In short
- Our timetables list 23 routes in Hamilton, 17 in Tauranga and 13 in Rotorua.
- All three cities use the Bee Card, which is cheaper than cash.
- Since 22 January 2026 an adult trip costs $3.00 with a Bee Card in Tauranga and $2.50 in Rotorua (checked 24 October 2026).
- The Te Huia train links Hamilton with Auckland; regional buses run to Cambridge, Morrinsville and Matamata.
Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua are three of the biggest cities of the central North Island, and each has its own bus network. Hamilton is served by Busit (Waikato Regional Council), Tauranga and Rotorua by Baybus (Bay of Plenty Regional Council). All three take the Bee Card. Timetables on buses.app show scheduled times; live data is not published for these cities.
How do Hamilton buses work?
Our Hamilton timetables list 23 routes and about 1,200 stops. Many routes meet at the Transport Centre in the city centre, with platforms on Anglesea Street and Bryce Street. Besides the numbered routes there are three named ones: the Comet, the Meteor and the Orbiter. Numbered routes run out to suburbs such as Pukete, Dinsdale, Flagstaff, Chartwell, Nawton, Hillcrest and Te Rapa, and to the University of Waikato. Connector routes reach Raglan, Te Awamutu and Te Kūiti. See all of them in the Hamilton timetables.
Te Huia and regional buses from Hamilton
The Te Huia train leaves from Frankton and Rotokauri stations for Huntly, Pukekohe, Puhinui and The Strand in Auckland, in about 2 hours 30 minutes, and accepts the Bee Card. Regional buses run to Cambridge (about 45 minutes), Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Matamata and Tokoroa; they are listed in the regional section.
How do Tauranga buses work?
Our Tauranga timetables list 17 routes and about 680 stops. Main routes run from the city centre to Pāpāmoa via Bayfair (2) or Maungatapu (22), from Mount Maunganui via Bayfair to Pāpāmoa Plaza (21), to Welcome Bay (40), Greerton (59), Bethlehem (62), Matua (7) and Otūmoetai (72a and 72b). Route 20 links Te Puke with Bayfair, and route 52x Tauranga Crossing with the city. Regional buses go to Ōmokoroa and Katikati, and route 143 links Tauranga with Whakatāne via Te Puke.
How do Rotorua buses work?
Our Rotorua timetables list 13 routes and about 280 stops. Most start from Arawa Street in the city centre and run to suburbs such as Ngongotaha (1), Owhata and Lynmore (3), Western Heights (5), Kawaha Point via the hospital (6) and Springfield (9). Route 10 goes to Rotorua Airport via Holdens Bay and Ngapuna, and route 11 to Toi Ohomai and Te Puia. Route 15 is a regional service to Murupara.
How much does a trip cost?
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council changed urban fares on 22 January 2026. An adult trip now costs:
- Tauranga urban: $3.00 with a Bee Card, $3.80 in cash.
- Rotorua urban: $2.50 with a Bee Card, $3.10 in cash.
Free child and youth travel at peak times did not change. In Hamilton the Bee Card is also cheaper than cash; check current Busit fares on the operator’s site.
