Bay of Plenty urban bus fares will change from 22 January 2026, following a Bay of Plenty Regional Council decision to increase the urban bus fares for the first time since 2018.

The change reflects the rising cost of running the services and aims to improve the financial sustainability of the network. It also supports Central Government’s direction to improve cost recovery across public transport.

At today’s Regional Council meeting, Councillors heard how passenger numbers have grown by more than 26% over the past five years, but fare revenue per trip has decreased. This means ratepayers are covering a greater share of the costs, therefore updating the fares now helps balance contributions between users and ratepayers.

For most urban passengers, this will mean paying about 30 to 40 cents more per trip.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chair, Doug Leeder, said the decision balanced the cost-of-living pressures with the need to improve the financial performance of the bus network.

“We know that fare changes are always going to have an impact on household budgets, and we considered this when making the decision. But fares have been held constant for a number of years, while the cost of running the services has risen. Updating our fares recognises this.

“It also helps us transition toward the fare recovery targets set nationally, where the Bay of Plenty currently has some of the lowest fares in New Zealand.”

Public Transport Director Oliver Haycock said the Bee Card is still the best way to pay for bus travel, with lower fares and other benefits.

“There’s no action needed for customers at this time, aside from keeping their Bee Cards topped up to allow for the new fare prices. We encourage customers eligible for concessions to review the changes to make sure they're accessing the best fares.”

What customers need to know

• New fares take effect from 22 January 2026
• Rotorua urban adult fare: $2.50 with Bee Card, $3.10 cash
• Tauranga urban and Te Puke adult fare: $3.00 with Bee Card, $3.80 cash
• Whakatāne-Ōhope adult fare: $3.00 with Bee Card, $3.80 cash
• Long-distance services are unchanged: Katikati-Tauranga, Murupara-Rotorua, Ōpōtiki-Potaka, Tauranga-Te Puke, Waihī Beach, Whakatane-Ōpōtiki and Whakatane-Tauranga
• Concessions remain in place. Those linked to adult fares, such as Community Connect, SuperGold (before 9am), child and tertiary discounts, will increase in line with adult fares. Free concessions, including child/youth at peak times, accessibility and under-5s are unchanged
• No action is needed. Bee Card and cash fares update automatically
• Updated fare tables will be published at baybus.co.nz and customers will be informed about the changes before they take effect.

For more information or assistance, call 0800 4 BAYBUS or visit baybus.co.nz

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