On this page you'll find all bus and ferry fares on the Orbus network. You can pay by using a Bee Card preloaded with credit, or with cash when buying a bus ticket from a bus driver on board a bus.

New bus fares from 29 September

The changes include ending the free child fare and increasing the adult fare (in Dunedin and Queenstown) and increasing the youth fare (Dunedin).

Child under 5 – Free (no Bee Card needed)
Child 5-12 years – $1.50
Youth 13-18 years – $1.50
Adults 19+ – $2.50
Community Connect – $1.25
SuperGold – Off-peak free, peak $2.50

Please note:

  • These fares are for a single trip, with a registered Bee Card.
  • Cash fares remain the same.
  • ORC is changing fares to meet new central government funding rules.

Fare Finder

Use our fare finder to discover what your bus fare will be AFTER 28th September 2025.

Dunedin bus fares

You can only use cash or a Bee Card to pay for your bus fare.

Bank and credit cards cannot be used on buses to pay for a bus fare.

Note that Bee Cards can be purchased for $5 with a minimum $5 top up, either on the Bee Card website or in person at a Bee Card retailer.

Age group Bee Card fares
until 28 September 2025
Bee Card fares
from 29 September 2025
Cash
Under 5 Free (no Bee Card required) Free Free
Child 5–12 years Free with registered Bee Card $1.50 $3
Youth (13–18 years) $1.20 $1.50 $3
Adult (19+) $2 $2.50 $3
Community Connect $1 $1.25 $3
SuperGold (65+) Peak: $2 Peak: $2.50 $3
Off-peak: Free with SuperGold concession loaded onto a registered Bee Card

Queenstown bus fares

You can only use cash or a Bee Card to pay for your bus fare.

Bank and credit cards cannot be used on buses to pay for a bus fare.

Age group Bee Card fares
until 28 September 2025
Bee Card fares
from 29 September 2025
Cash
Under 5 Free (no Bee Card required) Free Free
Child 5-12 years Free with registered Bee Card $1.50 $4
Youth (13–18 years) $1.50 $1.50 $4
Adult (19+) $2 $2.50 $4

Buses to/from Queenstown Airport

You can only use cash or a Bee Card to pay for your bus fare to/from Queenstown Airport.

Bank and credit cards cannot be used on buses to pay for a bus fare.

Fare type Registered Bee Card fare per single trip Cash fare per single trip
Adults $2

$10

SuperGold (65+)

Peak: $2

Off-peak: Free with SuperGold concession

$10
Child under 5 Free Free
Child (5-12 years) Free when you tag on with your registered Bee Card $8
Youth (13-18 years)

$1.50

$8
Youth Plus (19-24 years) $2 $10

Queenstown ferry fares

  Bee Card fare per single trip Bank card fare per single trip

Infant (under 5 years)

Free (no Bee card required) Free

Child (5–12 years)

$10 $14

Youth (13–18 years)

$10

$14

Youth Plus (19–24 years)

$10

$14

Adult (25 +)

$10

$14

Community Connect

$10

$14

SuperGold (65 +)

$10

$14

Please note there are no concessions on the ferry. 

Free bus transfers*

A bus transfer is when you travel on a bus and then get off this bus to take another bus to continue your journey.

If you're a Bee Card holder taking two buses in a single trip, you may only pay for a single fare when you transfer from your first bus to your second bus within 45 minutes of tagging off the first bus.

You must use your Bee Card to tag on and off both buses to get your free transfer.

The 45 minute transfer window starts when you tag off the first bus with your Bee Card. This means you have 45 minutes to tag on to the second bus in order to pay just a single fare with your Bee Card.

*Conditions for free bus transfers
  • You must tag on and off with your Bee Card between the two buses
  • Tagging on to the second bus must happen within 45 minutes of tagging off the first bus
  • Free transfers do not apply to any fares purchased on the bus with cash
  • Free transfers do not apply to any trips purchased for additional people on your Bee Card (using its stored credit)
  • Free transfers do not apply to/from and between ferries
  • For SuperGold concession holders, free transfers between two buses must take place within the same peak travel periods. If your first bus is in the off-peak period and the transfer to the second bus takes place during peak time, you will be charged a fare.

Concessions

A concession is a discounted fare to the full adult fare. 

Concessions on the Orbus bus network in Dunedin and Queenstown are only available through using a registered Bee Card loaded with a concession.

Half-price fares with Community Connect

Community Connect provides Community Services card holders with half-price fares on public transport with a registered Bee Card. 

You must link your valid Community Services card to your registered Bee Card to get this concession.

Learn more about Community Connect

If you have a current Community Services Card, you will pay half-price fares on the bus with a registered Bee Card with your Community Services Card loaded onto it.

SuperGold concession

If you are aged  65+, you are entitled to reduced fares or free fares during certain times of day with a SuperGold Bee Card.

Bee Cards are used in many regions within New Zealand, so it's highly useful if you plan on travelling around the country. 

You do need to have a registered Bee Card and a valid SuperGold card to get the SuperGold card concessions in Otago.

Learn more about the SuperGold concession