded to the nearest 1 cent, 10 cents or 50 cents as appropriate for the payment method.
Who is funding (paying for) the half price fares?
The Government has stated that it will reimburse agreed costs of implementing the half price fare initiative.
Will the full price tickets be available for purchase during the half price period?
No – only half price tickets will be sold during the half price period. Metlink will update customers with any change to the availability or conditions of tickets and fares and will make necessary arrangements to transition back to the normal full prices after the half price period is ended.
Snapper 30-day passes for bus and rail
Contact Snapper's service desk(external link) with any questions or for more information.
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will the change apply to all after midnight services?
Yes – all current fixed fares will be replaced with Metlink Standard fares on all after midnight routes.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Off-peak travel with a SuperGold card remains free. If travelling during peak, half price fares apply.
Cheaper fares for He Ratonga Tekehī Total Mobility
Metlink fares will be half the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains. This also includes our He Ratonga Tekehī Total Mobility service.
This is because the Government recently announced public transport fares will be temporarily reduced across the country to ease the cost of living over the next three months.
How will my Total Mobility trips be cheaper?
During the Half Price Fares period, the majority of Total Mobility customers will pay half their usual share for Total Mobility taxi trips.
The maximum Total Mobility subsidy amount will be $60 per trip.
Will this change how I use my Total Mobility card?
There is no change to the way your Total Mobility card is used. You must give your card to the driver at the start of each trip, or you will be charged the full fare.
There is also no change to the Customer Terms & Conditions(external link)(external link). You can read the Terms and Conditions on our website, or we can send you a printed copy via the Contact Centre.
You can continue using your Total Mobility card to get the Accessible Concession on Metlink public transport services.
How long will Total Mobility fares be cheaper for?
Total Mobility customers will pay cheaper fares for their Total Mobility taxi trips during the half price fares period, ending 30 June 2023.
We hope you enjoy the cheaper fares. We are working hard to manage our public transport as we navigate through the pandemic. Our services may be impacted by COVID-19, so it is always a good idea to call ahead to check taxi availability or use our Metlink website before using public transport.
Full copies of all FAQ's on Tickets & Fares main page.
Translations available
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will cash fares be half price?
Yes – cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares. Note that cash fares are not eligible for concessions or discounts, except for child fares.
Will the change apply to all After Midnight services?
Yes – all current fixed fares will be replaced with Metlink Standard fares on all after midnight routes.
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Waikanae and Otaki return tickets will be able to be purchased on buses at half price and used on trains as normal.
Can I still use my Snapper card and Snapper 30 Day bus and rail passes?
Half price Snapper fares for single journeys will be automatically applied. So just top up your Snapper balance as normal and you will be charged the correct fare.
Contact Snapper's service desk(external link) with any questions or for more information.
How do I know I have a half price paper ticket?
The half price tickets will be stamped with the half price logo. It will be very easy for passengers and Metlink staff to know the difference from a full price ticket.
Will the full price tickets be available for purchase during the half price period?
No – only half price tickets will be sold during the half price period.
Metlink will update customers with any change to the availability or conditions of tickets and fares and will make necessary arrangements to transition back to the normal full prices after the half price period is ended.
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Will the change apply to all After Midnight services?
Yes – all current fixed fares will be replaced with Metlink Standard fares on all after midnight routes.
Can I still use my Snapper card and Snapper 30 Day bus and rail passes?
Half price Snapper fares for single journeys will be automatically applied. So just top up your Snapper balance as normal and you will be charged the correct fare.
Passengers will need to ensure they have topped up their Snapper balance to pay for their journeys between their pass expiring and purchasing their new half price Snapper 30 Day Pass.
Contact Snapper's service desk(external link) with any questions or for more information.
Will all bus, rail and ferry fares be halved?
Yes – all Metlink fares will be at least 50% less than the current fares on all buses, ferries and trains.
Will concessions and off-peak travel be half price?
Yes – all Metlink fares including Off-Peak discounts, Child, Accessible and Tertiary concessions, cash fares and period passes will be at least 50% discount on the current fares.
Can current full price rail tickets be exchanged for half price tickets or refunded?
No – current full price tickets cannot be used until the end of the half price fares period.
Can I use my full price ticket to travel during the half price period?
Yes – but the full price paper tickets will be clipped as normal so the best value is obtained through purchasing a half price ticket.
Can I use my half price rail tickets after the half price period?
Half price tickets are only valid during the half price period. We recommend passengers purchase only what they need during the half price period.
Can I use one clip of my full price 10-trip ticket to pay for two people travelling together?
No – your full price paper ticket will be clipped once per person per trip as at present. The best value is obtained through purchasing a half price ticket.
Group travel on either full price or half price tickets is as at present with one clip per person per trip.
Can I still use my Snapper card and Snapper 30 Day bus and rail passes?
Half price Snapper fares for single journeys will be automatically applied. So just top up your Snapper balance as normal and you will be charged the correct fare.
Contact Snapper's service desk(external link) with any questions or for more information.
How do I know I have a half price paper ticket?
The half-price tickets will be stamped with the half-price logo. It will be very easy for passengers and Metlink staff to know the difference from a full price ticket.
Will the full price tickets be available for purchase during the half price period?
No – only half price tickets will be sold during the half price period.
Metlink will update customers with any change to the availability or conditions of tickets and fares and will make necessary arrangements to transition back to the normal full prices after the half price period is ended.
How do I get half price tickets for the ferry?
The ferry ticket office will sell single, return and 10-trip half price paper tickets during the half price period. These will be stamped to show that they are half price tickets and will be clipped on board.
On-board half price ticket sales will be by EFTPOS or cash for paper tickets that will be clipped upon issue.
Last published: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 10:38 AM