Trying to figure out if buses and metros in New Zealand take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
The problem is you really can’t use cash much anymore. I tried paying cash for a bus from the airport into Auckland, and the driver flat-out refused, saying “HOP card only.” For a tourist who just landed, it felt unfair. I had to walk back inside the terminal, find the kiosk, buy a card, load it, and then catch the next bus. It works great once you’re set up, but the lack of flexibility for newcomers is frustrating.
I loved New Zealand’s bus and train setup. Having one card that worked across ferries, trains, and buses in Auckland made life easy. The AT HOP card was cheap to buy, and topping it up was simple with card at machines. I didn’t need to think about small cash at all. The double-decker buses out to Takapuna were comfortable, and tapping in/out was effortless. Compared to Europe, it felt as seamless and reliable as any metro system I’ve used.
When I stayed near Britomart in Auckland, I grabbed an AT HOP card at a Countdown supermarket and used it for buses to Ponsonby and trains out to Onehunga. No driver accepted cash - they just pointed at the validator. My Wise card topped it up online easily, so I never carried coins. In Wellington, I used Snapper buses from Courtenay Place to Lyall Bay, and again, card-only through the transit card system. It was modern and efficient but required that initial setup.
New Zealand doesn’t have a metro, but cities like Auckland and Wellington run modern bus and train networks. You can’t tap a foreign card directly - you need local transit cards like AT HOP in Auckland or Snapper in Wellington. These can be bought at convenience stores, stations, or kiosks and topped up with cash or card. Drivers don’t usually accept cash for individual fares in bigger cities, though smaller towns may still allow it.