FAQs

Do I buy regional tickets at the BUSIT counter?

No, tickets are not available for BUSIT services. If you are wanting to use one of our Hamilton or Waikato regional services, you can either pay a cash fare to the driver, or tag on and off with your Bee Card get the cheapest fare.

See more about Fares

Interegional bus service tickets are available to purchase from the INTERCITY counter at the Hamilton Transport Centre or website.

Can I pay for two fares with one Bee Card?

We recommend that every passenger has their own Bee Card but yes, you can pay for another passenger's fare with your card if needed. You'll need to speak to the driver, and any extra passengers will be charged the full adult fare price.

See more about Bee Card

Can I pay half my fare with cash and the other half with a Bee Card?

No. You'll need to pay your full fare in cash or with your Bee Card.

What happened to the BUSIT card?

The BUSIT card was replaced with Bee Card on Monday 6 July 2020. Bee Card uses modern technology and offers many new benefits passengers have been asking for. 

See more about Bee Card

What happens if I lose my Bee Card?

If your registered Bee Card is lost or stolen, you can cancel your card online or in person and your balance can then be transferred to a new card. You will need to pay for a replacement card. Balances cannot be transferred on lost or stolen cards that are not registered.

Log in to Bee Card

What is the cost of a Bee Card?

Bee Cards currently cost $5 to purchase, with a minimum top-up credit of $5.

Do children have a separate Bee Card?

Yes, to ensure your child can access weekly fare-capping at 6.5 trips, they must have their own Bee Card and registered with name and date of birth.

While you can tag on other passengers with your Bee Card, they may be charged at an adult fare, and may not receive the correct fare concessions without their own registered Bee Card.

I no longer need my Bee Card. Can I get a refund from the remaining credit?

No credit refunds are available. Please consider this when topping up your Bee Card. 

How can I top up?

You can top up your Bee Card online with your debit or credit card at beecard.co.nz or by visiting the BUSIT counter at the Transport Centre, or at your local Bee Card Retailer. The minimum amount for top-up is $5.00. 

Bus drivers can not top-up Bee Cards and EFTPOS is not available onboard BUSIT services.

See more Bee Card Retailers

Can I get cash out at the BUSIT Counter?

No, we do not provide cash out at our counter. The nearest ATM is located at ASB Bank on Bryce Street, or a BNZ ATM is located inside Centre Place shopping mall, next to the foodcourt and restrooms (see opposite Transport Centre on Bryce Street).

Who can get a fare discount?

If you meet the eligibility criteria, there are fare concessions you can make an application for. This process can take up to 10 business days to complete, so we recommend getting your Bee Card registered so you can apply for your concession prior to travelling.

- SuperGold (FREE fares when you register your Bee Card with your SuperGold card - Please apply)
- Community Connect (Half price fares when you register your Bee Card with your Community Services card)
- Corporate concessions for employees of the following organisations (apply through your internal portal)
Genesis, Waikato Regional Council, and students at Waikato University.

See more Fares | Concessions

How can I travel free with my SuperGold card?

Free travel for SuperGold Cardholders is available at all times when the concession is applied to a registered Bee Card.

You can register your Bee Card and load this concession online at beecard.co.nz using your SuperGold card client number - or call 0800 205 305 - or visit the BUSIT counter at the Hamilton Transport Centre.

Does my SuperGold card work on all bus routes?

Yes, on all BUSIT services in the Waikato Region.

See more SuperGold Concession

I’ve left something on the bus, how can I get it back?

If you have left something on the bus please call the BUSIT team or email to register your lost item - or visit the BUSIT counter inside the Hamilton Transport Centre.

0800 205 305

busit@waikatoregion.govt.nz

How do I find a bus to get where I need to go?

Check out our journey planner or download the Transit App from the App store or Google Play for real time journey planning. There are also maps for each bus route under Hamilton buses and Regional buses.

How do I know if the bus is running late?

We have some real time e-stops but the best way to track transport is by using the Transit App. It has real time GPS tracking of our buses and gives you accurate arrival times (arrival times may vary depending on traffic).

Download the FREE Transit App and receive notifications from your favourite bus routes in 3 easy steps:
1. Allow notifications
2. Allow location
3. Search for you bus route and 'pin' as a favourite. Select AT ALL TIMES to receive all push notifications.
Otherwise, for urgent enquiries please call 0800 205 305 to talk to the transport call centre.

Do I have to signal the bus or will it stop for me?

Please signal the bus driver! It is important that you stand at the bus stop and raise your hand to signal the driver to stop. This is because some stops have multiple services going through them and the bus driver won't know which bus you're waiting for.

Do you have WiFi on the buses?

Some of our buses do have WiFi! Each device has an allowance of 20 mg per day.

Do all the buses have USB charging ports?

Unfortunately, not all buses. About half of our buses have charging ports.

Do all buses have bike racks?

The blue Waikato regional buses have bike racks only:

20 Cambridge
21 Northern Connector
22 Eastern Connector
23 Raglan
24 Te Awamutu
26 Te Kuiti Connector
27/28 Tawhare Pā / Matangi Tamahere
30 Tokoroa Circuit (South Waikato Connector)
31 Tokoroa District (South Waikato Connector)
32 Tokoroa Connector
34 Acacia Bay (Connect2Taupo)
35 Kinloch (Connect2Taupo)
36 Turangi (Connect2Taupo)
37 Tokoroa (Connect2Taupo)
38 Wairakei (Connect2Taupo)