FAQs

Your public transport fare is based on the number of zones you travel through; not how many buses or trains you take to complete your journey. You won’t pay extra fares because of these changes, even if they mean you’ll need to take both a bus and a train for journeys you currently make just using a bus.

AT train users won’t pay extra to take a bus to or from Pukekohe, Paerātā, Ngākōroa, Drury and Papakura stations, as long as:

• The transfer between services takes no more than 30 minutes,
• You tag on and off each service using the same AT HOP card or contactless payment method, and
• You complete the journey within four hours.

For more information about AT's public transport fares, visit https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/fares-discounts 

Large buses are needed at peak commuting times to accommodate the number of people wanting to travel at that time.  

A large bus can be used for a quieter trip because the driver’s schedule includes another, busier trip that needs a large bus.

As large buses are needed at peak commuting times, there would be a reduction in efficiency if drivers had to return to the depot mid-schedule to swap a small bus for a large one. 

Small buses are used on less busy routes in Auckland, but generally only when the demand on these routes is low at peak commuting times as well as throughout the day. 

Small buses may be cheaper to buy and cost a bit less per kilometre to run, but many of the other costs are the same regardless of size.  One of the biggest costs of operating a bus is the driver, which will be the same regardless of the size of bus.  Other costs, including depot operating costs, mechanic wages, depot running costs will be the same or only marginally cheaper for small buses.