Whanganui is on the move!
Getting around Whanganui should be easy, convenient, and work for everyone, so we're looking at how we can improve bus routes, schedules and services to better connect the community and support the city's growth.
Have we got it right?
The proposed network will include new routes and some bus stop changes. We want to know if you think we’ve got the network design right, and to hear your thoughts on the new bus stop locations.
Regardless of where we land, there are still some things we think should happen no matter what, including:
- Buses operate seven days a week.
- Services run at least hourly through the day across the city.
- Te Ngaru The Tide route extends to Aramoho Cemetery or nearby.
Proposed network changes
Learn about the proposed network changes below, then fill in the short survey to share your thoughts.
Overview
- Two routes operating every 20 minutes
- Three routes operating every hour
- Service to some areas not currently covered, including Pūtiki and further into Aramoho and Castlecliff
- All buses run seven days a week
- Friday evening services on high frequency routes
- Would replace existing school routes because of increased connectivity across the city (see below for more info)
- 52% of Whanganui residents within 400m of a route running every 20 minutes
- 72% of Whanganui residents within 400m of a route running at least hourly
School routes
Please note that there would be no changes to Ministry of Education bus services.
With high-frequency services across more of the city, specific public school services – the 220, 221, 222, 223, 207x and 224 services – would no longer be required. The new network would make it just as easy for students to get to school and give them far more flexibility to get home at different times after school. Whether they need to get home straight after school, or a little later after sports practice, music lessons, etc., the new network will provide young people and their families with more transport options.
After implementation, we'll be monitoring the new network closely. If we identify any issues making things more difficult for families, we'll move quickly to ensure there are workable solutions.
How does the proposed network compare to the current network?
Use the table below to compare the key features of the proposed and current networks (tap to zoom in):
| Key Features | Proposed Network | Current Network |
|---|---|---|
| All buses run seven days a week | Yes | No |
| All buses run at least hourly | Yes | No |
| 20 minute services extended further into Aramoho and Castlecliff | Yes | No |
| 20 minute services to Tawhero, College Estate and Whanganui East | Yes | No |
| Service to Pūtiki | Yes | No |
| Proportion of Whanganui residents living within 400 metres of a route that runs every 20 minutes | 52% | 31% |
| Proportion of Whanganui residents living within 400 metres of a route that runs at least hourly | 72% | 31% |
Dive into the details
Use the interactive map below to explore the proposed network in depth, including the new routes and bus stop locations.
Click on the routes (the coloured lines) in the map to see the inbound and outbound paths and the proposed bus stop locations along each. Most of these are existing stops that align with the proposed network, but there are some new ones that will need to be installed too.
There are also a number of stops across the current network that would no longer be on a route. These stops would be removed, alongside a handful that are on the proposed routes but are considered surplus to requirements given their very close proximity to nearby, higher-usage stops. In a few areas, for example, we have three bus stops within a 200m stretch. Removing some of these stops would help ensure services are able to meet the higher frequency the community clearly called for in the first phase of consultation earlier this year.*
Use the map to navigate to the area of your regular stops (or type the address into the map's search bar) to check if they'd still be in use on the new network. If they're not a line, you can use the map to see where your nearest alternative would be.
You can also view full lists of locations where stops would be installed or removed below the map. If you have concerns about any of the proposed locations for installation or removal, please let us know by filling in the short survey further down the page.
Anzac Pde – Red Lion
Opp 2 Dehli Ave
22 Fox Rd
Opp 75 Hakeke St
70 Ikitara Rd
76 Ikitara Rd
40 Parsons St
Opp 40 Parsons St
26 Purnell St
Opp 26 Purnell St
90 Putiki Dr
109 Putiki Dr
36 or 40 St Hill St
5 St Leonard St
6 St Leonard St
11 Taupata St
2 Tawa St
12 Tinirau St
14 Tinirau St
24 Wakefield St
25 Wakefield St
15 Willis St
16 Willis St
12 Akatea St
24 Akatea St
33 Akatea St
Opp 200 Anzac Pde
Aramoho Library
23 Burton Ave
Opp 23 Burton Ave
Castlecliff Beach - Rangiora St
13 Collingwood St
14 Collingwood St
29 Collingwood St
32 Collingwood St
68 Cornfoot St
82 Cornfoot St
91 Cornfoot St
103 Cornfoot St
106 Cornfoot St
121A Cornfoot St
152 Cornfoot St
161 Cornfoot St
189 Cornfoot St
250 Cornfoot St
61 Devon Rd
66 Devon Rd
22 Drews Ave
3 Durham Rd
6A Durham Rd
85 Glasgow St
92 Glasgow St
122 Glasgow St
123 Glasgow St
155 Glasgow St
167 Glasgow St
172 Glasgow St
33 Great North Rd
133 Great North Rd
146 Great North Rd
142 Grey St
145 Grey St
1A Hackett St
2A Hackett St
17 Hackett St
34 Hackett St
54 Hackett St
55 Hackett St
Hakake St/Poutini St
15 Heads Rd
441 Heads Rd
448 Heads Rd
476 Heads Rd
481 Heads Rd
485 Heads Rd
492 Heads Rd
505 Heads Rd
55 Helmore St
57 Helmore St
Helmore St - Masonic Court
