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:
- Pay with a Metrocard
- Pay a standard adult fare with Debit or Credit Card
- Pay with Cash
- 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 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