If you change your mind about boarding the train after tagging on at the station and want to cancel your tag on, wait 10 seconds after tagging on and tag a card reader at the same station. You will not be charged a fare. You have up to 20 minutes from first tagging on to cancel your trip and not be charged a penalty fare.
Snapper card
Half price fares: 1 April to 31 August 2022
All Metlink fares will be half price from 1 April to 31 August 2022. This move follows the Government’s announcement that public transport fares will be temporarily reduced across the country to ease the cost of living.
Full copies of all FAQ's on Tickets & Fares main page.
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.
See more information about half price fares for:
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.
See more information about half price fares for:
One payment card for Metlink buses and Johnsonville Line trains
You’ll pay at least 25% more using cash than with a Snapper card. All Metlink buses in the Wellington Region are fitted with Snapper card readers for fares. Johnsonville Line stations have Snapper readers on the platforms. Read about the Snapper on Rail pilot on the Johnsonville Line.
It's faster than cash, because you don't need to tell the driver your destination, and you don't have to wait for a paper ticket or your change.
You can catch up to five buses in one journey, as long as they are all Metlink buses. Tag on to another bus service within 30 minutes, and you'll get the transfer at no extra cost. Snapper will calculate your fare on the number of zones you have travelled start to finish - even if you caught more than one bus.
1 cent at Snapper retailers
1 cent at Snapper kiosks
$10 when topping up online or with a mobile device
Penalty charges
Failure to tag off results in the default fare being charged to the Snapper card. The default fare is the end of the line fare without the Snapper discount.
Been overcharged?
If you think you’ve been unfairly penalized but have not received your refund in 2 working days, please contact Snapper(external link). Remember, refunds are only applied under circumstances where you have tried to tag off but haven’t been able to. You still need to tag off each time you get off the bus. Failing to do so will result in a penalty charge of an end of the line fare without the Snapper discount
Off-peak and Concession fares using Snapper
Snapper cards automatically get a 25% discount on regular adult Snapper fares when travelling Off-peak. You can also load a 30-day bus pass to your Snapper.
Child, Tertiary and Accessible concessions have eligibility requirements, and need to be loaded onto your Snapper card to be used for discounted bus travel. Off-peak discounts and concessions can't be combined, but once your concession is applied, your Snapper card will apply the best discount automatically.
Early bird bus fares before 7am weekdays
Use your Snapper card to get 25% off adult Snapper bus fares before 7am weekdays.
Getting started with Snapper
Buy a Snapper card
You can buy a Snapper card for RRP $10 from a Snapper retailer or online on the Snapper website.(external link)
Register your card
By registering your Snapper card, you'll be able to see your balance, transaction history, and travel history online. Plus, if you lose your registered card, you can block the balance and transfer it to a new card.
After you're registered, you can apply for a concession on your Snapper card (external link)if you're eligible for for the Child, T(external link)ertiary(external link), or Accessible(external link) concession.
Top up your Snapper
You'll need credit on your Snapper card before you can use it. Snapper retailers and kiosks are located throughout the region, and there are some options for topping up with mobile devices or online
Tag on and tag off
Just hold your Snapper card to the Snapper fish on the reader – you’ll hear a beep and see a green tick on the screen to let you know you’ve tagged on. As you leave the bus, tag off at the back the same way you tagged on and you’ll automatically be charged the right amount.
On our way to integrated ticketing
Snapper is an interim solution to make bus travel easier. We are continuing to work on delivering a fully integrated next generation payment system that you’ll be able to use on all buses, trains and harbour ferries across the region. This project is still a couple of years away and we will keep you up to date with our progress. For more information, see Plans & projects.
Last published: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 4:16 PM