Snapper on Rail

 

Customers can pay for their travel on all Metlink rail lines using Snapper.

Paper tickets (including offboard single and 10-trip tickets) are no longer be available for sale online or from retailers. However, you are still able to purchase a ticket onboard the train using cash.

Monthly train and MonthlyPlus paper passes are no longer available to purchase, and have been replaced by a Snapper 30-day rail pass. More detail on these passes can be found here.

Snapper card readers are placed on each platform, primarily located near entrances and exits. You can tag on before boarding the train, by holding your Snapper card to the card reader, “fish to fish.” At the end of your journey, you can tag off on the platform where you exit the train.

Snapper fares on rail are equivalent to a single trip price from a standard 10-trip pass, and any concession (Child Under 13 Free Pass, Child Secondary School, Young Adult Connect, Accessible, Tertiary, Community Connect) that is present on your Snapper card is automatically applied to your fare, as it does on the bus.

To check whether you’ve managed to successfully tag on, ‘Transport Officers’ will be aboard the train, scanning Snapper cards with a specialised app.

There are a few limitations to this service:

  • Ridebank cards are not able to be used to tag on for rail
  • Multi-tag is not available

For more detail on the Snapper on rail service, visit our FAQs page, and/or the Metlink website.

To get in touch with us to ask questions or offer feedback on this service, you can visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or via our website.

Snapper card reader messages at tag on

Green = Good to board the train

“Beep” You are good to board the train.

“Beep” If your balance is below $12.00, or you have less than 7 days remaining on your pass, the readers will display your balance when you tag on.

“Beep” If you received an IOU the last time you traveled it will be repaid when you next tag on. If you have received an IOU you will need to top up before you can board the train again.

 

“Please remember to tag off” If you failed to tag off your previous trip, when you next tag on you will receive a missing tag off charge. Up to date default/penalty charges can be found on the Metlink website.

Boarding the train with a discount fare (concession)

“Beep Beep” The Snapper card reader will display your child concession on screen to confirm you are paying the correct fare. This will also display at tag on when the cardholder has a Child Under 13 Free Pass.

 

“Beep Beep” The Snapper card reader will display your tertiary concession on screen to confirm you are paying the correct fare.

“Beep Beep” The Snapper card reader will display your accessible concession on screen to confirm you are paying the correct fare.

“Beep Beep” The Snapper card reader will display your Young Adult Connect or Community Connect concession on screen to confirm you are paying the correct fare.

More information about discount fares (concessions) can be found on the Concessions page.

Orange = Please try again

“Beedoo, Please try again” Hold your Snapper card flat and still to the Snapper fish on the card reader.

“Beedoo, More than one card detected” Other electronic cards in your hand can interfere when reading your Snapper. Make sure you hold just your Snapper to the card reader.

Red = Declined

“Beedoo” A negative balance will display on the card reader. You’ll need to top up the amount shown before you can use your Snapper to board the train. This could be the result of an IOU, forgetting to tag off the last time you travelled or your pass is not valid on the current route.

“Beedoo” If the card you are using was reported lost to Snapper, then it will display as blocked and cannot be used on the train.

Snapper card reader messages at tag off

Green = Good to exit the station

“Beep or Beep Beep” As you tag off, the fare charged to your Snapper card will display on the Snapper card reader.

“Please check your balance” If your balance is below $12.00, or you have less than 7 days remaining on your pass, the readers will display your balance when you tag off. This will remind you to top up.

“Beep or Beep Beep” If you tag off after a period of 10 seconds from tagging on, the message “Travel cancelled” will appear and you will be given a free exit.

“BEEP” If you have a travel pass that meets the criteria to cover your journey, then the pass name will display on the reader at tag off. This also applies to cards with a Child Under 13 Free Pass loaded.

Orange = Please try again

“Beedoo, Please try again” Hold your Snapper card flat and still to the Snapper fish on the card reader.

“Beedoo, More than one card detected” Other electronic cards in your hand can interfere when reading your Snapper. Make sure you hold just your Snapper to the card reader.

“Beedoo, Fare already paid” If you try to tag your card again within 10 seconds of already tagging on, a message will appear to let you know that the fare has already been paid.

Additional resources

Snapper on the Wellington train network

How to use Snapper