Public transport payments terms of use
The public transport payment terms of use were last updated on 17 November 2024.
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Introduction
1. Terms: These terms (Terms) apply to your use of an AT HOP Card (AT HOP Card) or use of a contactless payment method (Contactless) to pay the fare to travel on a public transport service in Auckland (Public Transport Service) provided by a public transport operator (Public Transport Operator).
2. Section 1 of these Terms sets out the terms specific to AT HOP Cards. Section 2 sets out the terms specific to Contactless. Section 3, in addition to this Introduction section, sets out the general terms that apply irrespective of whether you use an AT HOP Card or Contactless.
3. In these Terms, reference to us, we or our is a reference to Auckland Transport (AT).
4. Agreement to be bound: you agree to be bound by and accept all of these Terms by:
4.1. purchasing an AT HOP Card;
4.2. using an AT HOP Card to pay the fare to travel on a public transport service;
4.3. using Contactless to pay the fare to travel on a public transport service.
5. Changes: We may revise these Terms. Changes to these Terms will take effect immediately once they are published on our website https://at.govt.nz (AT’s Website). We will advise customers that these changes have occurred by the notice methods set out in these Terms. By purchasing, or continuing to use, an AT HOP Card or using Contactless after we have published revised Terms, you agree to be bound by and accept the revised Terms.
6. Further Information and contacting AT: Further information about these Terms, AT HOP Cards, Contactless and travel on Public Transport Services can be obtained via AT’s Website, AT’s customer services telephone line (0800 103 080) or in person AT’s Customer Services Centres (see AT’s Website for locations).
Privacy
7. Privacy Act 2020: Our collection, use, and retention of personal information is subject to the Privacy Act 2020.
8. Customer Privacy Policy: The Customer Privacy Policy sets out our practices and policies relating to the collection, use, and storage of your personal information and forms part of these Terms (available on AT’s Website).
9. Both the Privacy Act 2020 and the Customer Privacy Policy will apply to AT’s collection of personal information from or about you through your use of an AT HOP Card or Contactless.
10. AT may refuse to provide any information to you in relation to any AT HOP Card or Contactless payment if you do not provide us with all reasonably requested information for the purpose of verifying your identity as the lawful holder of the AT HOP card or Contactless payment method.
11. Contactless travel history: where you have used Contactless to pay the fare to travel on a public transport service, AT may provide you with the previous seven days of travel information limited to time, date and fare information when you provide your Contactless details to an online contactless history page on the AT Website. AT may also provide you with the previous thirty days of travel information limited to date and fare information when you provide your Contactless details to an AT Customer Services representative by telephone and answer any further questions for the purpose of identification. In any other case AT is unable to discuss any aspect of your travel history (including journey times, duration or locations) unless you visit an AT Customer Services Centre (in person) with the relevant Contactless payment method and your own official photographic identification such as a current passport (NZ or overseas); Current drivers licence (NZ); Firearms licence (NZ only); or, Kiwi Access Card (NZ only).
Section 1 – AT HOP cards
12. The Terms in this section apply to your possession and use of an AT HOP Card issued by AT or our authorised agents (Retail Agents). They apply in addition to those Terms in the Introduction or General Terms sections of these Terms.
13. AT HOP cards: You may use an AT HOP card to pay for public transport journeys provided by public transport operators (Public Transport Operators) in the Auckland region using any of the following System products as available from time to time (Products):
13.1. Monthly Pass: a pass credit loaded onto an AT HOP card allowing you to have unlimited journeys within a number of days.
13.2. HOP Money: stored money value loaded onto an AT HOP card (HOP Money), which can be used to purchase public transport journeys or paper tickets for public transport journeys;
14. Your obligations: You agree to:
14.1. use the AT HOP card only in accordance with these Terms;
14.2. comply with all notices, policies, and instructions relating to the use of the AT HOP card, concessions and Products that we may issue from time to time;
14.3. provide us with any information and assistance that we may reasonably request relating to the issue, use, suspension, and cancellation of the AT HOP card;
14.4. tag on at the beginning of your trip and tag off at the end of your trip;
14.5. take proper care of the AT HOP card to avoid damage including keeping the AT HOP card flat and not bending it (as that may damage the AT HOP card);
14.6. not misuse, deface, modify, or destroy, the AT HOP card;
14.7. not tamper, or allow anyone else to tamper, with the AT HOP card;
14.8. ensure that if carrying two or more cards together that only one is used at a time and that the same card is used to tag on and tag off for each trip and journey;
14.9. not alter, remove, or replace any notices, trademarks, or artwork on the AT HOP card; and
14.10. When using an AT HOP card loaded with a concession, carry a further form of identification to prove your eligibility for that concession. Information about concessions and their eligibility criteria is available from at.govt.nz.
15. Right to retain: We, the Retail Agents, Transport Officers and Public Transport Operators will be entitled to confiscate or retain any AT HOP card which:
15.1. we (or a Retail Agent, or Transport Officers or Public Transport Operator) have reason to suspect or believe has been fraudulently issued, stolen, tampered with, or used in breach of the Terms; or
15.2. was not issued to the person presenting the AT HOP card (in the case of Registered AT HOP cards) or which the person presenting the AT HOP card is otherwise not entitled to use.
