You can still pay cash on buses and trains (preferably not big notes on buses) and with the current half price fares it's a cost-effective way to get around.  Do check w/e timetables though make sure they suit your itinerary, you don't want to spend half your away time waiting and with the Cron there are still lots of cancelled services as well.

Look up where to buy a Snapper Card if you are planning on using plenty of buses, our trains are still old fashioned and use paper tickets

NZ Bus issued what some would call "Snapper HOP" cards many years ago. AT agreed for NZ Bus to issue Snapper cards with HOP branding as these were, at the time, valid for use on Auckland bus routes operated by NZ Bus. Then NZ Bus ended up being forced to phase out Snapper in favour of the new AT HOP card. Perhaps that's where the confusion arises. It is very unfortunate that these older Snapper cards were issued in Auckland with HOP branding as they had nothing to do with the AT HOP card that came along later.

To be clear -- here are pictures of the front of both cards.

The left with the legs is the old Snapper HOP card (with Snapper logo on the reverse side). Valid for use on bus services in Wellington that accept Snapper. Not valid for use in Auckland.

The right is the new AT HOP card. Valid for use on AT branded buses and trains in Auckland. Not valid for use on any Wellington public transport services.

I have a feeling OP is talking about the latter card.

NZ has not worked out the concept of a national standard for public transport. Too many fat cats not wanting to play with one another.

So has GWRC given up on the MoT "national scheme"?

or what?

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/466150/snapper-cards-being-rolled-out-on-wellington-trains

News stories I've read today indicate Project NEXT is due to be rolled out in 2026 so this solution with Snapper is a stop-gap measure 

PolicyGuy:

 

 

So has GWRC given up on the MoT "national scheme"?

 

or what?

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/466150/snapper-cards-being-rolled-out-on-wellington-trains

 

Probably the or what is the likely answer here.

As a commuter who does the Johnsonville - Wellington run everyday, it's still cheaper on the bus (regardless of discounted fares)

Train: Wellington - Johnsonville: ($3.80, Under normal fare conditions) + 1 Zone fare (circa ~ $1  and something)

Bus: Wellington - Johnsonville ($3.80, Under normal fare conditions)

It's worth pointing out, that using either method of transport (bus or train) is still traveling within the same fare boundaries, but the train service doesn't recognize the transfer. I can take a Churton Park\Grenda Village bus to Johnsonville from Wellington (anywhere from Courtney Place onward), then transfer to a Johnsonville west bus, and only pay $3.80 on snapper, but if I take the train from Wellington station - Johnsonville Station (which is across the road from the bus stop), then transfer to a Johnsonville Bus, I pay an additional fare!

It really, really, really needs to be fully integrated, at the moment, it isn't. Poor form GWRC

If you're planning a weekend trip, the Metlink Rover tickets could be handy. Flat fare for the whole day gets you all-you-can-eat on any bus or train in a given region - higher price depending on how far North you want to go.