BUS ROUTES, BUS CARDS, TRAINS AND FERRY. HERE IS A CURATED GUIDE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR THOSE IN WELLINGTON.
Electric buses and new routes are some of the biggest changes to Wellywoods transport system. Here’s how to unclusterf*ck it.
How has the bus routes changed?
The Wellington bus routes now charge on a zone by zone basis. There are a total of 14 Zones, each zone represents an additional fare. Travelling within the same zone will be FREE as long as you tag back on within 30 minutes of tagging off.
What are high, standard, peak, extended, and express routes?
- High frequency routes (Every 10-15 minutes)
- Standard routes – Bus 24 (Every 30-60 minutes)
- Peak – Bus 33 (Additional bus during peak hours)
- Extended – Bus 12e (Additional bus during peak hours)
- Express routes – Bus 30x (Additional bus during peak hours)
Where to get a Snapper Card
Cost: Retails for $10 at Snapper retailers or online.
Snapper Retailers near University:
- Kelburn:
- VUWSA – Student Union Building Student Union Building (19 Kelburn Parade)
- Kelburn Foursquare (97A Upland Rd)
- Menas Store (2 Mount St)
- Pipitea:
- VUWSA – Rutherford House Ground Floor, Rutherford House (16 Lambton Quay)
- Te Aro/Cuba Street:
- Fix Night ‘n Day (139 Cuba St)
- Monty’s Cuba Foodmarket (140 Cuba St)
- Cuba Express (179 Cuba St)
- Cuba Street Suprette (301 Cuba St)
- Massey University:
- Jala Store (28 Wallace St)
- Hankey Street Foodmarket (25 Hankey St)
Once you have your Snapper card, remember to register here and apply for a tertiary discount.
How to get a Tertiary Discount
You can receive 25% OFF on all public transport as a full time student. Keep in mind there are TWO TYPES of tertiary concessions.
1. Bus: Get your concession loaded onto your Snapper Card
2. Rail and Ferry: Get a tertiary concession sticker for your student ID from your student services. Present it when you are buying your tickets to get 25% OFF.
Are you a Total Mobility or Blind Foundation Card Holder?
You can receive a 50% discount via using your total mobility card or Snapper card which is loaded with an Accessible concession.
Where to Top Up
- Victoria University Pipitea Campus, Rutherford House (5/23 Lambton Quay)
- Victoria University, Easterfield Building, Kelburn Parade Kelburn
- Victoria University Te Aro Campus (139 Vivian Street)
Two Tools to Make Your Life Easier
- Journey Planner: Although most of Wellington is easily walkable, if you need to bus you can plan your journeys using the journey planner prior to your trip.
- Metlink Commuter app: On the go? This is to track your bus in real-time, nothing worse than running for a bus and still missing it. iOS/Android