16. Co-operation: You agree to co-operate with us and, if applicable, the Police, in recovering your AT HOP card if it is lost or stolen, or if we have reason to suspect or believe any questionable behaviour or activity in relation to your AT HOP card.
17. Risk and title: Subject at all times to our rights and those of our Retail Agents and Public Transport Operators as set out in these Terms:
17.1. You agree that risk of loss or damage to an AT HOP card that you have purchased, or a replacement AT HOP card provided in accordance with these Terms, will pass to you on your receipt of that AT HOP card;
17.2. You carry and use an AT HOP card at your own risk, and we will not be responsible for any interference or damage suffered by, or to, any electronic device which occurs as a result of your carrying or using an AT HOP card;
17.3. We retain the right to manage and change the software and data on the AT HOP cards at any time; and
17.4. On demand by any employee or representative of us or of any Retail Agent, Transport Officers or Public Transport Operator at any time, you must produce for inspection all AT HOP cards in your possession or control.
18. Expiry: The AT HOP card (including any HOP money or Products loaded on the AT HOP card) will expire if the AT HOP card is not used, no refund is requested, the AT HOP card is cancelled, or no Products are loaded onto the AT HOP card for a continuous period of six years. When an AT HOP card expires, any HOP money or Products remaining on the AT HOP card will be forfeited and become our property on and from the date the AT HOP card is cancelled. In this instance you may contact us and we will put HOP money on to another AT HOP card purchased by you. The amount of HOP money we put on the new card will be equal to:
18.1. The HOP money balance; and
18.2. The value (at the time of purchase) of any inactivated Products;
That was on the expired card immediately before it expired.
Please note that for an unregistered AT HOP card that has expired, we will need you to present the expired card at an AT Customer Service Centre.
19. Suspension: We may suspend any AT HOP card or MyAT account (Online Account) if you breach any of these Terms and such breach amounts to what AT determines to be fraud or fare evasion. If we suspend any AT HOP card or Online Account:
19.1. The suspension will remain in force for such period as we may direct; and
19.2. We may require the payment of a reasonable administration fee (and impose such other terms as we deem necessary or desirable as a condition of reactivation of a suspended AT HOP card or MyAT Account).
20. Cancellation and refund:
20.1. If your AT HOP card is registered on our Website (Registered AT HOP card), you may apply to cancel your AT HOP card and receive a refund of the remaining HOP Money on your AT HOP card within 14 days of your completed application being received. Only unused HOP Money can be refunded. No refunds are available for paper tickets purchased from AT ticket machines or from our service centres. No refunds are available for monthly passes. Any refund given by us is inclusive of any goods and services tax (GST).
20.2. You acknowledge and agree that the cancellation and refund option set out in clause 21.1 is available only for Registered AT HOP cards. If your AT HOP card is not registered, then no HOP Money can be refunded to you.
20.3. For AT HOP cards: We may, in addition to any other remedy available to AT, cancel any AT HOP card or MyAT Account if you breach any of these Terms and such breach amounts to what AT determines to be fraud or fare evasion. Any Products remaining on the AT HOP card on cancellation for breach of these Terms will be forfeited and become our property. If the remaining balance is negative, we retain the right to recover the negative balance and may engage a collection agency the cost of which the card holder shall be liable.
20.4. For AT HOP cards loaded with SuperGold travel concession: Tagging on and off when you travel is essential because the tag on and off locations allow AT to accurately identify the subsidy that should be applied to the fare and claim that subsidy from the NZ government. For this reason, we may cancel the card (except where it has a monthly pass loaded on it) for repeated failure to tag on and off. We will attempt to contact you before such cancellation. In this instance you may contact us and we will transfer any HOP money or the HOP money equivalent of any inactivated Products to another AT HOP card purchased by you.
21. Other rights: We may refuse to provide any information to you in relation to any AT HOP card if you do not provide us with all reasonably requested information for the purpose of verifying your identity as the lawful holder of the AT HOP card.
22. AT HOP card transfer: Where you lawfully hold an AT HOP card, you may (unless the AT HOP card is a Registered AT HOP card) permanently give that AT HOP card to another person and we will treat the new holder of the AT HOP card as the lawful holder, and he or she will be bound by these Terms.
23. AT HOP card return: We may at any time require you to return your AT HOP card in a manner notified by us. If this happens, we will replace your AT HOP card with a new AT HOP card having equivalent Products loaded on it.
24. Registered AT HOP cards:
24.1. We may offer you services enabling you to register your AT HOP card on our website, in which case you will need to provide your personal information (such as your name, date of birth, email address, physical address and telephone number) against the Registered AT HOP card number.
24.2. You must not allow your Registered AT HOP card to be used by another person. If your Registered AT HOP card is found in the possession of a person other than yourself, we (and the Retail Agents, Transport Officers and Public Transport Operators) reserve the right to retain that AT HOP card.
24.3. You must ensure your contact and payment details on our website for your Registered AT HOP card are kept up to date and correct.
Lost, stolen or non-functioning AT HOP cards
25. Responsibilities:
25.1. Your responsibility: You are responsible for safeguarding your AT HOP card against loss, damage, and theft, and ensuring that your AT HOP card is not used by any person without your permission (or by any person other than you in the case of a Registered AT HOP card).
