InterCity, New Zealand’s only national bus network will resume limited services from May 28, providing long awaited transport options for hundreds of thousands of Kiwis.
Prior to lockdown, InterCity carried 1.5 million passengers a year on more than 100 daily services connecting the length and breadth of New Zealand. Domestic travellers accounted for 85 per cent of all passengers.
InterCity CEO, John Thorburn, says staff are excited about the restart.
"InterCity is a crucial service for communities across New Zealand and we’re excited about welcoming passengers on board in time for the long weekend."
Due to physical distancing measures, InterCity will have reduced seating capacity, meaning services may run at a loss. As a result, not all stops on the network will be available.
John says the company will be unable to continue operating loss-making services over the long term.
Discussions are currently underway with the Government and the company is hopeful that these will enable sustained operations and the re-expansion of the network.
"We’ve taken the decision to restart, even though it will be at a loss, while we continue to discuss support from Government," he says.
Services will resume to most major towns and communities in the national network.
Connections to some communities will not be possible under the limited restart. Reservations for travel from May 28 onwards can now be made at: www.intercity.co.nz
