Helping Passengers Requiring Special Assistance

We welcome passengers requiring special assistance and will do our best to assist you in any way we can. 

As our drivers travel alone, we do have some limitations regarding the level of assistance we are able to provide, and therefore passengers must be able to board and disembark the bus without assistance from the driver.

Passengers who require somebody to assist them on and off the bus must arrange for this assistance at pick-up and drop-off points.

For health and safety reasons, drivers are not permitted to assist in carrying of passengers. Passengers are advised that InterCity operates buses designed for long distance travel and that these vehicles may feature steps into the bus, as well as internal stairways to passenger seating areas.

Passengers must be cognitively capable of travelling alone on InterCity's long distance public transport services.  Passengers are advised that InterCity drivers are unable to supervise passengers during rest stops and service connections, and that it is the passenger's responsibility to ensure they disembark the coach at the correct destination stop.

We recommend you contact us before travelling to discuss your assistance requirements so that we can provide the best possible level of service.

Boarding an InterCity Bus

InterCity’s touring style bus are different from the urban buses that you may be familiar with.  InterCity mainly operates two types of buses – single deck and double deck.

Single deck buses

  • The driver will use the “kneeling” function to bring the coach as close as possible to the curb level.  
  • There is a set of internal stairs up into the passenger cabin (the passenger cabin sits above the checked luggage compartment).  There are handrails that you can use to help climb the stairs. .

Double deck buses

  • The driver will use the “kneeling” function to bring the bus as close as possible to the curb level.  
  • There are no internal stairs for the seats in the lower deck cabin, but there are internal stairs to the upper deck cabin.  
  • Most of our double deck buses have the GOLD seats in the lower deck, but on some double deck coaches, the GOLD seats are located in the upper deck.

Which type of bus will you be travelling on?

  • Our buses move around the country according to operational and service patterns.
  • Get in touch with us and we can give you an indication of the type of bus that is currently scheduled to operate the service and date that you are interested in.  Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee a specific coach type as changes do occur from time to time, for operational and maintenance reasons.

Travelling with Wheelchairs or Mobility Scooters

If your wheelchair or mobility scooter can collapse down to fit within our Checked Luggage conditions it can be counted towards your Checked Luggage entitlement.  If it cannot be collapsed down to fit our Checked Luggage size and weight dimensions, it will be regarded as Oversize Luggage. Please refer to our Checked Luggage Terms and Conditions for more information.

Travelling on InterCity GOLD

Some InterCity GOLD buses are double deckers, with standard seating available on the top deck only. Others have standard seating on the lower deck and a mixture of GOLD and standard seats on the top deck. Please contact us if you wish to book a standard seat and have concerns about mobility.

Blind and Visually Impaired Travellers

Please contact us prior to travel if your sight is impaired so that we can inform the driver. Discounted travel is also available for Blind Low Vision NZ members by calling our National Contact Centre.

Travelling with a Service Dog

Certified service dogs are permitted to travel on all InterCity services when they are accompanying and assisting a person with a disability, under the following conditions:

  • The dog must wear an identification tag with the owner's name, address and telephone number
  • If asked, you must be able to provide proof that the dog is a certified service dog from an organisation recognised by the NZ Dog Control Act
  • The dog must be controlled by a choker chain at all times
  • During the journey your dog must be restrained by threading their lead through the seat belt or around the seat bar located under the seat

Please prepare the dog for the journey by exercising and limiting its fluid intake for several hours before boarding the bus.