25.2. Our responsibility: We and the Public Transport Operators accepting your AT HOP card for payment for public transport journeys have no obligation to prevent the use of a lost or stolen AT HOP card by a person. We also have no obligation to cancel any lost or stolen AT HOP card (whether a Registered AT HOP card or not) or to transfer the Products on that lost or stolen AT HOP card to a replacement AT HOP card.
26. Non-functioning AT HOP cards:
26.1. There are 2 types of non-functioning AT HOP cards:
26.1.1. Faulty cards: AT HOP cards which fail to function as the result of an inherent manufacturing defect or other technical fault or defect; and
26.1.2. Damaged cards: AT HOP cards which fail to function for any other reason, such as physical damage.
26.2. Please bring your non-functioning AT HOP card into an AT Customer Service Centre. We shall investigate and determine whether a non-functioning AT HOP card is a Faulty card or a Damaged card.
26.3. We will not be responsible or liable for replacing any non-functioning AT HOP card except where we determine that the AT HOP card is a Faulty card.
26.4. If the AT HOP card is a Faulty card, we will retain the card and issue a replacement AT HOP card free of charge. We will also transfer any HOP Money and/or Products from the non-functioning AT HOP card to such replacement AT HOP card.
Lost/stolen AT HOP cards
27. Cancellation of lost/stolen registered AT HOP cards:
27.1. If a Registered AT HOP card is lost or stolen, you may ask us to cancel your AT HOP card by:
27.1.1. calling us on 09 366 4HOP (09 366 4467). You will also be required to supply your AT HOP card number, full name, and answer some security questions; and
27.1.2. returning the AT HOP card to the address that we notify to you, to enable us to determine whether clause 27 (Non-functioning AT HOP cards) of these Terms applies.
27.2. On your Registered AT HOP card you may apply for a refund in accordance with clause 21 or apply for a transfer of any residual Products on the Registered AT HOP card in accordance with clause 99.
28. Transfer of products on lost or stolen registered AT HOP cards:
28.1. If you hold a Registered AT HOP card that has been lost or stolen, you may request the transfer of any residual HOP Money and unused Products from that AT HOP card to a replacement AT HOP card purchased by you. When you request a transfer of Products:
28.1.1. You must confirm the reason for the transfer (e.g. lost or stolen AT HOP card);
28.1.2. We will do our best to promptly cancel the original Registered AT HOP card (if not already cancelled) and we will transfer any residual Products (as at the time you requested the transfer) to the replacement AT HOP card;
28.1.3. our determination as to the amount of HOP Money and/or Products transferred to the replacement AT HOP card will be final and conclusive, but we reserve the right to make subsequent adjustments to that determination if we obtain transaction records which indicate that an adjustment is required to the number of Products transferred; and
28.2. A balance transfer can only be completed between two cards registered to the same account. Balance transfers cannot be completed between two separate accounts, from a primary to a linked account or between active cards.
29. Registered AT HOP cards only: You acknowledge and agree that the cancellation and transfer options set out in clauses 28 and 29 are available only for Registered AT HOP cards. If your AT HOP card is not registered, then it cannot be cancelled and no HOP Money and/or Products can be transferred or refunded to you if your AT HOP card is lost or stolen.
Products, use and charges
30. Use: Subject to specific AT HOP card functionality, and Retail Agent and Public Transport Operator availability (as applicable), you may use the AT HOP card to pay for public transport journeys provided by Public Transport Operators in accordance with these Terms.
31. Adding products:
31.1. You can add HOP Money and/or Products to your AT HOP card at our service centre(s), via Retail Agents, top up machines, by Auto top up in accordance with clause 32.2 (for Registered AT HOP cards), at AT Customer Service Centres or a one-off top up via our Website (for Registered AT HOP cards). Products can be added to your AT HOP card an indefinite number of times unless the AT HOP card is reported stolen or lost, is expired, or is otherwise cancelled in accordance with these Terms.
31.2. You can add HOP money to your Registered AT HOP card automatically each specified period or each time the value of your HOP money on your AT HOP card reaches a specified minimum level (Auto top up). To use Auto top up on your AT HOP card, you:
31.2.1. Must provide us with details of the bank account or debit/credit card each Auto top up is to be deducted from. Where these details are provided online through the Customer Web Portal, authority for us to undertake the Auto top up is deemed to be granted once the payment means has been submitted by the customer;
31.2.2. must provide us with details of HOP money threshold and value you wish to Auto top up to your AT HOP card and when;
31.2.3. Acknowledge that we will hold the information set out in clauses 32.2.1 and 32.2.2 on our system;
31.2.4. agree and acknowledge that you may not receive advance notice of direct debit/credit card payment in respect of each Auto top up, but that we will notify you by email when the Auto top up was triggered; and
31.2.5. agree that if a direct debit or credit card payment to us is dishonoured, rejected or we are otherwise unable to process the payment for any reason, we will attempt to process the direct debit or credit card payment again on two (2) occasions and if we are unable to process the payment three times, the top-up amount will be removed from your AT HOP card and the auto top-up will be cancelled.
32. If you use HOP Money on your AT HOP card to pay for a paper ticket this will be charged at the applicable advertised cash fare, not the advertised AT HOP fare.
