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Taking the bus is a conscientious and cost-effective way to get around town.
The cheapest way for standard fare-paying customers to travel with Metro is by using a Metrocard or a contactless payment method.
Concessions are available for children aged 5-18 years, youth aged 19-25 years, Community Service card holders, and Total Mobility card holders when paying using a Metrocard.
Bus and ferry fares for Greater Christchurch
Fares:
| Metrocard fares | Bus | Ferry | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Metro fare | $3.00 | $5.00 | |
|
Metrocard Concession Fares |
|||
| Youth fare (19-24 years) | $2.50 | $4.50 | |
| Total Mobility Card | $2.00 | $4.00 | |
| Community Services Card | $1.50 | $2.50 | |
| Child fare (5-18 years) | $1.50 | $2.50 | |
| Contactless debit/credit card fares (Motu Move) |
Bus | Ferry | |
| Standard Metro fare | $3.00 | $5.00 | |
| Cash fares | Bus | Ferry | |
| Standard cash fare | $4.00 | $6.00 | |
| Child cash fare (5-18 years inclusive) | $2.00 | $4.00 | |
For more information see on paying with a debit or credit card, see our Using contactless payments page.
Some travellers are eligible for free travel:
- Children aged 0-4 years
- SuperGold cardholders (after 9am weekdays and all-day weekends/public holidays)
- Companions of Total Mobility card holders
Metrocard and contactless payment fare caps
You will never pay for more than 2 trips in a day, or 10 trips in a week (from Monday to Sunday) when you use your Metrocard. Daily and weekly fare caps also apply for standard fare-payers when using a contactless payment (debit/credit) card. Make sure you tag on with the same card or digital wallet each time to get the best fares.
| Fare type | Bus daily fare cap | Bus weekly fare cap | Ferry daily fare cap | Ferry weekly fare cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $6 | $30 | $10 | $50 |
| Youth (19-24 years) | $5 | $25 | $9 | $45 |
| Total Mobility | $4 | $20 | $8 | $40 |
| Community Services Card | $3 | $15 | $5 | $25 |
| Child (5-18 years) | $3 | $15 | $5 | $25 |
Accessing Metrocard concession fares
Travel concessions are available with a Metrocard for the following groups. Some concessions require pre-registration. Click on the links to find out more.
- Community Services Card holders
- Child 5-18 years (Former Under 25)
- Youth 19-24 years (Former Under 25)
- Total Mobility card holders
- Tertiary students (to be discontinued from 30 June 2025)
Some customers will have the option to choose between multiple concessions, but you can only choose one. Make sure to select the concession that gives you access to the best fare.
Concessions are not yet compatible with Motu Move but are planned to be built into the system in future phases of the system roll out in 2026.