These are our most frequently asked questions.
If you have a question that isn't addressed on this page, contact the TRC Transport team at transport@trc.govt.nz or by private message on Facebook @taranakipublictransport.
If you would like to speak to someone you can contact the team on 0800 BEE TRC (0800 233 872) (9am - 4pm weekdays only).
WHY DO I NEED A BEE CARD?
Bee Cards are the new prepay cards for bus travel. Smart cards no longer work as they are not compatible with the new Bee Card system. A Bee Card gives you access to cheaper bus fares and concessions (should you meet the criteria).
HOW MUCH DOES A BEE CARD COST?
It costs $5 to purchase a Bee Card card. Passengers will also need to top-up a minimum of $5 to use their Bee Card.
AM I ABLE TO PAY BY CASH?
Yes. Cash fares are available but paying by cash is more expensive. The Bee Card will save you money. Please check out our fares page to see a list of zones and a table of fares.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T GET A BEE CARD?
Cash fares remain available for all passengers aged 5 and over. Youth aged 5-18 receive a discounted fare when paying by cash - but fares are even cheaper with a Bee Card. SuperGold Card and Community Services Card holders must have their concession loaded onto a Bee Card to receive discounted travel; without it, adult cash fares apply.
DOES EVERYONE NEED THEIR OWN CARD?
Yes, every passenger should have their own Bee Card. However, a Bee Card holder can pay for another passenger by speaking with the bus driver. Please note that any concession loaded on the card will only apply to the cardholder and not to the additional passenger, who will be charged the applicable cash fare. Children under 5 years of age travel free and do not require a Bee Card.
CAN I TRANSFER BUSES?
Yes, passengers need to tag on and off each bus and as long as they transfer within the 1 hour window, there will be no extra charge.
HOW DO I TOP UP?
Passengers can top-up online at BeeCard.co.nz,(external link) at one of our Taranaki retailers, or on the bus. On bus top-ups will be phased out in future. Passengers will need a credit or debit card to top-up online. The minimum top-up is $5.00.
I JUST TOPPED UP. WHY CAN’T I SEE MY NEW BALANCE?
Balances will show as pending until the passenger tags onto the bus.
WHY DOES MY CARD STATUS SHOW AS PENDING?
Don't panic! Top up transactions and balance transfers will show in the Bee Card account as a “pending balance” until the Bee Card is presented to the Bee Card device on the bus. This balance is available and will become an active cash balance after the card has tagged on successfully (this may take a few hours). To see the pending balance please click on "Manage Card", you will see both cash balance and pending balance in that screen.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FORGET TO TAG OFF?
Passengers may be charged a default (higher) fare.
CONCESSIONS
On 31 January 2022, we introduced a new flat fare system. An increase in fares took effect on 1 July 2025, along with the introduction of a new Youth concession. SuperGold and Community Connect concessions remain available. For more information on these concessions, please visit here.
WHO CAN TRAVEL FOR FREE?
SuperGold Card holders can travel for free during off-peak hours. Off-peak times are from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and all day Saturday. To receive free travel, SuperGold Card holders must have a Bee Card with their concession loaded. This can be done when purchasing a Bee Card online or by visiting a Taranaki Bee Card retailer.
WITT students can also travel for free on the Connector service (Hāwera to New Plymouth) by presenting a valid student ID to the bus driver.
DO I HAVE TO REGISTER MY BEE CARD ONLINE?
No. However, there are benefits for passengers who register their Bee Card, including always getting the cheapest fare possible, being able to top-up online, loading and managing concessions, linking and managing multiple cards, and protecting balances if a card is lost or stolen.
CAN I USE ONE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR MULTIPLE BEE CARDS?
The Bee Card doesn’t allow for the same email address for more than one account, but it does allow up to 100 cards to be linked to the same account.
Once the passenger has created an account at www.BeeCard.co.nz(external link) they can select 'Register card to account' and enter the Bee Card number of the additional card.
Once the Bee Card number is entered, the card name will have the account holders name as a default. To change these details, select 'Manage Card' then 'Edit Card Holder' and enter the name and DOB of the person the card is being assigned to.
I'VE JUST PURCHASED A NEW BEE CARD IN STORE. WHY IS IT SHOWING AS INACTIVE IN MY ONLINE ACCOUNT?
Bee Cards purchased from a Taranaki retailer will show as “inactive” in your online account for up to 24 hours.
The Bee Card needs time to be uploaded to our national database system, once this happens your card will become “active” and you will be able to register your card to your account.
WHAT ABOUT THE NATIONAL TICKETING SYSTEM THAT IS BEING ROLLED OUT ACROSS NEW ZEALAND?
The National Ticketing Solution will officially be called Motu Move, and it's on track to launch across Taranaki in 2026. Motu Move is a national programme that will provide a range of easy-to-use payments methods that customers can use for all public transport across the country. We'll keep you informed until then, with more updates to come your way later in the year!
"What do I need to do now?" Nothing is changing for a while, so hold tight! You can continue using your Bee Card as usual in the meantime.