Otago Regional Council

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Welcome to our September edition, which tells you about changes to bus fares this month, another big rise in bus passenger numbers across the region, and a bus stop move in Frankton.

Also, learn about Total Mobility, the Women Up Front trainee bus driver programme, and the Transit app. Read on!  

If you have any feedback, please email comms@orc.govt.nz.
 

Bus fare changes coming this month

Bus fares are changing soon!

From 29 September:

  • the free fare for children aged 5-12 years will end

  • all passengers aged between 5 and 18 years will pay the child and youth fare of $1.50

  • the adult fare is increasing to $2.50.  

These fares are for a single trip with a registered Bee Card, and they’re cheaper than the $3 cash fare in Dunedin and $4 cash fare in Queenstown. Transfers stay the same – Bee Card holders only pay for a single fare when they transfer from their first bus to their second bus within 45 minutes.  

New Bee Card fares from 29 September: 

Child aged under 5 – Free (No Bee Card needed) 
Child and youth 5-18 years – $1.50 
Adult 19+ – $2.50 
Valid Community Connect cardholders – $1.25 
SuperGold – Off-peak is free, peak is $2.50 

 
ORC is updating fares in part to respond to new central government policy direction. 

Find fare information here.
 

Queenstown, Dunedin passenger numbers keep going up 

Orbus passenger numbers continue to climb and are at a seven-year high! 

For the last financial year – from July 2024 to June 2025 – bus patronage in Queenstown and Dunedin has increased, despite NZTA subsidies declining, resulting in reductions in revenue. 

Dunedin passenger numbers rose by 3% to more than 3.4 million trips compared to the same period in 2023–2024. This was a 37% increase since 2018–2019. Queenstown people took nearly 2 million bus trips; a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023–2024 and a 33% increase since 2018–2019. 

 

Patronage in both areas now well surpasses Otago Regional Council’s pre-Covid levels of patronage. 

 

Co-chair of Otago Regional Council’s Public and Active Transport Committee Alexa Forbes says patronage over the past year shows Otago continues to experience strong public transport growth.  

“We’re really pleased to see full-year patronage numbers have exceeded the previous year, especially as the removal of subsidies can create challenges for our public transport community. It’s also heartening to see Otago’s patronage numbers compare favourably with other medium-sized regions in NZ.”  

 

Total Mobility patronage is also up by 15% for the year, rising to 142,312 trips. 

 

Thank you for hopping on board and supporting us! Read more here.
 
An extra-large electric bus parked at a bus stop

New Arrowtown–Jack’s Point route popular

The Arrowtown to Jack's Point via Malaghans service (Route 4), which previously ran from Jack’s Point to Frankton, is proving very popular.   

 

Combined July 2025 patronage for the new Arrowtown and Jack’s Point routes is 19% higher than July 2024. 

 

Patronage on Route 1 (Sunshine Bay–Remarkables Shops) and Route 3 (Kelvin Heights–Quail Rise) has also increased by 4% and 24% respectively. 

 

Overall patronage for Queenstown in July increased 7% from 168,957 trips to 180,526 trips. 

You can find Queenstown route and timetable information here.
 

Frankton bus stop moves

From Monday 3 September to late November 2025, the bus stop on the golf course side of the Frankton Bus Hub is relocating 80m south on Kawarau Road while the road under the current bus stop site is excavated and rebuilt.

This move affects passengers on:

  • Route 1 Sunshine Bay to Remarkables Shops via airport  

  • Route 3 Quail Rise to Kelvin Heights  

  • Route 4 Arrowtown to Jack’s Point via Queenstown.  

 

Remember to plan ahead:

  • Allow extra time for your bus trips due to roadworks and traffic   

  • Also allow extra time for transferring between buses at the Frankton Bus Hub   

  • If you’re transferring at the Bus Hub, tell your driver when you hop on – they can tell the other drivers if buses are delayed 

  • Track your bus on the free Transit app or the Orbus website.

  • Find more information, including a map, here.

     

If you’re driving, be a good sort and let the bus go first! Remember, we can all help reduce congestion by catching the bus. 
 

ORC looking at Total Mobility options

The future shape of Otago’s Total Mobility Scheme is being reviewed by Otago Regional Council. 

 

About 8,660 customers use the scheme in Dunedin, Ōamaru, Balclutha, Queenstown and Wānaka. 

Since the introduction of the 75% subsidy in 2022, Total Mobility services have seen a significant increase in passenger trips. For the three years from July 2024 to June 2027, the forecast cost overrun is about $2.8 million. 

ORC will continue providing Total Mobility services while also considering changes to the scheme to ensure it is sustainable. 

Total Mobility schemes throughout the country are facing the same situation – where increased passenger numbers are also increasing costs. 

Total Mobility is a nationwide scheme funded by central government and run by regional councils. Under the scheme, people with limited or reduced mobility preventing them from using public transport could be eligible for a subsidy with contracted taxi and rideshare operators to provide door-to-door transport.

Total Mobility provides an essential service by enabling people with a disability to use a form of public transport in an independent, safe and dignified way. 

Find out more.
 

ORC Chief Executive Richard Saunders speaks at the Go Bus depot opening

New Go Bus depot opens

Some of Dunedin’s buses have a new home! Go Bus recently opened their new Dunedin depot on Portsmouth Drive – a move from the old site opposite Kensington Oval on Princes Street. 

 

The depot has facilities that can service buses from Dunedin, Mosgiel and Queenstown, including a large workshop, painting booth, 50,000-litre diesel tank, refuelling area and a portable charger to support Orbus’s growing electric bus fleet. This complements the wider EV infrastructure at Go Bus’s fully electric satellite depot in Mosgiel. The depot also has improved driver facilities and offices and has a bus wash that recycles 80% of the water used.  

 

This new depot helps to future-proof Orbus services, keeping them running smoothly and sustainably for the future. Read more here.
 

Dunedin bus driver Tania Cuff recommends her job

Putting women up front

Women are being encouraged to become bus drivers through the Women Up Front trainee bus driver programme operated by Go Bus, which is owned by Kinetic. 

The programme targets women who don’t have a bus driver’s licence but have good customer service skills and a Class 1 driver’s licence. It offers a four-week paid induction, including driving and classroom training and access to mentors. 

Go Bus is on track to help Kinetic achieve its goal of 40% female drivers by 2030, supporting more diversity in the industry. 

Dunedin bus driver Tania Cuff has been driving buses in Dunedin for the past 10 years and enjoys interacting with bus passengers.

“You don’t need to be big and strong to drive a bus, and you’re given excellent driver training when you start. It helps to be friendly and a ‘people person’, as a lot of the job is about customer service such as answering questions and chatting with passengers if you’re not in a hurry.” 

Find out more.

 

Catching the bus? Stay up to date with Transit 

How can you track your bus and plan your trip?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 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.

 

You can also track you bus in real time on the Orbus website.

 
 
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