📢Welcome to our April edition, which includes information about changes to bus fares for 13 to 24-year-olds and how you can give your view on the future of Otago’s public transport.

If you have any feedback on what you'd like us to include, please email comms@orc.govt.nz.

Fares are changing for 13 to 24-year-olds from 1 May

Half-price fares for ages 13 to 24 are ending due to the government’s decision to stop funding these subsidies.  

Fares are cheaper with a registered Bee Card, so buy one and get it registered online now.

From 1 May, Bee Card fares* are:

• Dunedin youth aged 13-18: $1.20 per single trip.

• Queenstown youth aged 13-18: $1.50 per single trip.

• Ages 19+: $2 per single trip.

   

*fares are higher without a Bee Card.

Fares are still free for children under 13 with a registered Bee Card – now funded by Otago Regional Council.

There are no fare changes for other passengers aged 25+, and Community Services Card and SuperGold Card concessions remain the same.

Get more fare information here.  

ANZAC Day bus timetables

Wondering whether the bus timetable will change on ANZAC Day? Here are the details:

Dunedin: Buses will run on a Sunday (holiday) timetable. Find more information here.

Queenstown: Buses will run on the usual timetable. Find more information here.

School holiday tip: if you are travelling around New Zealand these holidays, remember that your Bee Card can also be used in nine other regions around New Zealand.

Have your say on the future of public transport funding

Public transport is an important way for people to get around Otago’s two biggest centres, Dunedin and Queenstown, with people taking more than four million trips on our buses last year.  

Not only do our public transport services help people get around, they also help the environment by reducing congestion and carbon emissions.

In our Long-Term Plan consultation, we’re proposing to increase public transport funding over the next 10 years to build on our services in Dunedin and Queenstown.

We’re proposing to spend around $315 million on Dunedin’s public transport over the next 10 years. This is to keep running the same services, upgrade the fleet to electric and make some low-cost, big-benefit changes to some services.

In Queenstown, we’re proposing to invest close to $194 million in public transport over 10 years, needed due to growth in the area and to encourage more people to use public transport, which helps to reduce gridlock.

We’d need to use rates to cover these costs, and we’d also need funding from Waka Kotahi NZ / Transport Agency.

Changes to how ORC rates for public transport are also proposed, and this would impact all ratepayers.

Find out about the rates impact of the proposed changes on our rates estimator.

To find out more about what is proposed for public transport, and ORC’s other work, and to have your say, go to: www.orc.govt.nz/ltp.

What’s your view on transport in our region?

Let’s get the conversation rolling on the region’s transport! The Regional Land Transport Plan is undergoing a mid-term review and is now open for consultation until 19 April 2024.

We want to know if the options detailed in the mid-term review of the transport plan are meeting the wider community’s needs.

The Otago Southland Regional Land Transport Plan sets out the common strategic transport direction to guide transport activities within our regions, and identifies the agreed regional long-term vision and objectives, as well as the transport investment priorities. The plan must be developed every six years and reviewed every three years.

This consultation gives you a chance to give feedback on transport activities in our region. The feedback will help prioritise how transport is funded for the Otago and Southland regions. Your input will help ensure the plan is on track and still relevant to the regions’ needs.

Don’t miss your chance to give your view on our transport plan — submissions are open until 5pm, 19 April 2024. You can find more information here.

Thank you, Dunedin!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this cruise ship season, which ended on 7 April. We look forward to welcoming new visitors in November.

Image: A cruise ship sailing past Taiaroa Head in Dunedin

Big delays to buses ongoing due to roadworks and peak travel

⚠️ Heads up, passengers — there are 15 to 20-minute delays to buses during peak times in both Dunedin and Queenstown. To find out if your bus is cancelled or delayed, go to: .

A free phone number is also available:

Phone 0800 672 8736 for Dunedin information.
Phone 0800 672 8778 for Queenstown information.