Using Snapper
Snapper is an electronic payment card that provides customers with a faster, cheaper, and more flexible payment and travel option.
Getting started
Get a Snapper card
For the most up-to-date list of Snapper locations, visit the locations page on the Snapper website.(external link)(external link)
You can buy a Snapper card for $10 from a Snapper retailer(external link)(external link) or online on the Snapper website.(external link)(external link) Snapper cards cannot be purchased on board buses or trains, and are not available in vending machines. See Airport Express(external link) page for how to buy a Snapper at Wellington Airport.
Register your Snapper card to see your balance, transaction history, and travel history online. Plus, if you lose your registered card, you can block the balance and transfer it to a new card. After you're registered, you can apply for a concession on your Snapper card.
Top up or buy a pass
You'll need a minimum of $0.00 credit on your Snapper card before you can use it. If you have a negative balance, any passes on your card will not work. Minimum top up is $0.01 (1 cent) at retailers and kiosks, and $1.00 (1 dollar) using the mobile app. Maximum limit for stored credit is $300 (three hundred dollars).
Top up at a Snapper retailer, kiosk or with a mobile device using the Snapper app (for iOS and Android). Snapper cannot be topped up on board or on train platforms. Add passes to your Snapper at a retailer or on the app. Passes can't be purchased at a kiosk or using your existing Snapper credit.
Tag on and tag off for every trip
For each part of your journey, you'll need to tag on and tag off so that the correct fare can be calculated.
You'll need to tag on and off even when using a 30-day pass, as the system needs to verify that your journey is included in your pass - if your journey isn't covered by your pass, then the balance on the card is charged as a normal fare. For example, if you have a 4-zone pass, but travel 5 zones on a journey, that journey isn't covered in the pass and the regular fare applies.
Snapper will automatically charge the correct fare based on where you "tag on" and "tag off" with your card. If you forget to tag off, you will be charged a default fare.
Where to tag on and off
When catching a bus, tag on at the front of the bus, and tag off before you exit the bus. Transfers between buses will apply as long as you tag on and tag off of each service within the 30 minute transfer timeframe.
When catching trains, tag on and tag off for each train trip using the Snapper reader on the train platform. Only if you're transferring between an express train and the next all-stopper train (on the same line in the same direction), don't tag off at the stopover station - only tag on at the first station and tag off at your final station.
Buses replacing trains (BRT) - When buses replace trains, tag on and tag off on the bus replacing the train - not on the platform. If it is not possible to tag on the bus that is replacing your train for any reason, you will still be able to travel.
When buses replace part of a train service, you'll need to tag on and tag off on the platform for the train, and also tag on and tag off on the bus replacing the train. (e.g. tag on at Upper Hutt platform to travel by train to Petone, tagging off on the Petone platform. Walk to the BRT bus stop, and tag onto the BRT bus as you board at Petone, tag off at Wellington as you exit the bus).
Multiple passengers
On trains, each person has to tag on with their own Snapper card, since the Snapper readers on the platforms don't have a way to select multiple people for the tag on.
On buses, be sure to tell the driver that you'd like to tag on multiple people before tagging on. The driver will set the reader to the correct fare types for each person, then will let you know when you can tag on.
Cancelling your tag on - 'Free Exit'
If you change your mind and decide not to ride the train after tagging on at the station, wait 10 seconds after tagging on and tag a card reader at the same station. Your tag on will be cancelled and you will not be charged a fare. You have up to 40 minutes from first tagging on to cancel your trip and not be charged a default fare.
Our on-board train staff will be regularly checking customers Snapper cards using a handheld device that checks if a Snapper card has been tagged on. This device cannot tag on a Snapper card onboard - it only confirms if a card has already tagged on.
You must tag on using the Snapper card readers on the train platform before boarding. On-board staff will continue to sell single trip tickets and Metlink Explorer day passes for cash on-board.
Payment issues
If you use a Snapper card to tag on and forget to tag off, a default fare will be charged to your Snapper balance. If you don't have enough regular balance in your Snapper card to cover the fee, your card would then have a negative balance, and won't work until you top up. Passes will stop working until you have topped up to remove the negative balance.
An IOU happens when the fare is more than the remaining balance on your Snapper card. It will show as a negative balance after the fare is charged. You will need to top up your Snapper to a positive balance before you can tag on for your next journey. If you don't top up, the Snapper reader will instruct you to pay the driver.
The negative balance owing will be deducted from your balance when you tag on for the first trip after you top up.
We recommend contacting Snapper, it may be that you don’t have credit on your account or have received a penalty against your card due to not tagging on/off correctly for one of your recent journeys.
Snapper refunds
Snapper will refund you for any default fare charged if you were unable to tag off due to a system fault or driver error.
If you think you’ve been unfairly penalized but have not received your refund in 2 working days, please contact Snapper(external link). Remember, Snapper refunds are only applied under circumstances where you have tried to tag off but haven’t been able to.
Regarding refunds for any other reason, please refer to Metlink’s Refund Policy(external link).
If you have not registered your lost card, Snapper cannot trace or block it, and you may lose any remaining balance on your lost card. If you have not registered your Snapper card yet, create an account and register(external link) it now – or, if you already have an account, you can register here(external link). For further assistance, call the Snapper Contact Centre on 0800 555 345
To continue receiving discounts or concessions you will need to get a new Snapper card from a Snapper retailer or Snapper portal(external link) or over the phone.
For a blocked card, call the Snapper Contact Centre on 0800 555 345 for assistance.
Last published: Thursday, 8 February 2024 at 12:34 am