Public transport in New Zealand

Urban bus transport is the main form of public transport in New Zealand. Two of the country's largest cities, Auckland and Wellington, also have suburban rail systems, while some cities also operate local ferry services. There are no rapid transit metros and no remaining tram (i.e., light rail) systems active anywhere in New Zealand (except for some museum systems and a tourist-oriented service at Wynyard Quarter in Auckland and in Christchurch), though trams (and their horse-drawn predecessors) once had a major role in New Zealand's public transport.
Intercity public transport in New Zealand is very limited. Almost all intercity bus services are operated for-profit by a single private company, InterCity. InterCity operates only major national routes, and few connecting and regional routes. Intercity rail in New Zealand is entirely composed of lines dedicated to tourists, and a single commuter only line between Auckland and Hamilton.
New Zealand has one of the lowest rates of public transport use in the world, even lower than the United States in 2001, and 90% of urban trips were by private cars as of 2018. Public transport usage began falling in New Zealand around 1960, coinciding with a period when private cars became more affordable to Kiwis, and adoption of them rapidly increased. Public transport usage continued falling throughout the decades afterwards, and the usage drop was compounded with less attractive services due to greater congestion in city centres as a result of private cars, higher fares, and aging vehicle fleets. Higher operations and maintenance costs from increased petrol prices also put operators at a loss financially.
Poor usage led government planners to assume that the disuse of public transport came from Kiwis disliking it, rather than coming from poor service, leading to a cycle of underinvestment and neglect. This is all despite increasing population densities in the areas where public transport previously commanded ridership. A contributing factor has been a disorganised and fragmented governance structure around public transport, leading to indecision and a lack of a uniform national and regional strategy.
Additionally, public transport use has become stigmatised as a form of welfare for people who cannot afford a private vehicle, leading decision makers to be passive around public transport improvements.
Since 2000 though, there has been increased interest in public transport, due to road congestion and environmental concerns. With this greater interest, public transport services have begun to be expanded and improved, and in some regions, like Auckland and Otago, patronage has been steadily increasing.
The use of public transport in New Zealand is low. According to the 2013 New Zealand census, 4.2% of those who worked travelled to work by bus, 1.6% travelled by train, and more than 70% travelled to work in a vehicle they drove themselves. The Household Travel Survey's proportion of public transport trips was even lower, at 2.3% in 2013/14. These figures are for the whole of New Zealand and include centres that may have limited or no public transport.
However, use of public transport was higher in major cities, which have more developed systems. In Wellington City, 16.8% of workers travelled by bus, more than twice as many as the next highest, Auckland City (6.5%).
In 2001, controversial analyst Wendell Cox described the Auckland Regional Council's (ARC) plan to increase public transport to the downtown area to 20% of total share as "a simply unachievable goal". He also described as "a fantasy" Christchurch's plans for an increase to 10–15% by 2018.
As can be seen from this table, there has been minimal increase over five years – public transport mode % of total trip legs by region (from NZ Household Travel Survey):
More up to date figures are available for numbers of bus passengers, which show declines in most areas outside the main cities:
Buses are the most common form of public transport in New Zealand, making up the majority of trips in every city that has public transport (and often being the only public transport mode available). InterCity and SKIP Bus are the only companies operating city to city bus transportations. They are followed by trains, which are found in Wellington and Auckland. Ferries also play a role, mainly in Auckland but also in other cities. Trams in New Zealand, while once common in many cities and towns, now survive only as heritage displays. Cable cars have also been employed; the Dunedin cable tramway system was both the second and second-last to operate in the world, while the Wellington Cable Car is now a funicular.
Public transport in Auckland is managed by Auckland Transport (AT), a CCO of Auckland Council, under the AT and AT Metro brands. It consists of buses, trains, and ferries. The Auckland public transport system is New Zealand's largest by total passenger volume, although not by trips per capita.
Buses are the most widely used form of public transport in Auckland. They are operated by a number of companies, including NZ Bus, Ritchies Transport including Birkenhead Transport and Ritchies-Murphy, Howick and Eastern Buses, GoBus, Waiheke Bus Company (Fullers360 Group), Pavlovich Coachlines, Bayes Coachlines and Tranzurban Auckland. The route network is dense, covering all parts of the Auckland urban area (including Waiheke Island).
Auckland also has a commuter rail system, one of two in the country. The system uses AM class electric trains, following the electrification of the Auckland rail network in 2014. There are four lines, designated Western Line, Onehunga Line, Southern Line, and Eastern Line. The trains are operated by Auckland One Rail. During rail closures, rail replacement buses are run, contracted to Auckland's AT Metro contracted operators, or two charter companies Coachways New Zealand, Kiwi Coaches or Broughman Buses among other smaller charter operators.
