Auckland Transport media release
15 August 2016

New bus and train zones are here

Simpler Fares have been successfully rolled out for bus and train users across Auckland.

Simpler Fares is a new zone-based public transport system to make fares simpler and it operates on all bus and train services (except SkyBus).

The new zone map has 13 zones, and fares are now calculated according to the number of zones travelled through for the entire journey.

Auckland Transport Group Manager Metro Development Colin Homan says this is a significant change to bus and train fares in Auckland. “It’s much easier for people to work out their fare before they travel.”

Mr Homan says colour coded zones along with a new fare table make it simpler to work out cash or AT HOP fares no matter which buses or trains you take. “Simply add up the number of zones you are travelling through and use the fare table to work out your fare.”*

He says there has been a seamless transition for customers and equipment on all buses, at depots, retailers and stations was successfully update over the weekend.

Mr Homan says approximately 33 per cent of ATHOP customers will see a fare decrease and for 66 per cent there will be no change.

With an AT HOP card it’s even simpler for bus and train journeys, with a single fare being charged for each journey, even if you take several buses or trains to get to your destination. This will become increasingly important as Auckland Transport rolls out the New Network for public transport over the next two years, beginning with south Auckland later this year. The New Network aims to be much simpler and easier to understand and use. It will be better connected and generally more frequent, and the new fare system will help customers to make the most of it.

Mr Homan says with an AT HOP card you will pay for one entire journey from A to B, instead of paying for each bus or train separately. “Tag on and off each bus and train as you do now, and at the end of your journey you will be charged a single fare.

“During a journey you can use up to five buses or trains within four hours, with up to 30 minutes transfer time between each trip.

A new AT HOP day pass costing $18 provides unlimited travel until midnight on the day it is first used on all buses and trains plus inner harbour ferry services (except SkyBus services). Inner-harbour ferries are Devonport, Stanley Bay, Bayswater, Northcote Pt and Birkenhead services.

A new AT HOP monthly pass costing $200 provides unlimited travel on all buses and trains (except SkyBus services).

SkyBus services are excluded from the new system.

For further information on the fare zones and fares go towww.at.govt.nz/simplerfares

Terms of use and registered prospectus for the AT HOP cards are available at ATgovt.nz/athop or at the AT Customer Service Centre, Britomart. The obligations of Auckland Transport under the AT HOP cards are unsecured.
*If you are travelling within a zone overlap as part of a journey and paying with an AT HOP card (this means tagging on and tagging off within the same zone overlap area) this may count as travelling through a new zone. You can refer toAT.govt.nz/journeyplanner for the correct fare.

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