Ways to pay

Getting around Greater Christchurch is easy and affordable — and we offer several ways to pay for your bus trip, depending on what suits you best:

  1. Pay with a Metrocard
  2. Pay a standard adult fare with Debit or Credit Card
  3. Pay with Cash
  4. Pay for a friend

Pay with a Metrocard

Use Metrocard to receive concession fares

Benefits:

  • Cheaper than cash fares
  • Enjoy free transfers within 2 hours
  • Access concession fares (e.g. Community Services Card, Total Mobility)
  • Fare caps mean you’ll never pay more than a set amount each day or week
  • Faster boarding and no need to carry cash

How it works:

  • Load your card with credit before you travel
  • Tap your card on the reader when you board. No need to tag off.

What you’ll need to do:

  • Get a Metrocard online, at a Metroinfo counter or selected retailers
  • Register your card to protect your balance
  • Top up online, at a retailer, or on the bus

Find out where to get a Metrocard and how much it costs.

 

Pay with Debit or Credit Card

Simply tag on and ride. No cash, card top-ups, or app needed. Standard Metro fares only.

Benefits:

  • No need to carry cash or a prepaid card
  • No fees, pay the same as a standard adult Metrocard fare
  • Daily fare caps and free transfers apply
  • Transactions appear on your bank statement

How it works:

  • Tap your credit or debit card (or a phone/smartwatch with a linked card) on the Motu Move validator
  • Your fare will be calculated and charged to your card at the end of the day
  • You'll be charged the standard adult Metrocard fare — no concessions available (yet)

What you'll need to do:

  • Use a contactless-enabled Visa or Mastercard
  • Tap on when boarding the bus. No need to tag off.
  • Use the same card or device for all trips for fare capping
  • Each person must use their own card or device

Learn more about the contactless payments

 

Pay with Cash

You can still pay with cash — but it’s less flexible and more expensive than using a Metrocard

How it works:

  • Board the bus or ferry and tell the driver or staff member whether you need a Standard or Child (5-18 years) ticket
  • Pay your fare in cash
  • The driver will give you a paper ticket and any change
  • Hold onto the paper ticket, as that gives you one free transfer to another bus service within 2 hours of the time stamp on the ticket

What you'll need to do:

  • Have as close to the exact fare as possible
  • Avoid using large notes ($20 or higher) - drivers carry limited change

Limitations:

  • Higher fares than Metrocard
  • Only one free transfer within 2 hours
  • No fare capping
  • Most discounts and concessions aren't available with cash

Compare fares by payment method.

 

Pay for a friend

You can only pay for someone else with a Metrocard or cash.

Paying with a Metrocard:

  • Tap your Metrocard to pay for yourself first, if you are also travelling
  • Tell the driver you would like to pay for someone else, and if that person needs a Standard or Child (5-18 years) fare
  • The driver will then ask you to tap your Metrocard again and will charge the appropriate fare
  • Metrocard concessions only apply to you, so the full fare equivalent to the standard or child cash fare will be deducted from your Metrocard.


Paying with a contactless debit/credit card:

Each card or device can only pay for one person at a time.

The Motu Move card reader isn’t an EFTPOS machine, so you can’t tap the same card several times to pay for others. However, you can pay for more than one person if you’re using different cards or devices that are linked to the same bank account.

For example:

  • You tag on with your debit or credit card
  • Your partner tags on with that same card loaded onto their smartwatch
  • Your child tags on with that same card loaded onto Apple Pay on their phone. (Note: If paying with Motu Move, the child would still be charged a standard adult Metro fare.)

Each device acts as its own payment method, even if they’re all being charged to the same bank account.

See our Using contactless payments page for more information on using Motu Move payments in Greater Christchurch.


Paying with cash:

  • Tell the driver you would like to pay for someone else, and if that person needs a Standard or Child (5-18 years) fare
  • Pay the fare in cash and collect the paper ticket (and change, if any)
  • Please try to use the exact fare - drivers carry limited change
  • Tell the person to hold onto the paper ticket, as that gives them one free transfer to another bus service within 2 hours of the time stamp on the ticket