Buying a Snapper card

Snapper is cheaper, faster and easier to manage than cash. You can use your Snapper card to pay for your bus travel in the Greater Wellington Region.

You can buy a Snapper loaded up with credit right now and we’ll mail it to you, or head to your nearest Snapper retailer to buy one in-store.  If your school has Snapper in your school ID, you may already have a Snapper!
 

What does it cost to buy a Snapper card?

  • Card: Our Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of a Snapper card is $10.  Some retailers set a different price.
  • Bank/Merchant transaction fees: You may also incur additional fees when paying by credit or debit card, or by EFTPOS. This fee covers the cost incurred by the retailer, for electronic transactions. However, you must be provided with a free alternative option.
  • Service fee: There is also a 25c fee should you wish to top up your card at any time at a retailer.
  • When buying a Snapper card online, you’ll pay the RRP of $10, plus shipping.

Buy a card online here

Cheaper than cash

You’ll pay at least 25% less using a Snapper card than using cash. You can view current fares (set by the Greater Wellington Regional Council) on the Metlink website.
Snapper can save you even more money on your bus travel, with monthly travel passes and concessions.

Find out more about child and other concessions.

Faster than cash

Paying with your Snapper card is the quickest way to get on the bus. Just tag your Snapper card to the reader at the front of the bus when you get on. You’ll automatically be charged the right fare when you tag off as you leave the bus.

Find out how to board the bus with Snapper.
 

Types of Snapper cards

Snapper Red

 The Snapper Red is the classic Snapper card that will automatically charge you an adult fare unless you choose to apply and load a concession to it.

Who can use this card?

This card is set up and ready to go for anyone to start using it right away once it’s been topped up.  Adult fares will be charged. If you are eligible for either a child, tertiary or accessible concession then these can be applied for and added to a Snapper Red card.

Snapper Green

The Snapper green is permanently loaded with a child concession so you will never have to apply to renew the concession, this card will always charge the child discount fare. Just be sure you meet Metlink’s child concession criteria (below) when using it, and if you are out of school uniform have a valid school ID with you, in case you are questioned by the driver.

Who can use this card?

The Snapper green card is permanently loaded with a child concession to only ever charge the child fare and can be used by  school-aged children:

  • Aged between age 5 and 6 years who have not started school
  • Primary and intermediate school students are entitled to the Child Concession in or out of school uniform.
  • Secondary school students must either:
    • Be wearing school uniform, or
    • Present a valid secondary school photo ID, if requested by Metlink staff.
  • School-aged children who are not enrolled in school must present:
    • a bona fide photo ID card for home-schooled children issued by the National Council of Home Educators New Zealand (NCHENZ); or
    • an approval document from the Ministry of Education that shows the child is exempt from enrolment at a school.

If you are a Tertiary student at polytechnic, university, language academy or other similar learning institution you aren’t eligible for a Child Concession but should apply for a Tertiary Concession if you meet full-time student criteria. If you are 16 or older and have left school, you don’t qualify for a Child Concession.

Snapper School ID cards

Schools can choose to have their school ID cards printed onto a Snapper card. The child concession will be set to either the 28th of February after the 16th Birthday and then annually until 28 February the following year as long as the child is still in school. This concession will be automatically calculated and applied when you order a new Snapper school ID card.

Check the list below to see if your school is signed up already, or get in touch if you’d like your school to add Snapper to your school ID card.

Wellington schools with Snapper school ID cards

  • Onslow College
  • Queen Margaret College
  • Raphael House Rudolf Steiner School
  • Rongotai College
  • Scots College
  • Taita College
  • Wellington College
  • Wellington East Girls’ College
  • Wellington Girls’ College
  • YMCA