Free Travel On Metlink This Christmas and New Year
MEDIA RELEASE
01 DECEMBER 2021
Free Metlink services for Christmas Eve, Day and New Years’ Eve travellers.
Metlink is offering free travel to all passengers travelling on all bus and train services on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
Bus passengers can tag on and off with their Snapper at no cost. Those visiting or without a Snapper card simply need to let the driver know where they’re going and will be given a $0 ticket.
Those travelling on the Johnsonville line as part of the Snapper on Rail trial can also tag on and off without being charged. Train passengers travelling on any other line can simply board and ride for free.
Both Christmas Eve train and bus services will run to their usual weekday timetables.
On Christmas Day bus services will run to a standard Sunday timetable in Wellington City, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kāpiti, and the Route 200 in the Wairarapa to a special timetable.
On New Year’s Eve bus services will run to a standard Saturday timetable in Wellington City, Hutt Valley, Porirua and Kāpiti and to a special timetable in the Wairarapa.
On Christmas Day train services on the Johnsonville and Hutt Valley lines will run to standard Sunday timetables. There will be no Melling or Wairarapa Line services. The Kāpiti Line will be replaced by bus.
On New Year’s Eve, train services on the Johnsonville, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa lines will run to standard Saturday timetables. The Melling Line will run hourly from 06:00am to 6:00pm. The Kāpiti Line will be replaced by bus.
East by West ferries are not included in the offer.
There’s no place like home for the holidays and with a likely influx of visitors to the region, the offer, extended this year to include Christmas Eve, is all about connecting family and friends for the festive season.
On including Christmas Eve in the offer this year, Scott Gallacher, Metlink’s General Manager explained “the day before Christmas means the roads will be busy and possibly quite frantic. Free travel on Metlink services means people can get home to each other safely and stress free before the special day or even for a last minute present finding mission to the shops.
“Tis the season for being together with loved ones and on the back of another year with less face to face family time, we wanted to help people re-connect on the big day and get home safely on the big night with free public transport across the region”.
A very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year from all of us at Metlink. Thank you all for your continued support throughout the year.” added Gallacher.
Christmas and New Year travellers can download a copy of the special timetable and find out more about Metlink services over the Christmas/New Year period at metlink.org.nz...
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Poll: Should all neighbours have to contribute to improvements?
An Auckland court has ruled a woman doesn’t have to contribute towards the cost of fixing a driveway she shares with 10 neighbours.
When thinking about fences, driveways or tree felling, for example, do you think all neighbours should have to pay if the improvements directly benefit them?
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82.2% Yes
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15.1% No
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2.7% Other - I'll share below
Kapiti Coast Distilled: A Family and Friends' Foraged Gin
In an exciting development for local spirits enthusiasts, Elsewhere Gin has released a limited edition Kapiti expression that truly captures the essence of our coastal region.
This unique gin, priced at $95 per bottle, is the result of a heartwarming collaboration between Elsewhere Gin and Mark Rose's parents and their friends in Kapiti who embarked on a community foraging adventure, handpicking an array of native botanicals including kohekohe, kauri tips, strawberry guava, horopito, and kawakawa. These locally sourced ingredients were combined with classic gin botanicals, lemon, and rosemary to create a spirit that is both familiar and distinctly Kapiti.
The gin offers a sensory journey through our coastal landscape. It opens with subtle vanilla notes from the kohekohe, followed by the sweetness of strawberry guava. The addition of horopito lends a peppery kick, while kawakawa adds a unique herbal complexity. The finish showcases the zesty lemon and aromatic rosemary that grow abundantly in our region.
"This gin is a love letter to Kapiti," says Rose. "It's not just my creation, but a true community effort. Every sip tells a story of our unique ecosystem, our shared knowledge, and the incredible flavors we have right here in our backyard."
With only a small batch produced, this Kapiti gin is expected to sell out quickly. It's more than just a drink; it's a bottled experience of our local terroir and community spirit, perfect for those who appreciate the finer aspects of craft spirits and the beauty of our coastal home.
Available exclusively through Elsewhere Gin, please contact Michael Anderson for this limited edition gin that offers a rare opportunity to taste the Kapiti coast - and its community - in a glass.
Michael Anderson
021 620 065
Email; michael.anderson@xtra.co.nz