Fares

Taking the bus is a conscientious and cost-effective way to get around town. Check out the lists below to see what your bus ride will cost. Plus, you can save even more with a Metrocard- at least 30% off regular fares as well as special cardholder deals on unlimited daily and weekly travel.

Fares

• Christchurch Metro Fare Structure
• Travelling within and between zones
• Free Transfers
• Travelling on Airport Services
• Zone Boundaries
• Diamond Harbour Ferry
• Metro Gift Voucher

​Greater Christchurch Metro Fare Structure

View the Christchurch Zones Map (pdf 171 kB)

Please note: Children under 5 years of age travelling with a parent or guardian travel free.

Travelling within & between zones

The following chart explains what you pay when travelling within and between fare zones.

If you are travelling within zone 1 and plan to transfer on to another route to travel to areas within zone 2 or on the Diamond Harbour Ferry, ask the driver at the start of your journey on your zone 1 bus to charge you the zone 2 or the ferry fare. This is so you don’t get charged for two trips (a zone 1 fare on the first bus and then, once you hop onto the other bus, – a zone 2 or the special ferry fare).

Free transfers

When you pay by cash, you are entitled to one free transfer within two hours using your ticket receipt. You can use your transfer on any Metro service within the same fare zones you paid for. The free transfer ticket does not include the Christchurch International Airport or the Diamond Harbour Ferry.

When using a Metrocard you are entitled to unlimited transfers within two hours. You can use those transfers within the same fare zones you paid for, including the Christchurch International Airport. If you travel on the Diamond Harbour Ferry service you get unlimited transfers within 2 hours on any bus or ferry service.

Travelling on Airport services

You can travel to and from Christchurch International Airport services on the Purple Line, 29 Airport / City and 125 Redwood - Westlake. If you are paying cash, keep in mind that there are no free transfers when travelling into or out of the Airport. If you use an Airport service but do not travel into the Airport, standard Zone 1 fares and transfer rules apply. You can also purchase an Airport return ticket from your bus driver.

If you are paying with a metrocard, the Airport falls into the usual Zone 1 fare.

Traveling on the Diamond Harbour Ferry

If you are connecting to the Diamond Harbour Ferry, let your bus driver know at the beginning of your journey to ensure you are charged the correct fare. Connecting Metro bus services to the Ferry are the 28 Papanui/Lyttelton and the 535 Eastgate/Lyttelton.

If you’re using a metrocard, ask the driver at the beginning of your journey to charge the fare for the ferry ($4.60 for an adult, $2.30 child). This will give you free transfers between buses and the ferry within two hours.

If you’re paying cash, pay the required bus fare for the zone, either zone one or two. Then when connecting with the ferry, another cash fare is required – either $6.50 for an adult or $3.20 for a child one way, or double that for a return ticket. There are no free transfers on the ferry when you are paying with cash.​

Zone boundaries

Download map​​​​​​​​​​

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Metro Gift Voucher

Gift vouchers are available in multiples of $10 at the Metro Info Counter at the Bus Interchange (corner of Lichfield St and Colombo St) and can be used to purchase a Metrocard, or redeemed as Metrocard credit at any Metro agent.