The ability to tag on and off using your debit card and phone will soon be available on public transport, with contactless payment being rolled out some time in the first half of next year.

With the long wait for the national ticketing solution, which was first signed off more than 16 years ago, Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Daran Ponter says that Wellingtonians are sick of waiting. He says that the regional council will still support the new ticketing system when it arrives but people are sick of waiting, and he’s sick of telling them to wait.

The current snapper system will be discontinued at the end of 2027. Snapper chief executive Miki Szikszai said that their contract with the regional council would wrap up at the end of 2027 – but until then, their card readers and technology would remain in place, and accept card payments as well as Snapper.

“The same readers are going to remain in place, and the experience for the card holder will basically be the same, apart from the fact they’ll be able to use their contactless payment card, or their phone, or their watch, for adult fares.”

Their card readers were set to reach the end of their lives around that time – which coincided with the predicted roll out date for the NTS.

“Our devices have got about a 10-year useful life. These ones were rolled out in 2017.”

Source: Radio New Zealand (RNZ)

08/12/25