Using contactless payments on Auckland public transport Te utu pā-kore i ngā tūnuku tūmatanui o Tāmaki Makaurau
Auckland Transport accepts contactless payments for bus, train and most ferry travel. Tag on and off with a contactless debit card, credit card or smart device.
On this page
What information is displayed
You will be able to see the dates and times you tagged on and off, the cost of each trip and your total cost for that day. To protect your privacy, location information will not be displayed.
If any transactions in your history show a ‘missing tag’, you may wish to query the transaction.
How long information is available
It can take about an hour for your trips to appear in your transaction history. We will show your transactions from the last 7 days only.
For access to your detailed transaction history, consider using an AT HOP card for travel instead.
Payment methods accepted
Pay for Auckland public transport your way. You can use your AT HOP card, contactless debit card, credit card, smartphone or smartwatch.
Contactless payment methods we accept include:
- contactless debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay)
- Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay in the digital wallet of your smart device.
Look for the contactless symbol on your debit card to make sure it can be scanned by our card readers. For travel using prepaid cards, please check with your card issuer.
Standard adult fares apply with contactless payments. For continued access to concession fares, keep on using your HOP card.
One contactless payment method per person
Each person travelling must tag on and off with their own contactless card or smart device, so you will not be able to pay for someone else using a contactless method.
You can still use your HOP card to pay for another person. Just let your bus driver know when you board. For train and ferry travel, you can use your HOP card credit to buy single-trip tickets for others. Tickets are available from ticket and top-up machines or the customer service centre at the train station or ferry terminal.
Whichever payment method you choose, including your AT HOP card, make sure you tag on and tag off using the same card or device so that we charge you the correct fare.
Where you can use contactless payments
Contactless payments are available on AT scheduled bus, train and most ferry services.
Fullers Waiheke commercial services are excluded. Please continue to use your AT HOP card or purchased tickets through the ticket office or ticket machines.
How to tag on and off (3 steps)
Always use the same card or device to tag on and off
We assign each contactless card and device a unique number that we use to calculate your fare. So, do not tag on with your smartphone then tag off with your smartwatch, for example. If you use different payment methods, you will be charged 2 default fares.
If you’re using a physical card, remove it from your wallet
Remove your HOP card, contactless debit card or credit card from your wallet or phone case to ensure the card reader doesn’t scan other cards.
Tap your card or device on the card reader
To tag on, hold your card or device flat against the reader when you board the bus or enter the train station or ferry terminal. Wait until you hear 3 beeps. To tag off, do the same when you exit.
Transferring between services
When transferring, always use the same payment method for all your travel so that you’re charged the correct fare.
You can transfer between AT buses, trains and ferries and pay just one fare for your entire journey. Just make sure you tag on within 30 minutes of tagging off from your previous service and complete your journey within 4 hours.
If you don’t tag on and off correctly
If you forget to tag on or off, your trip will show a ‘missing tag’ in our system. You will be charged the default fare, which may be more than the distance you travelled.
- For bus or train travel, the default fare equals 3 zones.
- On ferries, the default fare is the highest fare for any ferry service leaving through your tag-on point.
For more information, see fare zones and calculating how much you pay.
How to query a transaction
If our system didn’t register your tag on or tag off, the trip will show with a ‘missing tag’.
To query the transaction, go to ‘View payment history’ and enter your card details. You will not be charged or asked to create an account.
Contact us from the transaction you want to query. We will respond within 10 working days.
You can also call 09 366 6400 or visit one of our customer service centres.
Fares and payment
Contactless payments work a bit differently from your prepaid AT HOP card.
Fare prices
Contactless payments are available for standard adult fares only. Contactless payments are not available for concessions or discounts.
If your card was issued in another country, you may be charged a transaction fee. There are no transaction fees for New Zealand-issued cards.
How you are charged
When you use contactless payments, AT charges a single payment for the day’s travel overnight. The transaction will show on your bank statement as ‘AT public transport’ and may take a few days to appear, depending on your card issuer.
When you first tag on, a preauthorisation of 10 cents, depending on your bank, may appear on your statement as a pending transaction. At the end of the day, the total amount you’ve spent on AT public transport that day will replace the 10-cent charge.
If your travel total for the day is more than $35, the amount may be divided into 2 transactions on your bank statement. This is not an error or duplicate charge but due to preauthorisation limits.
Fare caps
Contactless customers are eligible for the daily fare cap: Ride all you want on AT buses, trains and inner-harbour ferries and pay no more than $20 per day. The fare cap will be applied automatically. Inner-harbour ferry services include Devonport, Bayswater, Birkenhead and Te Onewa Northcote Point.
For access to our 7-day fare cap of $50, you will need to pay with your AT HOP card.
For detailed information, see contactless payment terms of use.
If your payment is declined
If AT is unable to collect payment, we will try again, up to 3 times over several days. Your payment status on that transaction will show as declined in your contactless payment history. Your card or device will be blocked until payment has gone through.
If you’d like to unblock your card or device now rather than wait for us to retry your payment, go to your contactless payment history. After entering your card details, find the failed transaction then select ‘retry payment’. If approved, your card or device will be ready for travel within 30 minutes.
Please note: Tagging on at a card reader will also retry your payment, but you may have to wait up to 30 minutes before you can travel.
If your payment is approved but your card is blocked
Sometimes, your card or device may be blocked even though no balance is owed. For example, your card may have been lost or stolen.
In this instance, your payment status on that transaction will show as approved in your contactless payment history. That means your bank or card issuer has covered your payment.
After resolving the issue with your bank or card issuer, you can contact AT to get your card or device unblocked. Call 09 366 6400 or visit one of our customer service centres.
When to use a HOP card
For concessions
Concession fares are not available using contactless payment. Standard adult fares apply.
If you hold a child, student, senior or other concession, continue using your HOP card to get the reduced fare.
To access account features
When you pay with a contactless method, we don’t collect or store your information, but that also means we can’t offer you the benefits of an AT HOP account:
- access to concessions and discounts
- 7-day fare cap of $50
- balance refunds for lost or stolen cards
- personalised travel alerts
- detailed travel history, including location information.
You can also manage accounts for others, such as family members. And because you prepay with a HOP card, you can track your spending and manage your budget.
When to use contactless payments
If you don’t have a HOP card, contactless payments are a convenient option. Maybe you’re visiting Auckland or haven’t used our city’s public transport before. You can use your existing payment cards and pay only for the trips you take.
No setup or advance top-up is needed. Choose your contactless payment method, tag on and travel.