Public transport in Christchurch.

Forums › Off topic › Public transport in Christchurch.

1 | 2 | 3

tardtasticx

3084 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#403739 12-Nov-2010 08:50

bazzer:
tardtasticx:
lapimate:
tardtasticx: ...I read that they can only post metro cards to people who live in that area so I'll get one when I arrive. They seem to be just like the snappa cards they use in Wellington when I went there last year.

No, not "just like snappa cards". Wellington Snapper cards you can buy from eg bookshops w.o. fuss. Metrocard you have to supply 2 forms of ID name address etc. Ostensibly so that if Metrocard lost you may reclaim the credit but it looks more like an attempt at a marketing spam ploy (there is an "opt out" tick box ...). Snapper cards you can optionally register online - your choice. I was hoping to send some Metrocards as a gift from outside Christchurch - that is impossible and you cannot prepay. An ECan bureaucratic fail.

Wait so will I have to get my uncle to register for me or something? Does the proof of address have to be in CHCH?

My wife and I got them when we visited Chch. It was not a hassle, I don't believe you need to live there to get one (at least you didn't back then). As I recall, it was way cheaper to get to the airport with one than to pay for the bus/taxi.

Yeh my family down there said they'd be more than happy to run us to and from the airport so its only transport around town. I'd feel really weird on the bus with suitcases and stuff. lol I do remember when we last went down, the drains outside the airport and the road had a thin layer of ice because it was minus something degrees. Never ever experienced that before. Bring on humidity free summer! Woo

tardtasticx

3084 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#403740 12-Nov-2010 08:50

bazzer:
tardtasticx:
lapimate:
tardtasticx: ...I read that they can only post metro cards to people who live in that area so I'll get one when I arrive. They seem to be just like the snappa cards they use in Wellington when I went there last year.

No, not "just like snappa cards". Wellington Snapper cards you can buy from eg bookshops w.o. fuss. Metrocard you have to supply 2 forms of ID name address etc. Ostensibly so that if Metrocard lost you may reclaim the credit but it looks more like an attempt at a marketing spam ploy (there is an "opt out" tick box ...). Snapper cards you can optionally register online - your choice. I was hoping to send some Metrocards as a gift from outside Christchurch - that is impossible and you cannot prepay. An ECan bureaucratic fail.

Wait so will I have to get my uncle to register for me or something? Does the proof of address have to be in CHCH?

My wife and I got them when we visited Chch. It was not a hassle, I don't believe you need to live there to get one (at least you didn't back then). As I recall, it was way cheaper to get to the airport with one than to pay for the bus/taxi.

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 267

Trusted

#403802 12-Nov-2010 11:01

tardtasticx: Yeh my family down there said they'd be more than happy to run us to and from the airport so its only transport around town. I'd feel really weird on the bus with suitcases and stuff. lol I do remember when we last went down, the drains outside the airport and the road had a thin layer of ice because it was minus something degrees. Never ever experienced that before. Bring on humidity free summer! Woo

Fair enough. It's still a great deal getting a metrocard though. All you have to do is put $10 on it. It will cost you $2.30 (instead of $3.20 cash) for 2 hours travel within Zone 1 (which is most of the city as far as I could tell) and a second $2.30 after that (which lasts all day, i.e. $4.60 for unlimited daily travel compared to $6.40 cash). If you ride all week (i.e. $23) then the weekends are free. The Diamond Harbour Ferry is also cheaper.

As for the bus, it goes right to the Airport, so it's not unusual for people to have their baggage, but anyway, it's better to get a lift. FYI, Metrocard is still only $2.30 to get to the Airport, cash is $7.50!

I'm totally jealous of their bus system!

tardtasticx

3084 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#403808 12-Nov-2010 11:14

bazzer:
tardtasticx: Yeh my family down there said they'd be more than happy to run us to and from the airport so its only transport around town. I'd feel really weird on the bus with suitcases and stuff. lol I do remember when we last went down, the drains outside the airport and the road had a thin layer of ice because it was minus something degrees. Never ever experienced that before. Bring on humidity free summer! Woo

Fair enough. It's still a great deal getting a metrocard though. All you have to do is put $10 on it. It will cost you $2.30 (instead of $3.20 cash) for 2 hours travel within Zone 1 (which is most of the city as far as I could tell) and a second $2.30 after that (which lasts all day, i.e. $4.60 for unlimited daily travel compared to $6.40 cash). If you ride all week (i.e. $23) then the weekends are free. The Diamond Harbour Ferry is also cheaper.

As for the bus, it goes right to the Airport, so it's not unusual for people to have their baggage, but anyway, it's better to get a lift. FYI, Metrocard is still only $2.30 to get to the Airport, cash is $7.50!

I'm totally jealous of their bus system!

Yeh I'm mega jealous too. That 2 hours travel, does that have to be used all at once or can it be used throughout the day?

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 267

Trusted

#403827 12-Nov-2010 11:43

tardtasticx:
bazzer:
tardtasticx: Yeh my family down there said they'd be more than happy to run us to and from the airport so its only transport around town. I'd feel really weird on the bus with suitcases and stuff. lol I do remember when we last went down, the drains outside the airport and the road had a thin layer of ice because it was minus something degrees. Never ever experienced that before. Bring on humidity free summer! Woo

Fair enough. It's still a great deal getting a metrocard though. All you have to do is put $10 on it. It will cost you $2.30 (instead of $3.20 cash) for 2 hours travel within Zone 1 (which is most of the city as far as I could tell) and a second $2.30 after that (which lasts all day, i.e. $4.60 for unlimited daily travel compared to $6.40 cash). If you ride all week (i.e. $23) then the weekends are free. The Diamond Harbour Ferry is also cheaper.

