Rolleston/City direct
More options for Rolleston customers
From 1 September, getting between Rolleston and the city will be easier than ever.
Metro and Bentley Coachlines are working together on a trial service to bring you more trips, more seats, and better connections across Rolleston. From 1 September, Rolleston Direct customers will have:
- 10-minute frequency through the heart of Rolleston
- More seats than ever with quadruple the trips
- Expanded service area to reach more of Rolleston’s suburbs
- Earlier trips to get you to the city and home again.
On this page
- Two Routes - map and details
- Timetable
- Catching the 84/85 at the Bus Interchange
- Know your operator before you travel
- 'Hail and ride' instructions
- Trial service - have your say
- Need help or support?
Two Routes – same city connection
We are keeping the eight existing Metro trips each day. With the expanded service, we've split the trips between Routes 84 and 85.
The Rolleston Direct service will now begin from both the East and West of Rolleston, merge in the town centre as usual, and then continue to the city - with the route reversed in the afternoon
84 Rolleston Direct West – to and from the western side of Rolleston
85 Rolleston Direct East – to and from the eastern side of Rolleston
On both routes 84 and 85, some trips are run by Metro, and some by Bentley.
Combined route 84 and 85 timetable
Enjoy more choice and flexibility now with 16 trips running in each direction every weekday. Both operators run trips on both routes. Check the operator's name before you travel to make sure you’re ready with the right payment method.
Downloadable PDF timetable (COMING SOON)
Rolleston to City direct
City to Rolleston direct
Please note: Only Metro-operated trips will feature in journey planning tools such as go.metro.co.nz.
Catching the 84/85 at the Bus Interchange
At the Bus Interchange, all Rolleston Direct services will arrive and depart from Lichfield Street aka ‘Platform L’ (in front of the Intercity coach stop) — not the usual platform inside the Interchange.
Know your operator before you travel
Metro and Bentley run side-by-side to offer more choice, but they use different payment methods and appear differently in journey planners.
Check the table before you travel:
| Feature | Metro-operated trips | Bentley-operated trips |
|---|---|---|
| Fare payment options | Metrocard, cash Normal Metro fares apply |
$3.50 for contactless payments (i.e. PayWave) $4 for cash Payment is made to the driver when boarding |
| Concessions available | Yes | No |
| Transfers available | Yes, free transfers apply as normal across Metro services | No |
| Timetable appearance | Listed in the usual journey planning tools | Not shown in journey planning tools |
| Branding/naming | Metro livery and signage | Bentley livery and signage LED on bus will display a 'B' for Bentley e.g. 84B or 85B |
| Bike racks available | Yes | No |
| Accessible features | Yes | Yes |
‘Hail and Ride’ instructions
The West (84) and East (85) branches of the Rolleston Direct services will operate on a hail and ride basis. On Hail and Ride sections of the route (see map above), you don’t need to be at a formal bus stop to board.
You can wait at any safe, visible location along the Hail and Ride section, and signal clearly to the driver that you’d like to get on. Choose a spot where the bus can pull over easily, the driver can see you in time to stop, and is well-lit. If there is an existing stop in the Hail and Ride section (e.g. Brookside Rd) that is nearby to you, please use it – this will help bus drivers to spot you and keep the service running efficiently.
If a 'hail and ride' approach isn't for you, please remember that the services still stop at all the bus stops that Route 85 has always used.
Trial Service – Have Your Say
This is a trial service running for 6 months, through to the end of February 2026. Your feedback will help us decide how it will continue in the future.
You will soon be able to visit our website to:
- View more details on the trial
- Share your feedback
- Keep up to date with any changes
A link will be added to this section once this becomes available. Keep an eye out!
Need help or support?
If you have any questions about your trip, the timetable, or which service is right for you, please check out the FAQs below, or get in touch with the right team:
| For Metro-operated services (Routes 84 and 85) | For Bentley-operated services (Routes 84B and 85B) |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday 7:30am - 6pm Sunday and Public Holidays 9am - 5pm Ph: 03 366 88 55 Email: metro@ecan.govt.nz |
Weekdays 5am - 8pm Ph: 03 595 2168 Email: bus@bentleytransport.co.nz |
Keep an eye out for our Metro ambassadors
Some of our Metro staff will be out and about speaking to Route 85 customers in the days leading up to the change. They will be equipped with all the information you need and can answer any questions about what trips could work best for your travel needs.
More information and FAQ's will be added to this page over the coming week.