Ferries also play a significant role in Auckland's transport network — more so than in other New Zealand cities. Ferries travel between the city centre and a number of destinations, including several points on the North Shore, Half Moon Bay, Waiheke Island, Rangitoto Island, and Great Barrier Island. The largest operator is Fullers360 Group.
Auckland, like many others in New Zealand, previously operated trams. The first, horse-drawn, ran in 1884. Electric trams were introduced in 1902, operating until 1956. The Museum of Transport and Technology subsequently constructed a 2 km heritage line linking its two sites and Auckland Zoo. A tourist-oriented tram service has operated at Wynyard Quarter since 2011.
The Christchurch public transport system is based principally around buses, although the city also has a ferry service and a heritage tramway. The services are operated under the Metro brand by bus companies Red Bus and Go Bus, administered by the regional council, Environment Canterbury.
Buses operate to all parts of the Christchurch urban area, including Lyttelton. There are also services to outlying towns such as Rangiora, Lincoln, and Burnham. There are around 40 routes in total, A free shuttle in the central city with hybrid-electric Designline buses was formerly operated until the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Since 12 November 2007, Christchurch has been carrying out the first New Zealand trial for bikes on buses, which amongst other things gives cyclists access through the Lyttelton road tunnel.
A ferry service operates between Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour, a small settlement on the opposite side of Lyttelton Harbour.
Christchurch used to operate an extensive tram network, but this service was discontinued in 1954. In 1995, a heritage tramway was re-opened in the city centre, primarily serving tourists. The circuit was damaged by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and has since reopened.
Dunedin's public transport system is based around buses, and formerly, trams, and the Dunedin cable car. There are 20 routes, covering the Dunedin area (including Mosgiel and Port Chalmers), plus a service to Waikouaiti and Palmerston. Services are operated privately by Ritchies and Go Bus, on routes and fares determined by Otago Regional Council, under the brand name "Orbus".
The system operates primarily radially, with suburban buses heading into the centre city, and then back out to a suburb on the other side, before returning back the other way. There is also a single orbital route along the ridge of the city.
The majority of bus routes in the centre city run on the same streets, effectively increasing bus frequency between the University of Otago and The Oval. Despite this, all the roads in the CBD are open to all traffic, including the Dunedin Bus Hub terminal.
The city formerly operated other forms of public transport — the Dunedin cable tramway system (similar to the famous San Francisco cable cars) operated between 1881 and 1957, and electric trams operated on several routes from 1900 to 1956. Suburban trains ran from the Dunedin Railway Station to Mosgiel and Port Chalmers until 1979 and 1982, respectively.
Hamilton has a bus system under the name BUSIT covering most of its urban area, with around 25 routes. There are also bus services to (and sometimes between) other towns in the Waikato region — Taupō, Huntly, Coromandel, Thames, Tokoroa, Meremere, Te Kauwhata, Cambridge, Paeroa, Raglan, Mangakino, and Te Awamutu are among the destinations.
Hamilton formerly had a commuter train to Auckland, the Waikato Connection. Proposals were floated in 2007 to re-instate the service. The proposal was dropped in a 2011 report in favour of extension only from Pukekohe to Tuakau. Plans for a commuter service between Hamilton and Papakura were revisited in 2017 and received funding in 2019. The service, called Te Huia, launched in April 2021.
Invercargill has a bus service with six routes operated by BusSmart INVERCARGILL (the buses travel to different areas around the city, with most travelling in the same directions). They operate from a hub outside Invercargill Central Limited in the central city and are administered by the Invercargill City Council. People with a Bee Card get cheaper fares then people who use cash. Super Gold Card holders may use the bus for free by using a Bee Card during off peak hours.
Invercargill formerly had the southernmost tram system in the world. Construction began in January 1911 and the network operated from 26 March 1912 to 10 September 1952. At its greatest extent, it had four separate routes. Commuter trains also ran along the Bluff Branch railway line between Invercargill and Bluff from the line's opening in 1867 until the final service was cancelled in 1967. Multiple stops within Invercargill were serviced, and as late as 1950, seven trains ran each way on the average weekday.
New Plymouth has a bus system with nine routes covering most of its urban area, operated by Tranzit Coachlines. There are also bus services to other towns in the New Plymouth District; Bell Block, Inglewood, Ōakura and Waitara. Services are administered by the Taranaki Regional Council.
New Plymouth formerly operated electric trams over four routes between 10 March 1916 and 23 July 1954, as well as New Zealands only regional trolleybus system between 1950 and 1967.
Wellington has the highest percentage of citizens using public transport in the country. Its public transport system, organised under the Metlink brand, consists of buses, trains, ferries, and a funicular (the Wellington Cable Car).
The most widely used form of public transport is buses, which are operated mainly by Tranzurban Wellington and NZ Bus (both using multiple brands). The network extends across the whole region, with slightly over 100 routes and around 2,800 stops. Until its final closure in 2017 some bus routes were served by the Wellington trolleybus system, which replaced the city's historic Wellington tramway system.
