Make sure you have a happy and safe holiday season

‘Tis the season to be jolly. Getting home safely after your merriment sometimes requires planning. Have you considered hopping on a bus? It’s cheaper than a taxi — at $2.50 with a Bee Card — and our buses run late into the night on many routes.

You can check out whether the buses on your route are suitable here: Dunedin buses and Queenstown buses and ferries.

Here are some examples:

In Dunedin, Route 18 (Portobello) leaves the Bus Hub every 60 minutes from 5.38pm to 10.38pm, with a late Friday service at 11.38pm.

In Queenstown, Route 1 (Sunshine Bay) departs from Stanley St every 15 minutes from 6.14am to 12.37am every day and runs via the Frankton Bus Hub to the Remarkables Shopping Centre (Red Oaks Drive).

Please follow the Code of Conduct so everyone can have a pleasant journey. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season!

Public holiday information

Please note that bus services in both Queenstown and Dunedin will not be running on Christmas Day, and some Dunedin services are reduced on public holidays.

Dunedin

Christmas Day (Thursday, 25 December) is the only public holiday when the Orbus Dunedin bus service does run during the summer holiday season.

We run the public holiday schedule, which is the same as a Sunday schedule, on these public holidays:

• Boxing Day — Friday, 26 December 2025
• New Year’s Day — Thursday, 1 January 2026
• Day after New Year’s Day — Friday, 2 January 2026

To find the holiday timetable for your bus route, go to Dunedin Bus Timetables and select your route. From there, you can select the holiday date from the dropdown list.

Queenstown

Christmas Day is the only public holiday when the Orbus Queenstown bus service does not run.

For all other public holidays, the bus service runs to the usual timetable every day.

Queenstown Ferries has limited services over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

• Find timetable information here.
• Find all service alerts and updates here.

Frankton Bus Hub stop returns

The upgrade of the Frankton Bus Hub stop (Frankton Golf Centre side) has been completed, providing better facilities for buses and passengers.

It now includes six new shelters, extra space for local and tourist buses, and convenient bike racks. Sealed pathways link the shelters with the new signalised pedestrian crossing, making it easy for people to move between the Frankton Bus Hub stops, Frankton Village, the Queenstown Events Centre and beyond.

Busy cruise ship days

Cruise ship season is in full swing, with 79 cruise ships expected to arrive in Port Chalmers before 15 April 2026.

Extra buses are running on Route 14 between Port Chalmers and the city on busy days when more than 2,000 cruise ship passengers arrive.

The busiest days this month are 24 and 30 December.

Please check here for a schedule showing additional buses, visit the Orbus Dunedin Facebook page, or call the customer services team on 0800 672 8736.

Total Mobility

The Total Mobility scheme in Otago is to remain in its current form while ORC works on options to manage rising demand and costs.

Total Mobility provides a vital transport option for the disabled community to access their daily transport needs.

The number of Total Mobility users has increased significantly since 2022, and this is expected to continue, putting pressure on the scheme.

Learn more here.

What goes on board?

All of our buses are accessible, so it’s easier for people in wheelchairs or with prams to get on board. We want to encourage everyone to use the bus, and there are many other things you can bring on board (plus a few things you can’t do!).

What you CAN take on board

• Coffee, if your cup has a lid
• Your dog or cat — it must travel in a fully enclosed pet carrier. You can only take them on the bus during off-peak times
• Your pram — park it in the accessible seating area, but wheelchair passengers have priority
• Your bike — put it on the bike rack on the outside of the bus if there’s space
• Your luggage — if room is available. Your driver will let you know
• Your wheelchair — our buses are all wheelchair accessible
• Your scooter or skateboard — carry them on the bus

What you CAN’T do

• Drink alcohol
• Smoke or vape
• Eat

Learn more here