33. The time at which you tag on is deemed your travel start time.
34. Inactive HOP money:
34.1. Any HOP Money added to your AT HOP card via our website must be activated by tagging on within 60 days. If you don’t tag on at an AT HOP reader or electronic gate within 60 days of your online top up, the top up will expire. If this happens the payment will be reversed to the credit or debit card you used for your online top up.
34.2. Any monthly pass purchased on our website but not activated by tagging on within 60 days will automatically be cancelled. If this happens the payment will be reversed to the credit or debit card you used to purchase the pass.
35. Right to refuse: We, a Retail Agent, Transport Officer or a Public Transport Operator (as the case may be) may refuse to accept an AT HOP card for payment of a public transport journey with a Public Transport Operator if:
35.1. the AT HOP card is expired, suspended, or cancelled, whether or not notice is given to you regarding such expiry, suspension or cancellation;
35.2. We, a Retail Agent, Transport Officers or a Public Transport Operator suspect that the AT HOP card has been fraudulently issued, stolen, tampered with, or used, or that the AT HOP card may in any way pose a risk to the System;
35.3. The HOP Money or Products on the AT HOP card are insufficient or have been exhausted;
35.4. the System is unable to process the payment for any reason whatsoever, or any circumstance arises which prevents a Retail Agent or a Public Transport Operator from accepting or processing the AT HOP card as a means of payment; or
35.5. You do not comply with these Terms.
36. Determination of HOP money and other products:
36.1. The determination by us, a Retail Agent, Transport Officers or a Public Transport Operator (as the case may be) as to the amount of HOP Money and other Products on an AT HOP card will be final and conclusive. We reserve the right to correct the Products loaded on your AT HOP card if we believe that a technical or accounting error has occurred. For the purposes of such determination, the value of Products as determined by us, a Retail Agent, Transport Officer or a Public Transport Operator from any of the following sources will be deemed to be conclusive and binding:
36.1.1. The Products encoded in the AT HOP card; or
36.1.2. Our records, including records that we generate from the System.
36.2. If we determine that, as a result of error by us, the wrong Product or wrong amount of HOP Money is deducted from your AT HOP card for a public transport journey, we will refund to you as HOP Money (unless we in our sole discretion determine to give such refund) the difference between the amount deducted from your AT HOP card and the correct fare or Product value for the relevant public transport journey.
37. Obligation to examine: You must check the AT HOP card on purchase or issue and on each addition or subtraction of Products to the AT HOP card.
38. Debits for products and fees: The AT HOP card will be debited at tag on in the circumstances set out below:
38.1. When you use an AT HOP card to pay for a public transport journey, the System will check for a valid fare as follows:
38.1.1. Is there a monthly pass to match the journey undertaken? If yes – the fare detail is recorded, if not:
38.1.2. Is there a monthly pass that could cover part of the journey? If yes – monthly pass amount is recorded and any remainder deducted from HOP Money, if not:
38.1.3. The System deducts the fare from HOP Money.
39. Transaction details:
39.1. All transaction details, trip details, and other details recorded as a result of you using your AT HOP card will be recorded and retained by us. After you deposit HOP Money or Products on your AT HOP card, we will update the AT HOP card balance to reflect that deposit:
39.1.1. Immediately, if you add Products to your AT HOP card at our offices, via a Retail Agent, at an AT Customer Service Centre, or using a top up machine; or
39.1.2. Immediately, if you have established an Auto top-up facility in accordance with clause 22.2. In this case the direct debit payment instruction will be triggered, once the specified minimum balance has been reached and your AT HOP card has been automatically reloaded; or
39.1.3. At the next tag on event once we receive payment for the Products into our bank account (usually 1 hour after your online transaction is processed) if you add HOP Money and/or Products to your AT HOP card using our website.
39.2. Using your Online Account (for Registered AT HOP cards only), you will be able to view transaction history and trip details for each Registered AT HOP card (Online Transaction History) for the preceding 3 months or preceding 60 transactions via our website. To obtain an Online Transaction History, you must first register your AT HOP card using our website.
39.3. You will be able to check the balance of your AT HOP card via our website (for Registered AT HOP cards only), or at an AT Customer Service Centre or via Retail Agents or top up machines.
39.4. We will endeavour to update the Online Transaction History at least once per day, however there may be delays in updating certain Online Transaction History, which may result in that information appearing in your Online Account one or more days after the journey took place; and
39.5. We may add or update any Online Transaction History at any time.
40. Refund of fares:
40.1. In the event of any refund claim being received we will investigate the circumstances of the claim. If we determine that the claim was the result of faulty equipment, a Faulty card or a fault in the AT HOP system, we will refund the appropriate fare overcharge.
40.2. If we do decide to provide a fare refund per clause 41.1:
40.2.1. For Registered AT HOP cards: the refund will be paid as HOP money that can only be collected when your Registered AT HOP card is next tagged on to the System;
40.2.2. For unregistered AT HOP cards: We will work with you to determine the easiest way to apply the top up, as this must be completed in person.