The second most popular form of public transport is rail, which makes up around a half of the total ridership. Wellington's commuter rail network carries passengers between the central city and suburban areas to the north, as well as to smaller towns in Wairarapa. It is the larger of New Zealand's two commuter rail systems, with 49 stations, and is mostly electrified. The two non-electrified services are diesel trains: the Wairarapa Connection from Masterton and the Capital Connection from Palmerston North. The latter is not run by the suburban operator, Transdev, but by long distance operator The Great Journeys of New Zealand; however, in practice, it serves as a commuter service.
The remainder of trips use either the Wellington ferry system or the Wellington Cable Car. The ferry service operates across Wellington Harbour, connecting Eastbourne, Matiu/Somes Island, and the central city. The iconic Wellington Cable Car (strictly speaking, a funicular, rather than a true cable car) travels between the central city and the suburb of Kelburn, and is still used as a regular means of transport.
Nelson has six routes, a Late Late Bus and a Peak overflow bus which operate in the Nelson/Tasman area, with a bus hub at Whakatu Square. It is operated as eBus, previously NBus. There are two express services: one to Motueka and one to Wakefield.
The table below lists towns in New Zealand that have or once had public transport systems. It includes only internal services (as opposed to services between towns), and does not include services run primarily for heritage reasons.
Bus transport in New Zealand was initially a free, open, unregulated market with few legal barriers to entry until the Motor-omnibus Act 1926 which introduced the requirement for all bus companies to hold a licence issued by the Licensing Authorities, which set fares, routes and frequencies. This was built on by the Transport Licensing Act 1931 which established district licensing boards to regulate all transport activities not just motor-omnibuses. After 1933, no new licences would be issued for motor-omnibus services except where the market was not served by the railways. This legislation had the effect of insulating New Zealand Railways and local tramways from competition from the bus.
The New Zealand Railways began acquiring and consolidating bus companies from 1926 into the 1940s under the New Zealand Railways Roads Services. The bus system gradually passed into public ownership and local regulation and governance.
The Muldoon Government liberalised New Zealand land transport in its 1981–1984 term. The Transport Amendment Act 1983 stripped the ability of any government to set fares and operators did not have to demonstrate any need for a service. This removed regulatory barriers to new companies outside the cities.
The Transporting Services Licensing Act 1989 introduced a distinction between commercial services and non-commercial bus services - where any operator believed they could provide a service without any financial contribution from the government. Some municipalities disposed of their incumbent bus operations, but Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland decided to corporatise their bus services into limited companies and delegate operations and fare-setting for commercial (i.e. unsupported) routes to these companies, but regional councils retained the ability to subsidise and intervene on socially-necessary services.
The New Zealand government began taking control over bus transport in 2008 with the Public Transport Management Act in 2008 which empowered governments to intervene in commercial bus service provision. This was further strengthened in 2013, through the introduction of the concession model, which went under review in 2023.
In 2011/2013 (sources differ), the National government introduced the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM), with the goal of reducing or eliminating the need for government subsidies for public transport. It stipulated that councils had to allow private companies to bid for operating contracts. In order to be competitive, operators continuously lowered their drivers' wages, eventually leading to a large scale shortage of 800 bus drivers in the country. This resulted in overcrowding on buses and reduced timetables. In 2022 and 2023, governments ended up providing additional subsidies to bring driver wages up to $30 an hour in Canterbury, Otago, and Wellington, and $26 an hour in Auckland, as well as allowing for migrant drivers, in an attempt to recruit more drivers and fill the shortage.
In August 2023, PTOM was eliminated by the government in favour of the Sustainable Public Transport Framework. In a report it was found that PTOM did not actually reduce government subsidies at all, and in some cases government public transport subsidies increased after PTOM's adoption. As PTOM's private operator requirement has been lifted, Wellington's Regional Council has begun planning to take some critical public transport infrastructure, like depots, back into public ownership. National has criticised the new framework as not allowing for a competitive public transport market.
The Chatham islands have no regular scheduled public transport on land.
From 1950 to 1964 urban passenger trips fell from 198 to 127 million a year, which prompted the Carter Report on Urban Transport, published in 1970. The report recommended subsidies to relieve traffic congestion, air pollution and provide for the poor. In 1971, 65 private bus operators lobbied Sir Keith Holyoake to implement its recommendations on capital subsidies. In November 1971 the Ministry of Transport Amendment Act 1971 set up the Urban Passenger Transport Council to give subsidies, and regional councils were also able to use rates. Funding was initially split equally between rail and buses, but later changed to favour buses. From 1989 funding was allocated by Transit New Zealand, until the 1996 Land Transport Management Act transferred it to Transfund New Zealand and the Land Transport Management Act 2003 to the National Land Transport Fund. In 2018-21 NLTF committed $1,231,715,400 to operating costs and $693,188,400 to infrastructure.