04/09/2026
📢 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘂 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 📢
If you live in Jack’s Point or Hanley’s Farm, you may notice a new bus service operating from next week. Introduced in response to growing demand from Wakatipu High School students, the service will provide a direct, express connection from both communities to the high school during school terms from Monday, 7 September 2026 until the end of Term 1, 2027 while longer-term options are assessed.
This targeted service is being introduced while the Otago Regional Council works on a broader response to the Ministry of Education’s changes to school transport, which will look to provide additional services and capacity to many primary schools from next year.
While this service has been introduced to help meet demand from Wakatipu High School students, it is a public bus service and is available to anyone travelling with a topped-up Bee Card. Please note that cash fares and Bee Card top-ups are not available on board, and the service does not stop at Frankton Bus Hub. It operates directly between Jack’s Point, Hanley’s Farm and Wakatipu High School in both directions.
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣?
Morning: The bus departs Jack’s Point at 8am, Monday to Friday during school terms, travelling through Hanley’s Farm and onto Wakatipu High School.
Afternoon: The bus departs the Frankton Library bus stop at 3.15pm, travelling directly to Hanley’s Farm and Jack’s Point.
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥?
The service only stops at designated bus stops in Jack’s Point and Hanley’s Farm.
From Hanley’s Farm, the bus travels directly to Wakatipu High School.
It does not stop at any other bus stops along the route, including the Frankton Bus Hub.
𝙄𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚?
No, students will need to pay a standard Bee Card child fare for this bus service.
Bee Cards must be topped up in advance and cash fares are not available.
Bee Card is the only way to pay – cash fares are not accepted on this bus service.
Bee Cards cannot be topped up on the bus.
Students must ensure they have sufficient Bee Card credit before boarding.
There is no need to tag off. The driver will tag students on when they board and provide a printed ticket.
𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙪𝙥 𝙢𝙮 𝘽𝙚𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙙?
Order a card or top up online at beecard.co.nz. Please allow up to 24 hours for the credit to load.
Buy a card or top up at these Queenstown Bee Card retailer locations:
Otago Regional Council Queenstown office, Ground Floor, Alta House, Terrace Junction, 1092 Frankton Road. Monday to Friday: 8am to 1pm; 2pm to 4pm (EFTPOS only).
Paper Plus at Queenstown Airport.
Watersports NZ kiosk at Earnslaw Park, by the Queenstown Ferries stop.
Hilton Queenstown.
Watersports NZ kiosk at the blue shed (Frankton marina)Boarding the bus
To help everyone board safely and efficiently:
Students should form an orderly queue before boarding.
Each student will present their Bee Card to the driver to be tagged on.
Students will then receive a printed ticket.
Boarding and getting off the bus is through the front door only.
There is no rear door, so students need to get on and off one at a time in single file.
This service won't appear on bus tracking
Because this is a temporary service, it will not appear on the Transit app or the Orbus Queenstown website.
Other regular services are available
Regular public bus services will continue to operate, including:
7.53am: service from Jack’s Point.
3.24pm and 3.50pm: services from the Frankton Library bus stop.
Students should know which service they are catching and have a topped-up Bee Card ready before they travel.
For more information contact Orbus Queenstown at [email protected] or 0800 672 8778
