Tertiary student concession Tertiary student concession

Half-price youth fares for passengers 16 to 24 years old are no longer available.

If you’re a full-time tertiary student, you may eligible for 20% off adult fares with a tertiary concession.

Save 20% on bus, ferry and train fares with a tertiary student concession. 

On this page

Before you start

See how much you'll save

How to apply:

How long your concession will last

When you travel


Before you start

To apply for a tertiary concession online:

  1. Check whether you're eligible for a tertiary student concession.
  2. Register your AT HOP card.
  3. Follow the steps for your tertiary institute:

Applying in person

You'll need to apply in person if you: 

  • have an AT HOP card registered to a linked account
  • are a student at the University of Auckland, AUT or Massey but don't have a smartphone
  • have any problems with your application.

Visit an  AT Customer Service Centre to apply for your concession in person. Bring your AT HOP card, student ID and Tertiary ID sticker with you.

Eligibility

You must be a full-time tertiary student to qualify for a tertiary concession. You must also be enrolled in an eligible course at an AT-approved tertiary institution.

See our tertiary concession terms and conditions for full eligibility criteria.

If you receive a student allowance from StudyLink, you may be eligible for the 50% Community Connect concession.

Multiple concessions

You can only hold one AT HOP card with a tertiary concession on it.

However, if you're eligible for a SuperGold concession and a tertiary concession, you can hold:

  • A Gold AT HOP card with a SuperGold concession, and
  • A separate AT HOP card with a tertiary concession.

Learn more about multiple concessions.


See how much you'll save

If you're an eligible full-time student, you'll save at least 20% on bus, train and ferry fares when you travel with a tertiary student concession.

Plus, you can get an extra 10% discount if you travel at off-peak times:

  • before 6am on weekdays
  • between 9am and 3pm on weekdays
  • after 6:30pm on weekdays
  • all day on weekends and public holidays.

To get these discounts

You must have a registered AT HOP card and use it to travel on public transport.

Apply for a concession

Check out your savings

Zone/Service CityLink buses 1 zone 2 zones 3 zones 4 zones 5 zones 6 zones 7 zones 8 zones 9 zones
Adult fare $0.70 $2.60  $4.45 $6 $7.40 $8.50 $9.60 $10.70 $11.80 $12.70
Tertiary fare $0.55 $2 $3.50 $4.80 $5.90 $6.80 $7.65 $8.50 $9.30 $9.60
Tertiary savings by % 21% 23% 21% 20% 20% 20% 20% 21% 21% 24%

AT HOP card terms of use apply.


If you’re a student of the University of Auckland, AUT or Massey University

Step 1: Apply online

Before you start

Register your AT HOP card.

From your MyAT account:

  • select "View and manage my card"
  • select the "Available products" tab
  • select "Apply for a concession"
  • choose "Tertiary" from the concession type list
  • choose your institution and complete the application form.

Apply for a concession

Step 2: Upload a passport photo to AT Mobile

  • Log in to the AT Mobile app using your MyAT login and password.
  • From the app menu, choose “Tertiary Concessions”.
  • Upload a passport photo.

Step 3: Tag on to activate your concession

We’ll email you when your concession’s ready to go.

Tag on at an AT HOP card reader or electronic gate within 60 days to activate your concession on your AT HOP card. 

You must travel with your AT HOP card to get your tertiary savings.


All other tertiary institutes

Step 1: Get your Tertiary ID sticker

You’ll need an AT Tertiary ID sticker on your student ID to prove you’re eligible for the concession.

Step 2: Start your application online

From your MyAT account:

  • select "View and manage my card"
  • select the "Available products" tab
  • select "Apply for a concession"
  • choose "Tertiary" from the concession type list
  • choose "Others" from the tertiary provider list and complete the application form.

Apply for a concession

Step 3: Visit an AT customer service centre

Visit your nearest AT customer service centre to load your concession onto your card.

Bring your AT HOP card, student ID card and Tertiary ID sticker with you.

Student ID with Tertiary Sticker and AT HOP card equals Tertiary concession


How long your concession will last

Your concession will last from the first day of your course (usually 1 March) to the earliest of the following:

  • 31 March of the following year OR
  • the expiry date of your AT tertiary ID sticker OR
  • the expiry date of your student ID card.

You’ll need to apply for and reactivate your tertiary concession when it expires.

Apply for a concession

University of Auckland, AUT and Massey students

If you used the AT mobile app to set up your concession:

  • Your tertiary concession will be active on your AT HOP card for up to 3 years, as long as you're still eligible during that time.
  • The AT Mobile App will show your eligibility for the tertiary concession.

When you travel

When you travel on public transport, you must be able to prove that you're eligible for a tertiary concession if we ask you.

That means you must travel with either:

  • your valid student ID card with an AT Tertiary ID sticker on it OR
  • your valid student ID card and a device with the AT Mobile app, if you used AT Mobile to set up your concession.

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Terms of use of the AT HOP cards are available here.