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A new $20 transport pass aimed at conference delegates has rolled across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, offering five days of unlimited bus and train travel for visitors attending business events in the city.
The Hui Pass was developed by Auckland Transport in partnership with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s business events arm, the Auckland Convention Bureau, and was launched at MEETINGS 2026, New Zealand’s largest business events tradeshow, held at the New Zealand International Convention Centre June 16 to 18.
Rachel Cara, Group Manager of Public Transport Operations at Auckland Transport, says the pass was developed in response to delegate demand, with a survey showing 70 per cent of international business events visitors were very likely to use public transport during their stay. A trial run by Auckland Transport and the Convention Bureau backed that up, with 83 per cent of issued passes used and an average of 9.1 trips recorded per card.
“The Hui Pass is designed to make getting around Auckland simple and intuitive for delegates, removing barriers to using public transport,” she says. “With an easy way to travel between venues and across the city, they can spend less time thinking about transport and more time experiencing Auckland.”
It’s a question that’s likely to come up for organisers weighing whether to include it into ticket prices or treat it as a per, but who picks up the $20 tab?
Nicky Mayson, Communications Principal at Auckland Transport, says that’s left to the organiser. “The Hui Pass is a commercial product purchased by event organisers. Organisers have flexibility in how they manage that cost- it can be absorbed as part of the overall event offering or incorporated into delegate registration fees. The pricing is designed to cover production and foregone fare revenue, and is not subsidised by ratepayers,” she says.
Access isn’t limited to those running through the Convention Bureau’s own books, either. Ken Pereira, Head of Business Events at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited says, “The Hui Pass is available to the wider business events sector and is not limited to Auckland Convention Bureau-affiliated events. “All conference organisers hosting events in Auckland can access the pass by purchasing it in bulk for their delegates.”
Ferries however are absent from the pass at launch, something Nicky puts down to where most events actually happen. “Ferries are not included in the five-day Hui Pass product at launch. While the pass is designed to help delegates explore more of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, most business events are hosted in the city centre or in locations well served by bus and train services. Delegates can still use the card for ferry travel by topping it up separately,” he says.
Ken says the pass arrives as the sector enters a new phase, with the NZICC now open and with venues like the Aotea Centre and the City Rail Link strengthening connections across the city. “By removing barriers to public transport, the Hui Pass helps delegates spend less time navigating logistics and more time engaging with Auckland’s events, culture and hospitality. It makes it easy to move between venues, accommodation and experiences across the region,” he says.
Delegates who stay beyond the five-day window can top up the card and keep using it like a standard AT HOP card, including for ferries.
