Off-peak fares set to become permanent on public transport

Discounted off-peak fares are to become permanent on public transport in Auckland. The permanent ten per cent discount will come in on 7 February.

It means cheaper fares for everyone using AT HOP, travelling between 9am and 3pm and at night weekdays and all weekend.

Also from that date, a daily cap will be introduced meaning you can travel as much as you like on buses (not Skybus), trains and inner harbour ferry services and never pay more than $20 a day.

Auckland Transport’s annual fare review will see an average fare increase of four per cent which is consistent with the approach set out during Auckland Council’s consultation on the Emergency Budget last June.

For more on the fare review go to at.govt.nz/farechange

AT’s executive general manager Integrated Networks, Mark Lambert, says around half of all bus and rail passengers will see a maximum increase of 35 cents on a journey using their HOP card.

“This year’s fare review is about balancing improvements in value for passengers through new and in some cases reduced fares, improving services where there is demand and balancing use of the public subsidy within the Council Emergency Budget. We’ve tried to keep any general increases as low as possible to encourage people to use public transport given the impacts to numbers since Covid.  During Covid we trialled reduced off-peak fare prices and we are making that permanent to encourage people to travel when buses and trains are a little quieter.”

Mr Lambert says savings of $10 million have been made through a very small number of service reductions and delaying planned improvements.

“Aucklanders provided their views on this during the Emergency Budget consultation process and we have, where possible accommodated what we’ve heard. Importantly, service changes have not impacted on the geographic coverage or our services or to those requiring public transport as a basic social need. The general four per cent increase on individual fares will help reduce pressure on the fare subsidy from Auckland Council and central government while allowing improvements in services including our next steps in transferring to an electric bus fleet.”

Mr Lambert adds that recent customer satisfaction surveys indicate that 81 per cent of public transport customers believe their trip provides value for money, with overall satisfaction with public transport is at 91 per cent.

Public transport fares go directly back into providing more services on buses, trains and ferries, and enable initiatives such as free weekend fares for 5 to 15-year-olds.

Auckland Transport has also completed the roll-out of integrated fares meaning customers can transfer between buses, trains and ferries and pay just once for their entire journey when they tag on and off with their AT HOP card.

Tag on and off each bus, train or ferry as usual, and AT HOP fares will be automatically calculated for the entire journey, removing the cost of connecting bus and train trips in the same zone as the ferry.

People travelling on the AT HOP card, particularly children, secondary students (40 per cent discount) and tertiary students (20 per cent discount), receive the largest subsidies.

Auckland Transport has introduced or plans additional services in a number of areas:

• Integrated fares were extended to ferry services in July 2020
• City Link: fully electric fleet from February 2021
• Airport Link: fully electric fleet from January 2021
• Waiheke: electric fleet from November 2020
• Hobsonville Point: additional peak ferry services from 25 January 2021
• Various service extensions and additions across the network including the new frequent route added to mitigate Mt Eden station closure from July 2020.

Bus and train fares

Note that cash fares are not available on buses.

Free child weekend fares

With free travel for children on weekends, you pay nothing for bus, train and participating ferry travel on weekends and public holidays for children aged 5 to 15 years old using a registered AT HOP card.

Excludes SkyBus services and Waiheke Island ferry services.

Tertiary AT HOP fares

For all Travel during Off Peak periods

A 10 per cent discount applies to all fares detailed in the above tables.

Daily Fare Cap and AT HOP Monthly Passes (Bus and Train only)

Ferry fares

Devonport, Bayswater, Birkenhead, Northcote Point

For more information on fares to Devonport and Waiheke Island visit the Fullers website.

Half Moon Bay, West Harbour, Hobsonville Point, Beach Haven

Beach Haven to/from Hobsonville

Pine Harbour and Gulf Harbour

Off-peak fares apply 9am-3pm and after 6.30pm and all day on weekends and public holidays.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, cash fares are currently not accepted on buses but tickets can be bought at ticket offices and HOP top-up machines.

We would encourage everyone to follow the government guidelines and wear a face covering (they are mandatory on public transport in Auckland) and also scan the QR code in all buses, trains and ferries.

If you travel using a registered HOP card this will assist in any contact tracing.

For more on the fare review go to at.govt.nz/farechange