Trust arrangements, interest and GST
41. Trust arrangements: We maintain in a separate bank account an amount in excess of the face value of all Products that we are liable to repay to holders of AT HOP cards in accordance with clause 21 less any amounts cancelled, redeemed or otherwise forfeited in accordance with these Terms from time to time, which is held on trust for all holders of AT HOP cards. You have a right to a proportion of the account equal to the value of the Products loaded on your AT HOP card that we are liable to repay to holders of AT HOP cards in accordance with clause 21 less any amounts cancelled, redeemed or otherwise forfeited in accordance with these Terms from time to time. The bank where the account is maintained has been given written notice of the status of the account as a trust account for all holders of AT HOP cards.
42. Interest: No interest will be payable to you in relation to any Products loaded on any AT HOP card. All interest earned in relation to HOP Money and/or Products loaded on any AT HOP card will remain our property.
43. GST: The charges and other amounts payable to us or our Retail Agents under these Terms are stated and payable in New Zealand dollars inclusive of GST, if any. No invoice or tax invoice will be provided to you when you purchase an AT HOP card or load any HOP Money and/or Products on an AT HOP card or pay your fare with Contactless. If you need to make an expense claim or GST claim, please use a printout from your Online Account as a basis for your claim.
44. New Zealand Use Only: The AT HOP Cards are intended for use in Auckland, New Zealand.
Public transport operators and public transport journeys
45. Public transport operators: Certain authorised Public Transport Operators have entered into agreements with us to accept HOP Money and/or Products on an AT HOP card as a means of payment for public transport journeys on services run by those Public Transport Operators. If a Public Transport Operator notifies us that it no longer accepts the AT HOP card as a means of payment, we will communicate this to customers as soon as reasonably practical via the notice methods set out in clause 50.
46. Product types: Public Transport Operators may accept any Product as available from time to time for public transport journeys using the AT HOP card. We may at any time add, remove or amend the Products available using the AT HOP card. AT reserves the right to limit the usage of these Products whether by operator, mode, date or time. Where possible, we will give you at least two weeks’ notice via the notice methods set out in clause 50.
47. HOP money: The following provisions apply if the HOP Money Product is available:
47.1. Each time you add HOP Money to your AT HOP card online, you must top up a value so that your card reaches a minimum balance of $5.
47.2. Each time you add HOP Money to your AT HOP card at an AT Customer Service Centre, top up machine or Retail Agent, you must add a minimum of $1.
47.3. The maximum amount of HOP Money that may be held on any AT HOP card is $500 (incl. GST).
47.4. The minimum top up amount for Auto top up is $5.
47.5. Notwithstanding clause 35 (Right to Refuse), Public Transport Operators may permit you to commence a public transport journey, and to complete each trip of the journey, as long as there is a positive or $0.00 HOP Money balance on the AT HOP card for each leg of your journey. HOP Money contained on multiple AT HOP cards cannot be combined to pay a single fare.
48. Monthly pass: The following provisions apply to the monthly pass:
48.1. A monthly pass allows you unlimited travel on specified ferry services (including on Fullers360 Waiheke, Island Direct, Inner Harbour, Mid Harbour and Outer Harbour ferry services) and includes bus and train travel in the same zone in which you start or end your ferry journey. One type of ferry pass may be stored on an AT HOP card at any time. A new pass may be loaded onto an AT HOP card when the previous pass has been activated.
48.2. A monthly pass is activated by "tagging on" and expires when the specified number of days from the day of activation has elapsed.
49. 7-day fare cap: The following provisions apply to the 7-day fare cap:
49.1. The 7-day fare cap applies to all bus, train and inner harbour ferry journeys within a 7-day period. The 7-day period is automatically activated by "tagging on" with an AT HOP card. The 7-day fare cap period will run until 11:59pm on the seventh day. Once you reach the defined fare cap, further travel on included services will be free until the end of your 7-day fare cap period.
49.2. Any journey for which there is a failure to tag on or a failure to tag off, will not be a journey which will be counted toward the fare cap or which will be free after that defined fare cap has been reached.
49.3. For the avoidance of doubt, any default fare charged following a failure to tag on or tag off will not count towards a customer reaching the fare cap.
49.4. HOP money used to buy a paper ticket does not count toward the fare cap.
49.5. Prior to reaching the cap, where any journey involves both included and excluded services, only the trips on included services will count towards reaching the cap. Excluded services are mid-harbour ferries, outer-harbour ferries, non-AT ferries (such as the Waiheke ferry), non-AT buses and Te Huia.
49.6. After reaching the fare cap, where any journey involves both included and excluded services, customers will only receive free travel where the travel on an included service occurs after the travel on an excluded service.
49.7. For monthly pass holders, the fare cap does not apply to journeys where a monthly pass has been used for part of or the entire journey. The fare cap also does not apply to bus, train or inner-harbour ferry trips that start or end in a zone in which bus, train or ferry travel is included in the monthly pass.
Retail agents
50. Retail agents: Certain Retail Agents have entered into agreements with us that authorise those Retail Agents to:
50.1. sell AT HOP cards to customers;
50.2. load HOP Money and sell Products to customers
51. Identification: Retail Agents can be identified by their display of an AT HOP is sold here sign. You should only present your AT HOP card when you see the AT HOP sign. If you present your AT HOP card at readers that do not show the AT HOP acceptance sign, this may damage the AT HOP card (refer to clauses 26 and 27).
