Child concessions

50% discount for all school children

Children using Green Snapper cards, or those who have a combined Snapper and Student ID card, do not need to apply for a child concession.

Metlink offer a child concession for passengers aged between 5 and 15 and secondary school students. A child concession entitles the passenger to a 50% discount off the peak-time adult Snapper fare.

To receive this discount fare when paying with Snapper, use either a Snapper Green card, a Snapper school ID card, or apply for a child concession to be loaded to a Snapper Red card.

The child concession can be used on all Metlink* buses except:

  • Metlink After Midnight buses: N1, N2, N22, N3, N4, N5, N6, N66, N8, N88

*This concession can be used on Metlink buses only. It is not available on independent commercial services. For fares and discounts on these services, please contact your service provider.

Eligibility for a Child concession

To be eligible for a child concession, Metlink’s requirements are as follows:

  • Passengers must be aged between 5 and 15. Please note under 5’s travel free on all Metlink services.
  • Passengers aged 16+ must be enrolled in secondary school to continue to receive the child discount fare.

Apply for a Child concession online

Apply for a Child concession online here

Apply for a Child concession in person

Drop in to see either the Wellington i-SITE Visitor Information Center or Upper Hutt i-SITE Visitor Information Center team with your Snapper card and proof of enrolment:

  • A copy of a valid School ID, OR
  • A letter of enrolment including your name and date of birth for the 2020 year OR
  • A copy of your current timetable displaying your name and date of birth for the 2020 year

Apply for a Child concession via email

To apply for, or renew, your child concession via email, please get in touch with us at concessions@snapper.co.nz and include the following:

  • Your 16-digit Snapper card number (you can find this on the back of your Snapper card)
  • The email address your Snapper card is registered to
  • Proof of enrolment:
    • A scanned copy of a valid School ID OR
    • A copy of a letter of enrolment including your name and date of birth for the 2020 year OR
    • A copy of your current timetable displaying your name and date of birth for the 2020 year

Using a Snapper Green card

Snapper Green cards are the easiest way for children to use the bus and always pay the correct fare, as they are pre-loaded with the child concession. This means the child concession never expires and never needs to be renewed.

Passengers that meet Metlink’s requirements can travel on the same Snapper Green card right through school from year 1 to year 13 without ever having to apply for or renew a concession.

Using a Snapper school ID card

Some schools get their school ID cards printed onto Snapper cards. These cards have the child concession loaded automatically onto them by Snapper. As long as you’re enrolled in school and look after your ID card, you won’t need to do a thing to keep paying the correct fare.

Schools which currently use Snapper student ID cards

  • Te Ara Whanui Kura Kapapa Maori
  • Hutt High School
  • Wellington Girls College
  • Wellington College
  • Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
  • Taita College
  • Rongotai College
  • Queen Margaret College
  • Raphael House Rudolf Steiner
  • Onslow College
  • Wellington East Girls College
  • Wellington High School

Using a Snapper Red card

Passengers entitled to the child concession who are using a Snapper Red card will need to apply for a child concession to be loaded onto the card.

  • A Child Concession on a Red Snapper card is only valid until the cardholder turns 16.
  • Secondary school students using a Red Snapper card need to have the concession loaded and  renewed by 28th February each year, until they leave school. If the card holder does not apply for renewal of the concession, the Snapper card will start charging adult fares from 1st March of that year.