What discounts are available for university students in Auckland?

University students in Auckland can get 20% off public transport travel when they have a Tertiary concession loaded on their AT HOP card.

How to get university discount for Auckland Transport?

There are three steps to getting discounted bus, train and ferry fares in Auckland: Step 1: Purchase an AT HOP card from a customer service centre or retailer. Step 2: Register your card either online or in person. Step 3: Apply for the tertiary concession either online or in person.

Can I get the tertiary discount if I’m a part time student?

The Tertiary concession is only available for full-time students who attend a university or polytech in the Auckland region. See our terms and conditions to check if you qualify.

Tertiary student concession

Fares for tertiary students

Full-time students at any of Auckland’s universities or polytechs are eligible for a tertiary student concession. This gives you 20% off travel on most buses, trains and ferries when using your registered AT HOP card.

To get discounted fares, students must:

be enrolled full time at an Auckland tertiary institute (university or polytech)
have an AT HOP card registered with a tertiary concession.

Concessions are only available with a registered AT HOP card. When paying by cash or contactless, you will pay the full adult fare.

Bus and train fares for tertiary students

CityLink $1

1 zone $4

2 zones $6

3 zones $8

4+ zones $10

CityLink $0.65

1 zone $2.15

2 zones $3.70

3 zones $5

4+ zones $6.10

Ferry fares for tertiary students

Te Onewa Northcote Point to or from Birkenhead

AT HOP $2.15

Cash $4

Beach Haven to or from Hobsonville Point

AT HOP $3.70

Cash $6

To or from the city centre and Bayswater, Birkenhead, Te Onewa Northcote Point, or Devonport

AT HOP $5.92

Cash $11.50

To or from the city centre and Half Moon Bay, West Harbour, Beach Haven, or Hobsonville Point

AT HOP $7.92

Cash $14.50

To or from the city centre and Gulf Harbour or Pine Harbour

AT HOP $10.56

Cash $17

Tertiary student discounts are not available on Rakino Island or Waikehe Island services.

Apply online for tertiary student fares (5 steps)

Before you start

You’ll need:

a registered AT HOP card
a MyAT account
your student ID
login details for your university account.

Additional requirements

If you attend the University of Auckland (UoA), Auckland University of Technology (AUT) or Massey University, you will also need the AT Mobile app on your phone.

You may also need an AT tertiary ID sticker. You can get this from your student hub on campus.

You’ll need an AT tertiary ID sticker if you:

don't have a smartphone
have an AT HOP card that’s registered to a MyAT linked account (an account that’s managed by someone else)
go to a tertiary institute other than UoA, AUT, or Massey University.

Apply for the concession

In your MyAT account, select ‘Apply for a concession’.
Choose ‘Tertiary’ from the concession type list.
Choose your tertiary provider from the list.
Select which card you want to apply the concession to.
Follow the directions to either log into your student portal or enter your AT tertiary ID sticker number to verify your enrolment status.
Select ‘Apply’.

Upload an ID photo - only for students of UoA, AUT and Massey

You’ll receive an email with a prompt to upload your photo to the AT Mobile app.
Open the AT Mobile app and select the 3-line menu button on the top left.
Select ‘Tertiary concessions’ from the menu.
Select ‘Continue’ to verify your tertiary concession status.
Either take a passport-style photo or choose a photo from your library.

Wait for confirmation

We’ll email you to let you know we’ve received your application, and again when your concession is loaded. This can take 1 to 3 days. If you use your card in the meantime, adult fares will apply.

You can view the status of your concession in MyAT:

‘Active’ means your concession is active and ready to use
‘Pending’ means your concession is being processed.

Tag on to activate your concession

To activate your concession, tag on to the HOP reader or electronic gate on any bus, train or ferry.

If you do not tag on within 60 days of setting up your concession, it will expire and your card will revert to adult fares. If this happens, contact us and we can reactivate your concession for you.

Apply in person for tertiary student fares

You can apply for a concession in person at any of our customer service centres. You can buy an AT HOP card at the same time, or bring an existing card with you.

You’ll need to apply in person if you:

don’t have a smartphone
have an AT HOP card that’s registered to a MyAT linked account (an account that’s managed by someone else)
are having problems with your application.

Bring your student ID card and your AT tertiary ID sticker (if needed). You can get this sticker from your student hub at your place of study.

Find a customer service centre near you.

Important things to know

Who is eligible

To get the tertiary concession, you must be a full-time student at an Auckland-based university or polytech.

You are not eligible if you:

don’t have an approved student ID card
are a part-time tertiary student
attend a tertiary institute outside the Auckland region
attend a private training institute (for example, a language school).

See our full terms and conditions for tertiary concessions.

What happens if your card gets lost, stolen or damaged

Your concession is attached to your AT HOP card, not your account. This means if you lose your card and need a replacement, you need to contact us to transfer the concession onto your new card. You can also transfer any remaining balance from the old card onto the new.

Find out how to cancel a card and transfer the balance.

If you’re eligible for multiple concessions

You can only have one concession per card. If you’re eligible for another concession, for example SuperGold or Community Connect, this can be loaded onto a second AT HOP card to use at different times.

Find out more about the Community Connect concession, for people who have a Community Services Card.

Find out more about the SuperGold concession, for seniors who have a SuperGold card.

Where discounted tertiary student fares apply

Tertiary student discounts apply on AT bus, train and ferry services.

Discounts are not available on Waiheke Island and Rakino Island ferry services.

Discounts are not available on inter-regional bus or train services.

Adult fares apply when buying tickets without a registered AT HOP card.

Carry proof of ID when you travel

A Transport Officer may ask you to show your valid student ID to prove you are eligible for the concession. They may also ask to see your tertiary ID sticker or AT Mobile app.

Expiry

If you are a student of UoA, AUT or Massey University and applied online, your concession will expire after 3 years or when you are no longer eligible.

If you are a student at another tertiary institute, or applied for your concession in person, it will expire at the earliest of either:

31 March the following year
when your AT tertiary ID sticker expires
when your student ID card expires.

If you’re still eligible when your concession expires, you can contact us to renew it or reapply online.

If you’re no longer eligible for the tertiary student concession, you can check your eligibility for our other discounts on public transport.

Public transport payments terms of use.

Tertiary student concession terms and conditions

Last updated 14/05/2025

Tertiary student concession

On this page

Fares for tertiary students

Bus and train fares for tertiary students

Cash fare (trains only)

AT HOP fare