52. Unauthorised or unlawful transactions: You should not attempt to add Products via any Retail Agent if you have any suspicion that the Retail Agent is not a Retail Agent authorised by us. We will not honour Products that are added to an AT HOP card by any unauthorised person or through any unauthorised or unlawful means.
Section 2: contactless payments terms and conditions
Introduction
53. The Terms in this section apply to your use of Contactless to pay the fare on Public Transport Services. They apply in addition to those Terms in the Introduction, or General Terms sections of these Terms.
54. A Contactless payment method includes:
54.1. a debit card or credit card issued by your bank or financial institution (Bank) including physical Visa, Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay credit or debit cards on which contactless payment is enabled. (Please note, Buy Now, Pay Later company, pre-paid gift cards and some reloadable debit cards are not accepted by the AT Ticketing System, please check with your card issuer); and
54.2. digital wallets linked to your credit or debit card via a Smart Device (including smart phones, watches and other wearable devices) supported by Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
Your virtual and physical cards are considered separate payment methods in the AT Ticketing System, even if they are linked to the same credit or debit card. To make sure you pay the right fare, always tag on and tag off with the same card or device
Use of contactless payment methods
55. The use of Contactless is available only to customers travelling only on a Public Transport Service that has payment via Contactless enabled.
56. If you have a joint bank account with a debit card for each person, or a credit card account with primary and secondary credit cards, (and each card is enabled for contactless payments), each card can be used as a Contactless payment method to pay for travel on a Public Transport Service.
57. Full adult fare, no concessions: All journeys paid for using Contactless will be charged at the full adult AT HOP fare for that Public Transport Service. Concession fares are not available via Contactless at this time.
58. Cannot pay for another person: You cannot tag on twice to the same Public Transport Service with the same Contactless payment method to pay for yourself and another person.
59. Sufficient funds:
59.1. You must ensure sufficient funds are available in the account linked to the Contactless Payment Method you are using to pay to board a Public Transport Service;
59.2. AT will combine all fares paid by the same Contactless payment method at the end of the day before debiting the funds from your account. Please note, this transaction may not appear immediately in your Bank records due to bank processing timeframes.
59.3. If you do not have sufficient funds to pay a fare using your Contactless payment method, you will be unable to pay your fare. If your payment transaction is declined and you are unable to pay your fare, your contactless payment method may be blocked from being able to be used on a Public Transport Service until AT recovers the amount owing and your card returns to a positive balance.
59.4 The AT Ticketing System will regularly validate your account has sufficient funds to pay for your fare and has not been blocked or suspended for any reason each time you tag on. Please note that your Bank may show this validation as a nominal amount in your records with your Bank.
Default Fare
60. To benefit from a journey continuation calculation, you need to use the same Contactless payment method to tag on and tag off for each trip in the journey. A journey refers to travel from the first point at which you tag on to the AT Ticketing System and ends at the last point at which you tag off according to the following rules:
60.1. You must tag on to each subsequent Public Transport Services within 30 minutes of tagging off from your previous service;
60.2. Your total journey must be completed within 4 hours of tagging on to the first Public Transport Services in your journey. Further travel after this 4 hours will result in a new journey being commenced.
61. If you use a different Contactless Payment Method for each trip in a journey, the AT Ticketing system will record each trip as an individual journey and you will be charged single journey fares. This will result in you paying a higher aggregate of fares for the journey. Please see the AT Website for more information.
Daily Fare Cap
62. AT imposes a Contactless daily fare cap (Daily Fare Cap) for contactless payments. The Daily Fare Cap is currently $20 but this may be amended from time to time. See AT’s Website for more information.
63. The Daily Fare Cap means that you will pay no more than $20 per day for travel anywhere within Auckland on an included Public Transport Service included within the Daily Fare Cap when you travel on the same calendar day (from midnight to midnight) as the day on which you first tag on.
64. The Public Transport Services included in the Daily Fare Cap are all AT operated bus, train and inner harbour ferry services (Bayswater, Birkenhead, Devonport, Northcote Point and Stanley Bay). To avoid doubt, the Daily Fare Cap does not apply to mid-harbour ferries and outer-harbour ferries including the Waiheke Ferry.
65. The $20 daily cap is automatically activated by "tagging on" with a Contactless payment method. Once you reach the Daily Fare Cap, further travel on included services will be free until the end of the same calendar day (from midnight to midnight) as the day on which you first tag on.
66. You must “tag on” to start and “tag off” at the end of each trip, during the calendar day, and use the same Contactless payment method to count towards the Daily Fare Cap.
67. Any journey for which there is a failure to tag on or a failure to tag off, will not be a journey which will be counted toward the Daily Fare Cap or which will be free after that Daily Fare Cap has been reached.
68. For the avoidance of doubt, any default fare charged following a failure to tag on or tag off will not count towards a customer reaching the Daily Fare Cap.
69. Using Contactless to buy a paper ticket does not count toward the Daily Fare Cap.
70. After reaching the Daily Fare Cap, where any journey involves both included and excluded services, customers will only receive free travel where the travel on an included service occurs after the travel on an excluded service.
71. Battery life: You must ensure that your Smart Device has sufficient battery life to enable the device to be used for the entire journey.
