Paying for your trip
Paying for your trip
You can pay for your trip using a Bee Card which has been pre-loaded with credit (see below), or by using cash. In some instances, such as if you qualify for a concession, your trip may be free but you will still need to use a Bee Card to tag on and off to receive your concession.
Bee Card
Bee Card is a pre-paid smartcard used throughout the Bay of Plenty and some other participating regions, to pay for your journey.
Tagging on and off
Simply tag on when you board the bus by holding your card against the card reader (located on the pole on the right as you board, or else on top of the unit to the left of the driver). Wait for the beep and green light before taking a seat. When you reach your destination, do the same to tag off. The cost of the fare and the card balance will be displayed on the card reader at tag off.
Cash
You can pay for your fare by cash, but we recommend using a Bee Card as most concessions are only available with a Bee Card.
If using cash please have the correct amount if you can, and avoid paying with large notes. Drivers only carry a small amount of change.
Fares and concessions
Our fares pages have detailed information about the different types of fares and what the fares for the different routes are.
Daysaver passes
If you're not a regular user of our network, but occasionally take the bus more than a couple of times on the same day, a Daysaver pass might be for you.
Once you have paid for your pass, you can take unlimited trips in the city or zone you're travelling in (Tauranga or Rotorua) for that day of travel.
These can be purchased from any Bay of Plenty Regional Council office, on the bus from the driver, and at Tauranga i-Sites.
Check out the fares pages for your trip to see if a Daysaver pass is available.
Note
The Daysaver pass excludes:
- Travel between Te Puke and Tauranga.
- Eastern Bayhopper bus services
Looking ahead: Motu Move
From late 2025, you’ll have more ways to pay for public transport with the introduction of Motu Move, a new national payment system. Until then, you can continue to use the Bee Card or cash for your trips. Learn more about Motu Move hereopen_in_new.