On Board with Orbus - October 2024

Welcome to our October edition, which tells you about the extra bus trips we have put on for the busy Dunedin cruise ship season, a new bus route for Warrington, and more bus detours happening in Queenstown in November.

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

Extra bus trips for cruise ship season

This cruise ship season, 81 cruise ships are expected to arrive in Port Chalmers between 15 October 2024 and 9 April 2025.  

  
We’re adding extra buses to and from Port Chalmers (Route 14) to meet the cruise ship season demand — but on the busiest days, you will need to plan ahead to make sure you get the bus.  
  

Busiest days in November and December:  

• Tuesday 5 November 

• Tuesday 26 November 

• Monday 2 December 

• Tuesday 24 December 

• Sunday 29 December  

  
Bus timetables for cruise ship days  

Extra buses will be running at times we expect there to be a need, and then the scheduled Route 14 timetable will run for the rest of the day.  

Scheduled buses will leave Port Chalmers and the Bus Hub with enough capacity to pick up passengers along the route.  

Cruise ship schedules can change due to weather conditions or other factors. If a ship cancels on a day when additional buses were scheduled, extra buses will no longer run, and the normal bus service operates as usual. 

Please check our website for a schedule showing additional buses, visit the Orbus Dunedin Facebook page, or call the customer service team on 0800 ORBUSDN (0800 672 8736).  

Night detours for Queenstown bus passengers

📢 Attention, Queenstown passengers! Buses stopping at the Frankton Bus Hub after 9pm may follow detours due to road closures in November.

Stay updated on detours and route changes here.

Key points to remember:

• Between 9pm and 6am, Queenstown buses may be following detours.

   

• No bus stops will be missed.

   

• Changing buses at the Frankton Bus Hub? Let your driver know so they can tell the other drivers if buses are delayed.  

We are working with the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to keep you moving while this infrastructure work happens.

New Warrington bus service

A permanent Route 1C afternoon bus service to Warrington started in October, leaving the bus hub at 3.40pm on weekdays during school term time only.

This service will follow the 3.35pm Route 1 (Dunedin to Palmerston) service, via Waitati, ending in Warrington.  

The Route 1C morning service from Warrington continues during school term time. It leaves Warrington at 7:35am for the city.  

Waitati bus stop consultation

The temporary new stop in Waitati township will be made permanent, subject to consultation. 

We’ve been trialling the stop since August, following community concerns about crossing State Highway 1 near the On the Spot store.   

The stop met our aim of providing a safer alternative to the highway stop. Find out more here.

It’s cool to be kind

It's not just bus users who are at bus stops. We can all be a little mindful of how we share the space with each other. 

• Be respectful. Remember, bus stops and buses are public spaces, so be polite — treat others as you'd like to be treated.
  
  

• Chill, you'll get there! Traffic and delays are often out of the driver’s control, so avoid taking your frustration out on drivers.

   

• Thank the driver. Bus drivers provide a valuable service to the community — show them the respect they deserve.
  
  

• Give up your seat for someone who needs it, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant people, or parents with young children.

   

• Relax and enjoy the ride!

How to report your concerns

If you have experienced or witnessed any anti-social behaviour that breaches our Code of Conduct, please let our customer support team know.

You can contact our team:

• Phone: 0800 474 082 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm).

• Email: customerservices@orc.govt.nz.

• Message us via our website.

• Message us via our Facebook page.

In an emergency, contact police on 111. If it’s not an emergency, call 105 or go online to 105.police.govt.nz.  Please also let our Customer Service team know about an incident as soon as it’s safe for you to do so.

Find out more about the behaviours we expect on the bus at www.orc.govt.nz/buscodeofconduct.

A remarkable journey

Remarkables Primary School pupils in Queenstown took a ride on our Orbus network recently, visiting their Year 4 peers at Queenstown Primary School, as part of an inquiry project focused on the environment.

Around 55 students travelled between the Frankton and Stanley St Bus Hubs, and for some, this was the first time they had been on a public bus in Queenstown.

We were chuffed to hear from Remarkables Primary School teacher and trip organiser Nicola Woodcock, who said, “Everything was fantastic! All went very smoothly. Thank you so much for everything — the kids absolutely loved it!”

Tēnā koutou, Remarkables Primary School 🙌

Catching the bus? Stay up to date with Transit

🚍 How will you know if your bus is cancelled? There’s an app that can help!  

The free Transit app is a good way to make sure you’re up to date. The app has real-time information on all bus movements.

To get the most out of the app, pin your favourite routes. When you pin routes, it allows you to receive push notifications when there are major alerts on the bus network, like diversions or large-scale disruption.  

Once you have selected a route on the app, you will notice a pin pop up. Tap the pin to let Transit alert you of disruptions or cancellations on that route. You can select if that is for peak or for all times.  

The app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play, and easy to use. Find it here.

Big delays to buses due to roadworks and peak travel

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

A free phone number is also available:

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