72. Refunds: Refunds resulting from fare adjustments for travel using a Contactless Payment Method are subject to the processing requirements and timeframes of your Bank. Any refund will be paid to the same Contactless Payment Method used to pay for the relevant journey less any outstanding amount owed to AT for travel using the relevant Contactless Payment Method. If the amount outstanding is greater than the refund due, the outstanding amount will be reduced by the amount of the refund.
Loss, theft or misuse of a Contactless payment method
73. AT assumes no liability for any loss, theft or unauthorised use of a Contactless payment method. You acknowledge that you are responsible for following your Bank's procedures for reporting a lost, stolen or misused Contactless payment method.
74. Once a Bank has blocked or cancelled a Contactless payment method, it cannot be used on a Public Transport Service. There may be a short period between your Bank cancelling or blocking your Contactless payment method and the Contactless payment method being blocked in the AT Ticketing System. You should contact your Bank if you become aware of any travel related transactions that occur during this period.
Section 3 – general terms and conditions
75. Fare changes and information:
75.1. You acknowledge that fares may change from time to time. HOP Money will be deducted at the fare, fee or rate in effect when the AT HOP card is used for a journey. AT will give you at least two weeks’ notice of a fare change, where that fare change is instigated by us. A monthly pass that you have already commenced using prior to a fare change will be honoured at that pre-change price.
75.2. AT will also endeavour to give you at least two weeks’ notice of changes to timetables and routes.
75.3. Notice will be given through a range of media, including the AT website, AT.govt.nz. Customers with a Registered AT HOP card and who have opted in to receive updates from us will also receive an email message advising such changes.
75.4. Information about the fares, routes, concessions, and other information relating to public transport journeys is available from AT.govt.nz
76. Default fares: When you do not correctly complete both a "tag on" and "tag off" transaction for your trip, a default fare may be charged. The default will be calculated and applied to your HOP Money balance at your next "tag on" event or contactless card method at the end of the day. If the application of a default fare puts your HOP Money balance below $0, you will be unable to "tag on" using HOP Money until such time as additional HOP Money has been loaded onto your AT HOP card. The exercise of remedies available under this clause will not restrict the exercise of any additional or alternative remedies, including other remedies in these terms of use.
76.1. The default fare on rail and bus is currently the equivalent of the three-zone fare based on:
76.1.1. the profile of the AT HOP card (i.e. child, secondary, adult, accessible or SuperGold). Please note the tertiary default fare is equal to a three-zone adult fare; or
76.1.2. an adult fare for Contactless.
76.2. The default fare on ferry is equivalent to the AT HOP fare for the service. Where multiple services leave through one tag on point, the higher of the HOP fares charged is the applicable default fare.
76.3. View bus, train and ferry fares.
77. Public transport operator's conditions of carriage: When you travel using the Public Transport Operators, you do so in accordance with any applicable legislation, regulations, conditions of carriage, and conditions of use (including any signs and notices displayed by the relevant Public Transport Operator) relating to that travel (Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage). These Terms are in addition to, and are not intended to limit, the Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage. Where required by the Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage applicable to your public transport journey, you must hold your AT HOP card or Contactless payment method against or near the Fare Payment Device (FPD) such that the FPD provides a visual or audible acknowledgement that it has successfully processed your AT HOP card or Contactless payment method (each a "tag"). If an authorised representative of the Public Transport Operator or Transport Officer inspects your AT HOP card or Contactless payment method during or after a public transport journey and determines that you did not "tag" your AT HOP card or Contactless payment method in accordance with the Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage, he or she may:
77.1. require you to purchase a paper ticket at the appropriate fare for the trip being undertaken;
77.2. impose any other charges permitted by the Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage; and/or
77.3. take any other action permitted by the Public Transport Operator's Conditions of Carriage.
78. Acknowledgement: You acknowledge that we are not a Public Transport Operator and are not involved in the operation of trains, buses, ferries. We make no warranty or representation as to the standard or availability of service from a particular Public Transport Operator.
Areas of liability
79. Consumer protection laws: If the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 applies to these Terms, nothing in these Terms limits your rights under that Act. If you acquire any goods or services from us for the purposes of a business, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 does not apply.
80. Our liability to you:
80.1. We will be liable if we cause you loss or damage due to:
80.1.1. our breach of these Terms; or
80.1.2. our negligence
And the loss or damage is:
80.1.3. reasonably foreseeable and is directly caused by our breach or our negligence; and
80.1.4. is not caused by something beyond our control.
80.2. An event or cause beyond our control includes, but is not limited to:
80.2.1. your acts or omissions (for example, through your breach of these Terms or negligence);
80.2.2. acts or omissions by the Public Transport Operators;
80.2.3. earthquake, flood, fire, storm, adverse weather conditions or any other natural events or acts of God that could not have reasonably been foreseen or, if foreseen, could not reasonably have been resisted;
80.2.4. sabotage, riot, civil disturbance, explosion, terrorist acts, insurrection, epidemic, national emergency (whether in fact or law), act of war (whether declared or not) or civil disturbances;
80.2.5. strikes, lockouts or other industrial disturbances; and
80.2.6. the binding order or requirement of any court, any government, any local authority or any government, statutory or regulatory body that we could not reasonably have avoided.
