Celebrate Hawke’s Bay’s new bus network with a week of free travel

Published: 9 January 2026

A new era of public transport arrives in Hawke’s Bay on Sunday 25 January with the launch of a faster, more frequent, and better-connected bus network. To celebrate this milestone, GoBay is inviting everyone to experience the upgrade with a full week of free travel for all bus users from 25 to 31 January.

Hawke's Bay Regional Transport Committee Chair Neil Kirton says the week of free travel is the perfect invitation for people to experience the upgrade first-hand.

“We want everyone to see how much easier life can be with a more direct, better-connected service, which is why we’re making it completely free to ride for the first seven days,” says Councillor Kirton.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to ditch the car for your commute, take the family out for an adventure, or simply explore the new routes. We’ve built this network to move our community forward, and there’s no better time to jump on board.”

The new network represents the most significant public transport changes in almost two decades, spanning Napier, Hastings, and Havelock North. It expands the region’s public transport reach, providing first-time links to Hawke’s Bay Airport and the Regional Sports Park. These regional destinations will now be seamlessly integrated into the network alongside more connections to Hawke’s Bay Hospital and EIT.

Regional Council Transport Manager Russell Turnbull says passengers will notice the difference immediately. “We’ve moved away from complex loops to easier-to-understand, more direct routes, supported by nearly 100 additional bus stops. By making routes bi-directional, we are doubling the convenience for our passengers and drastically reducing wait times. This expansion means that reliable bus services are now within a short 400-metre walk of almost 100,000 residents across the region.”

GoBay ambassadors will be in person on buses and at major bus stops right through January into February to help people with any questions.

Councillor Kirton says, “This network has been designed with future growth in mind. We created a system that can adapt as our region develops. We’ve focused on reliability and coverage so more people can choose buses as a practical alternative to driving.”

Normal fares resume after the free travel week, with the Bee Card the most cost-effective option.

Key bus route changes:

• Napier – Hastings

These routes are streamlined, with Route 1 linking Napier, Hastings, and now Havelock North, and Route 11 serving Napier to Hastings via Clive and Whakatu.

• Hastings

The MyWay on-demand service ends on 23 January, replaced by fixed GoBay routes. It will be largely replaced by Route 8 Hastings Circular, which covers Camberley, Frimley, Mahora, the CBD, and Raureka, and services the edges of Mayfair, Parkvale, and Akina.

• Routes 1, 6 Flaxmere-Akina and 7 Flaxmere-Karamu will also provide coverage through Hastings that current MyWay users can access.

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