Public transport guide for visitors to Auckland

Plan your journey

Use Journey Planner to plan trips on the go or choose a future date and time. Compare routes and transport options, and see departure times and how much your trip will cost.

To use Journey Planner and check live departures on your smartphone, download the AT Mobile app.

Fares

You can use Journey Planner online or inside the AT Mobile app to find out how much your trip will cost. Journey Planner shows standard adult fares only.

With a HOP card, you can transfer between AT buses, trains and ferries and pay just one fare for your entire journey. Just make sure you tag on within 30 minutes of tagging off your previous service and complete your journey within 4 hours.

7-day fare cap

Ride all you want on buses, trains and inner-harbour ferries and pay no more than $50. The 7-day fare cap is automatically applied for HOP card users.

Ways to pay

AT HOP card

You will need an AT HOP card to pay for bus travel. Cash, debit and credit cards are not accepted on buses.

Load funds onto your HOP card before you travel, then tag on when you board and tag off when you exit. AT HOP cards cost $5 and require a minimum top-up of $1.

Buy a ticket

If you do not have a HOP card and want to travel by train or ferry, you must buy a single-trip ticket before boarding.

You can buy train and ferry tickets from a ticket machine at the terminal or at one of our customer service centres. Cash, debit and credit cards are accepted.

To travel on the bus without a HOP card, someone who has a HOP card must buy a ticket for you using the funds on their card. They should tag on as usual and tell the driver that they are paying for you.

With any single-trip ticket, you will pay the full adult fare.

Contactless payments, coming soon

By the end of 2024, you’ll be able to pay for AT bus, train and ferry travel using your contactless debit or credit card or smart device. Tag on when you board and tag off when you exit, the way you would with your HOP card.

Contactless payment methods accepted will include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Travel tips 

Arrive early 

Some services, particularly buses, can run ahead of schedule. And if you’re travelling by train or ferry without a HOP card, you’ll need time to buy a ticket.

Remember to tag on and off

If you’re paying with a HOP card, tap your card on the digital reader at the start and end of your journey to tag on and off.

If you do not tag on and off correctly, you will be charged the default fare. On buses and trains, this is equivalent to 3 zones. For ferries, the default fare is the highest fare for any service that leaves through your tag-on point.

You can use your HOP card to pay for others

On the bus, tag on then ask the bus driver for a ticket for your companion. For train or ferry travel, you can use your HOP card credit to buy a ticket from the ticket machine or customer service centre.

Get child fares with a registered HOP card 

Passengers 5 to 15 years old can save 40% and travel free on weekends and public holidays with a registered HOP card.

No ticket sales at Northcote Point

If you’re travelling to or from Northcote Point, you’ll need to buy a ticket at the Downtown Ferry Terminal. There is no customer service centre or ticket machine at Northcote Point.

Day trips from Auckland 

Devonport: return trip from Downtown Ferry Terminal

The adult fare is $16 round trip. With a HOP card (a one-time cost of $5), the fare is $11.60. You can save 10% more if you travel off peak.

Off-peak hours are:

• before 6am, between 9am and 3pm, and after 6:30pm on weekdays
• all day on weekends and public holidays.

Buy your ferry ticket before you board and keep it for the return trip. Your ticket is valid until the last sailing of that same day.

For bus travel in Devonport, you’ll need a HOP card. You can buy one at the customer service centre.

Waiheke

Day-trip packages, available at the customer service centre, start at $84 and include:

• return sailing from the Downtown Ferry Terminal
• AT HOP card – for use on AT buses, trains and ferries
• unlimited AT bus travel on Waiheke Island.