Catching a bus to School?
Otago Regional Council - January 22, 2025
For families starting school this year, please note that there are no dedicated school buses for our students; public buses must be used instead. Parents and students should familiarise themselves with the new routes and transfer options, as this will help account for longer journey times and ensure a smooth commute. Convenient pick-up and drop-off points are available to avoid the central bus hub, making travel more efficient for students.
Check out the Otago Regional Council's handy buses guide featuring info on timetables and Bee Cards.
How to use the bus
Bus fares are $1.20 for 13 to 18- year-olds, for a single trip. You will need to top up your Bee Card.
If you haven’t caught a bus before, check out information atwww.orc.govt.nz/bus101. It’s a good idea to look at the bus timetables in advance and plan your route.
For up to the minute alerts on bus disruptions on specific routes on your mobile, download the Transit app or go to www.orc.govt.nz/public-transport/notifications-and-alerts.
Bee Card information
Catching the bus with the Bee Card is an easy tag on tag off system, you can register your card to top up online, enjoy concessions and manage multiple cards.
If you or your child will be taking the public bus to school, make sure everything is ready before the school term starts:
Get your Bee Card at www.beecard.co.nz or from any of these Bee Card retailer locations (Note the Bee Card is $5 and you need a minimum $5 top-up).
Register the Bee Card online at www.beecard.co.nz.
Once the Bee Card is registered, load it with a child or youth concession to get cheaper fares.
Make sure your Bee Card has funds loaded onto it, to avoid having to top up with the driver on the first day of school. Top your Bee Card up here. You can also set up an auto top up, and share accounts so other people can top up your card.
If you don't have a Bee Card on day one of school starting, you can pay for your Orbus service with cash. If you catch a second bus as part of your journey to/from school, you may be eligible for a free transfer . Without a Bee Card, you will have to pay for both buses.