80.3. Other than where we are liable to you under the Consumer Guarantees Act or the Fair Trading Act, we will not be liable to you for any indirect or consequential loss, or loss of profits or business or any similar claims.
80.4. Our maximum liability to you:
80.4.1. Our limitation of liability set out in clause 80.4.2 does not limit any rights you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986.
80.4.2. Subject to clause 80.4.1, if we are liable to you, the maximum amount we will pay as compensation for your loss is $100 in respect of any event or series of related events. We may choose to replace any damaged property or goods, up to the maximum amount, instead of paying cash.
81. Your maximum liability to us: If you are liable to us, the maximum amount you will pay us as compensation for our loss is $100 in respect of any events or series of related events (Customer Liability Cap) subject to following exception:
81.1. The Customer Liability Cap does not apply to actions, proceedings, claims, liabilities, penalties, costs (including legal costs on a solicitor and own client basis), awards, damages, losses, and expenses incurred by us arising directly or indirectly as a result of:
81.1.1. Your altering, interfering with, or tampering with an AT HOP card (or allowing a third party to do so);
81.1.2. Your failure to comply with any of these Terms where such breach amounts to fraud or fare evasion;
81.1.3. our collecting, using, storing, and disclosing personal information you have provided to us about another person in the manner set out in the Customer Privacy Policy; or
81.1.4. Your negligent or willful acts or omissions.
Intellectual property
82. Ownership: The AT HOP cards (including any software and data stored on them), the System and AT’s Website are protected under copyright and other laws of New Zealand, under international conventions and similar laws abroad. You acknowledge and agree that, unless otherwise stated, all copyright and other intellectual property rights that may subsist in the AT HOP cards (including any software and data stored on them), the System and AT’s Website belong to us or our suppliers (as the case may be).
83. Restriction: Except with our prior written permission in each instance, you must not:
83.1. alter, remove, or obscure any copyright notice or other notice appearing on an AT HOP card; or
83.2. decompile, reverse engineer, decrypt, resell, distribute, reproduce, or modify any AT HOP card (or any software or data stored on it) in any way or for any purpose (or permit anyone else to do so).
84. No rights conferred: Nothing you do on or in relation to the AT HOP cards (or any software or data stored thereon), the System or AT’s Website will transfer any intellectual property rights to you or license you to exercise any intellectual property rights except with our express written permission in each instance.
85. Trademarks: You acknowledge and agree that the trademarks appearing on any AT HOP card or on AT’s Website belong to us, our suppliers, or other third parties (as the case may be). Except with the prior written permission of the trademark owner, you must not use, copy, or adapt any trademark appearing on an AT HOP card or AT’s Website (or permit anyone else to do so).
General
86. Defined terms: Where a definition is set out anywhere in these Terms, that definition will apply to the rest of these Terms unless the context otherwise requires.
87. Assignment and subcontracting: We may assign, transfer or subcontract our rights or obligations under these Terms without your consent.
88. No waiver: Our failure or neglect to enforce at any time any of these Terms will not be construed to be a waiver of our rights, or to in any way affect the validity of the whole or any part of these Terms, or to otherwise prejudice our rights to take subsequent Any waiver made by us in respect of any right provided for in these Terms will not be construed to be a waiver of any further or future right arising under these Terms.
89. Severability: If any of these Terms is held invalid, unenforceable or illegal for any reason, that provision will be deemed deleted and the remainder of these Terms will remain in full force and effect to the maximum possible extent.
90. Governing law: These Terms will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, New Zealand law and the courts of New Zealand will have non-exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all issues and disputes which may arise under or in relation to AT HOP cards, the Products, the System, or these Terms.
91. New Zealand use only: The AT HOP cards are intended for use in Auckland, New Zealand.
92. Electronic communications: You consent to receiving communications from us electronically (other than promotional messages under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007, in which case we will obtain your consent to receiving such promotional messages in accordance with that Act) and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You agree to be bound by any agreement reached through electronic communications in terms of the Electronic Transactions Act 2002.
93. Entire agreement: These Terms, together with any other terms produced by us relating to the AT HOP card incorporated by reference into these Terms, constitute the entire agreement between you and us and supersede all prior communications, representations, agreements or understandings, either verbal or written, between you and us with respect to the subject matter of these Terms.
94. Force majeure: Neither us nor the Retail Agents or Public Transport Operators will be liable for any non-performance, error, interruption, or delay in the performance of their obligations under these Terms or in the availability or performance of the System, if this is due (in whole or in part, directly or indirectly) to any event or circumstance which is outside reasonable control of us, the Retail Agents or Public Transport Operators, including (without limitation):
94.1. flood, lightning, acts of God, fire, earthquakes, and other natural disasters;
94.2. judgments, legislations, acts, orders, regulations, bylaws or other measures of any kind on the part of any court, governmental, parliamentary, or regulatory authority;
94.3. The acts or omissions of any party for whom us, a Retail Agent or Public Transport Operator (as the case may be) is not responsible.
Updates
Last updated 17 November 2024.
We have adjusted the terms to reflect a change from a daily fare cap to a weekly fare cap. We have also updated some language to create better clarity.
We have added section 39 which outlines the terms and conditions related to the 7-day fare cap.