NZs Lowest Cost Public Transport Network Expands

A low cost bus company famous for city to city fares starting at just $1* has expanded its service to include a budget priced Wellington to Picton ferry offering.

Based on hugely successful British transport models like Easyjet, Nakedbus.com cuts the overhead costs from the ticketing process by providing ‘internet based’ ticketing (www.nakedbus.com) and reducing the need for middlemen.

The addition of the company’s new online ticketing ferry service across Cook Strait makes the nakedbus.com network New Zealand’s cheapest national public transport offering*.

Approaching their third year anniversary, nakedbus.com has enjoyed growth of 90 percent over the past year according to its Managing Director Hamish Nuttall.

Nuttall says the increase has been boosted by recession wary consumers with around 40 percent of his current customers electing to use nakedbus.com over private cars. Up to 7,000 travellers use nakedbus.com each week currently.

The increasing demand for the company’s low cost public transport options has led to a fleet upgrade including the purchase of four new buses worth a total of 2 million dollars.

“The recession is making New Zealander’s smarter about getting good value for money and we have had to adapt to meet the growing needs of domestic travellers looking for a cost effective way to move around the country. We hope the addition of the new online ferry service will make it easier for them to do that,” he says.

Nuttall says the new integrated ferry crossing service, will make it possible for consumers to travel all the way from Paihia to Invercargill with fares starting as low as $43.

*Based on a Paihia to Invercargill regular bus or airfare route with ferry crossing included. Nakedbus.com prices for this route start at just $43. Prices on the nakedbus.com network vary but every bus has a $1 + plus booking fee seat on every trip (does not include some airport services). Wellington to Picton ferry crossing prices start at $39.