2 Kaikokopu Rd
3 Kaikokopu Rd
27 Kaikokopu Rd
32 Kaikokopu Rd
35 Kaikokopu Rd
42 Kaikokopu Rd
79 Karaka St
80 Karaka St
89 Karaka St
103 Karaka St
106 Karaka St
115 Karaka St
1 Kiwi St
2 Kiwi St
72 London St
89 London St
Opp 89 London St
101 London St
Opp 101 London St
111 London St
Opp 111 London St
Opp 127A London St
129 London St
143A London St
Opp 143A London St
189 London Rd
220 London St
233 London Rd
21A Manuka St
31 Manuka St
34 Manuka St
47 Manuka St
50 Manuka St
74 Manuka St
37 Milton St
21 Moana St
28 Moana St
9 Ngapuhi Rd
11 Ngapuhi St
18 Nile St
23 Nile St
34 Nile St
39 Nile St
45D Nile St
48 Nile St
57 Nixon St
58 Nixon St
66 Nixon St
69 Nixon St
75 Nixon St
86 Nixon St
Cnr Norfolk Dr & Virginia Rd
37 Oakland Ave
51 Oakland Ave
17 Parkes Ave
20 Parkes Ave
63 Parkes Ave
66 Parkes Ave
29 Paterson St
34 Paterson St
53 Paterson St
57 Paterson St
66 Paterson St
94 Paterson St
106 Paterson St
Cr Paterson St & Lewis Ave
26 Peakes Rd
39 Peakes Rd
58 Peakes Rd
61 Peakes Rd
105 Peakes Rd
110 Peakes Rd
122 Peakes Rd
133 Peakes Rd
15 Peat St
43 Peat St
32D Peat St
19A Polson St
20 Polson St
31 Polson St
36 Polson St
53 Polson St
56 Polson St
75 Polson St
80 Polson St
9 Porritt St
14 Porritt St
16 Poutini St
15 Puriri St
24C Puriri St
14 Quick Ave
17 Quick Ave
55 Quick Ave
58 Quick Ave
10 Raine St
23 Raine St
76 Raine St
77 Raine St
26 Rangitikei St
41 Rangitikei St
20 Rata St
23 Rata St
13 Raupo St
37 Raupo St
40 Raupo St
Cr Raupo St & Hinau St
62 Ridgway St
2E Roberts Ave
3 Roberts Ave
17 Roberts Ave
22 Roberts Ave
Rutherford Junior High Bus Stop
60 Seddon St
420 Somme Parade
421 Somme Parade
430 Somme Parade
441 Somme Parade
457 Somme Parade
462 Somme Parade
53 Surrey Rd
62A Surrey Rd
11 Sussex Rd
18 Sussex Rd
7 Talbot St
8 Talbot St
26a Talbot St
58a Talbot St
77B Talbot St
88 Talbot St
122 Talbot St
8A Terrace St
11C Terrace St
19 Virginia Ave
39 Virginia Ave
73 Virginia Rd
79 Virginia Rd
89 Virginia Rd
71 Wakefield St
80 Wakefield St
1 Ward St
2 Ward St
34 Ward St
37 Ward St
15 Watt St
Whanganui War Memorial Centre
158 Wicksteed St
161 Wicksteed St
192 Wicksteed St
199 Wicksteed St
351 Wicksteed St
Have your say
Ready to share your thoughts? Fill in the short survey below and tell us what you think. Still have some questions? Check out the FAQs and hopefully you'll find an answer there. Failing this, get in touch with the team by emailing transport@horizons.govt.nz.
The contract to provide bus services in Whanganui was implemented in 2019 and is set to expire in the near future. A lot has changed since then, so we’re reviewing our services to ensure our network meets the needs of our community and supports Whanganui’s growth.
We want our bus network to be accessible for everyone, and this review will bring positive changes for our community.
We undertook the first phase of public consultation on the Whanganui bus network review earlier this year. The first phase was more focused on network design, and priorities for the network. This phase is more localised, and focuses on confirmation of a revised network design and bus stop placement.
We're looking at how we can improve routes, schedules and services to better connect the community and support the city's growth, now and into the future.
We’ve already presented three options for improvements to the network, and now we're double-checking a revised network with the community and seeking feedback on bus stop placement.
There are some things we think should change no matter what:
- Buses in Whanganui operate seven days a week.
- Te Ngaru The Tide extended to Aramoho Cemetery or nearby.
- Services run at least hourly through the day across the city.
Local share funding (via targeted rates) for the new network was recently approved as part of Horizons Regional Council’s Annual Plan 2025/26. NZTA had declined to fund its co-share, however Horizons' councillors voted to retain the local share portion so that improvements could still be made.
Please note that this does not mean the local share portion has increased, and Horizons will continue to advocate for co-funding from NZTA for further improvements.
Absolutely, and numbers are increasing at a rapid rate! There were 190,886 trips taken on Whanganui public transport services in the 2023/24 financial year, up 70,000 on 2022/23.
We have buses this size to provide accessibility and the required capacity at peak times, like 8am and 3pm. If they were smaller we’d potentially have capacity and overloading issues at these times. This review will help give us an idea of bus sizes required in the future also.
From 1 July 2025, any new buses used for public transport in New Zealand for the first time have to be EV/zero emissions. From 1 July 2035, all buses used for public transport have to be EV.
Yes, this service will continue and will be extended further into Aramoho and Castlecliff.
The best way to keep up-to-date is to check in on this site regularly.
After consultation closes on 8 September 2025, we'll use your feedback to guide any adjustments or tweaks to the proposed network, and begin planning for implementation. The new network would likely come into effect in April next year.
Please get in touch by emailing the team at transport@horizons.govt.nz if you have any questions.
Where to from here?
You have until 8 September 2025 to have your say. After this we'll use your feedback to guide any adjustments or tweaks to the proposed network, and begin planning for implementation. The new network would likely come into effect in April next year.
Please get in touch with team at transport@horizons.govt.nz if you have any questions.
