Paying for bus and ferry services in Greater Christchurch has been made easier with the introduction of contactless payments.
Through the National Ticketing Solution (NTS), known as Motu Move, passengers can now pay for standard non-concession adult fares using their credit or debit card, phone or smartwatch on all Metro bus and ferry services in Christchurch City, Selwyn and Waimakariri.
“We’re thrilled to launch the first stage of Motu Move in Greater Christchurch,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Chief Customer & Services Officer Sarina Pratley.
“We’d like to thank Canterbury Regional Council for working with us to be the first region in the country to roll out Motu Move. This is an exciting milestone and will allow people within Greater Christchurch to choose their preferred contactless payment option when using public transport,” Mrs Pratley says.
Canterbury Regional Council Chair Dr Deon Swiggs says it’s exciting for the region to lead the way in rolling out Motu Move.
“For people that don’t have a Metrocard, knowing that you can now hop on a bus or ferry by simply tagging on with a debit or credit card makes public transport much more accessible for both residents and visitors,” Chair Swiggs says.
“We will continue to work closely with NZTA, partners and community groups to ensure that the transition to the new system is as smooth as possible when other features such as concessions are implemented.”
Additional functionality will be added to the system in 2026, including the ability to manage concession fares on a range of payment options and a new prepaid Motu Move card.
“As Motu Move is gradually introduced to the rest of New Zealand throughout 2026 and 2027, it will allow people to seamlessly travel within regions on buses, trains and ferries, using the payment option that works best for them,” Mrs Pratley says.
“No matter where they are in the country or how they choose to travel, public transport passengers will be able to use the same contactless payment option.
“Motu Move will also make it easier for Public Transport Authorities to gain insights into how public transport is used in their region and where services could be improved,” Mrs Pratley says.
Motu Move is targeted to be operational throughout New Zealand by the end of 2027.
More information on Motu Move(external link)
Details on how Motu Move will work on Greater Christchurch services(external link)