As for the bus, it goes right to the Airport, so it's not unusual for people to have their baggage, but anyway, it's better to get a lift. FYI, Metrocard is still only $2.30 to get to the Airport, cash is $7.50!

I'm totally jealous of their bus system!

Yeh I'm mega jealous too. That 2 hours travel, does that have to be used all at once or can it be used throughout the day?

It's a two hour block (i.e. two hours from when you first tag on) hence the second $2.30 charge for the rest of the day. Chch is so small, I think you could hardly spend two hours total on the bus in a day!

P.S. I should add that I hate the bus and love my car, but the system down there shows that if it's any good then people will use it.

TheUngeek

924 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 35
Inactive user

#404126 13-Nov-2010 08:29

Fazazz if you're in to cars

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

drajk

204 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 19

Trusted

#404299 13-Nov-2010 19:04

Was in Christchurch on Tuesday and used taxis to/from airport.

It really annoys me when Taxi Drivers expect you to round up the amount to the nearest $5 or $10 (display great reluctance to give change) when they are charging rates like $2.90/km + EXTRAs such as $5 from airport, ?$flagfall, ?$phone booking fee etc...

I've found Australian taxi drivers also often expect uprounding of fares - don't use Auckland taxis much but haven't seen this practice when I have.

graemeh

2080 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 226

#404816 15-Nov-2010 12:27

drajk: I've found Australian taxi drivers also often expect uprounding of fares - don't use Auckland taxis much but haven't seen this practice when I have.

Australian taxi drivers also like to use your credit card details to charge bogus fares.

tardtasticx

3084 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

#405974 17-Nov-2010 16:31

Sweet, tickets are booked and we arrive on the 11/1/11 (lucky date :D) at 8am. Family will all be on way to work then so we're going to get the shuttle into town and bus to aunts house. How often do they come and can you get those metro cards at the airport?

bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 267

Trusted

#405982 17-Nov-2010 16:43

You're on the internet. I'm pretty sure you could look up the timetable! Here's the website: http://www.metroinfo.org.nz

If the 3, 10 or 29 bus go anywhere near where you need to be, I highly recommend them because they are so cheap! Save your $20! Although I think youll have to apply for a Metrocard and get it sent to your family for them to send it up to you, because you can't get one at the airpport (or couldn't) only the City Exchange.

If you're going to get a shuttle, then you won't need to worry about a bus. They'll take you direct to the required address.

farcus

1626 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 437

#406716 19-Nov-2010 12:56

minigopher17:
farcus: just a word on the bus service in CHCH.
If the bus route that you live on is covered by Red Bus or leopard (purple busses) then you will be fine.
If you are unfortunate enough to live on a route covered by CBS (white buses) then you should be aware that they can at times be pretty unreliable. They use much older run down buses than the other two companies and quite often the buses just don't show up as they have broken down somewhere up-route and you are left waiting for the next scheduled bus. Thankfully in the last round of tenders they lost most of their runs and I think they are just left with a few eastern routes.

When I used to live in Parklands I never had issues with CBS - always on time, never had a breakdown, used it at peak times to get to and from the CBD.

Now I'm out in Rolleston, and Leopard have just got the contract for the new Selwyn Star buses, but because the brand new buses aren't ready yet because of earthquake damage you have to use ugly white, old, slow, cruddy, grafitti-ridden, and filthy old-school buses apparently leased from the North Island.

Just saying that everyone has different experiences.

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

farcus

1626 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 437

#406717 19-Nov-2010 12:56

minigopher17:
farcus: just a word on the bus service in CHCH.
If the bus route that you live on is covered by Red Bus or leopard (purple busses) then you will be fine.
If you are unfortunate enough to live on a route covered by CBS (white buses) then you should be aware that they can at times be pretty unreliable. They use much older run down buses than the other two companies and quite often the buses just don't show up as they have broken down somewhere up-route and you are left waiting for the next scheduled bus. Thankfully in the last round of tenders they lost most of their runs and I think they are just left with a few eastern routes.

When I used to live in Parklands I never had issues with CBS - always on time, never had a breakdown, used it at peak times to get to and from the CBD.

Now I'm out in Rolleston, and Leopard have just got the contract for the new Selwyn Star buses, but because the brand new buses aren't ready yet because of earthquake damage you have to use ugly white, old, slow, cruddy, grafitti-ridden, and filthy old-school buses apparently leased from the North Island.

Just saying that everyone has different experiences.

From The Press 19/11
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4362202/Police-take-28-Christchurch-buses-off-the-road

specifically

Police would not detail how many problem buses were owned by each of the three city operators, but Environment Canterbury said yesterday the buses removed from service were largely owned by Christchurch Bus Services (CBS).

ECan's acting operations director, Wayne Holton-Jeffreys, said the removal of buses meant CBS "may not be in a position to meet all their contractual obligations on some routes. Environment Canterbury apologises to bus patrons for the failure of these trips."

ECan said the impact of the police checks on the other two operators, Red Bus and Leopard Coachlines, was minimal.

1 | 2 | 3