LGOIMA: Bus replacement demographics, Jan 2024 to Dec 2025
Snapper tag-on data for Metlink rail replacement bus services and scheduled rail services across Wellington, broken down by fare type and line (Jan 2024–Dec 2025).
The question
I request the following information on rail replacement bus services.For the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025:
- Total passenger boardings on rail replacement bus services, broken down by:
- Fare type (full adult, SuperGold, student concession, Community Services Card, child/free, other)
- Rail line affected (where applicable)
2. Total passenger boardings on regular scheduled rail services (same routes, same period), broken down by the same fare categories listed above
3. Total number of rail replacement service days in this period, broken down by:
- Planned maintenance
- Unplanned/emergency maintenance
- Other (please specify)
The LGOIMA response
Please see Attachment 1 for a copy of the information requested in parts 1 and 2. This is broken down by fare type and by line. The ‘Child 5-12' and ‘Young Adult 19-24' concession ceased as of 1 May 2024 but continue to show up in the system as a result of multi-use passes, default fares, and systems failing to update.
Bus replacement routes are denoted by the same first two letters as the rail line, plus a third which signifies the operator.
Passengers who tag on and fail to tag off elsewhere in the network are assigned a WEL line trip, since terminals are located on train platforms rather than vehicles, so it is difficult to determine the route travelled.
Please note, Snapper tag-on information is provided in this attachment which excludes cash and free travel, as well as instances where service users fail to tag on.
Access the LGOIMA data
a lil description so people can find it
This Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act response from Greater Wellington Regional Council provides Metlink patronage data for Wellington’s rail network during a period of significant rail replacement bus activity. The dataset covers all five Wellington rail lines (Hutt Valley, Kāpiti, Johnsonville, Melling, and Wairarapa) and their corresponding bus replacement routes for the 2024–2025 calendar years. Key context: the Child 5–12 and Young Adult 19–24 concessions were discontinued from 1 May 2024 but persist in the data due to legacy passes and system issues. The data is Snapper-only and does not capture the full picture of ridership during disruptions.
