Estimate what Auckland's proposed time-of-use (congestion) charging could cost you. The proposed charge applies only at peak times, sits between $3.50 and $5.00 per trip, and is capped at a maximum of two charged trips per day. Enter how often you would be charged and see the cost per day, week, month and year.
The scheme is not yet finalised, so the per-trip charge below is fully editable. Adjust it to model different rates as the proposal develops.
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Updated June 2026
Based on the Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Act 2025 and the proposed Auckland scheme.
1. Your Charged Trips
$
2. How Often You Travel
Your Estimated Congestion Charge
Per Day
-
On a charged day
Per Week
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At your weekly pattern
Per Month
-
Annual cost ÷ 12
Per Year
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Across the weeks you travel
Important: these figures are indicative only. The enabling law, the Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Act 2025, came into force in November 2026, but Auckland's scheme is not finalised. The proposed charge is $3.50 to $5.00 per trip at peak times only, capped at two charged trips per day. A final council decision is expected around 2028, and the rate, charged hours, zone boundary, and any exemptions or discounts could all change. The per-trip charge above is editable so you can model different scenarios. This is an estimate, not advice or an official figure.
Annual Cost at Different Per-Trip Charges
Charge per trip
Per day
Per week
Per month
Per year
Your Inputs
Charged trips per day-
Peak charge per trip-
Days per week charged-
Weeks per year-
Charged days per year-
Cost Breakdown
Cost per charged day-
Cost per week-
Cost per month (avg)-
Total charged trips per year-
Total per year-
Summary:Enter your details above.
What Is Auckland's Congestion Charge?
A congestion charge, formally called time-of-use charging, is a fee for driving on the busiest roads at the busiest times. The aim is to spread traffic more evenly across the day so the network flows better, rather than to raise revenue for its own sake. Drivers who can shift their trip earlier, later, or onto public transport avoid the charge, which frees up road space for those who genuinely need to travel at peak.
For Auckland, the charge being proposed applies only during peak periods and only when you cross the charged area. Crucially for households, it is capped at a maximum of two charged trips per day, so a typical commuter driving in and home again would face at most two charges, not one for every separate trip.
How Much Could It Cost?
The figure being discussed is between $3.50 and $5.00 per trip at peak. Because the cap is two trips a day, the most a daily commuter would pay is roughly double the per-trip rate. The table below shows how the per-trip rate flows through to a weekly, monthly and yearly cost using this calculator's logic.
Scenario
Per day
Per year (5 days, 48 weeks)
1 trip/day at $3.50
$3.50
$840
1 trip/day at $5.00
$5.00
$1,200
2 trips/day at $3.50
$7.00
$1,680
2 trips/day at $5.00 (the cap)
$10.00
$2,400
These figures assume you are charged on a typical five-day week for 48 weeks of the year. Travelling fewer days, fewer weeks, or outside the charged peak hours reduces the total.
When Does It Start?
The Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Act 2025 came into force in November 2026. That Act is the legal framework that allows a scheme to be created, but it does not turn charging on by itself. Auckland Transport, Auckland Council and the Government still need to design the scheme, run public consultation, and reach a final decision, which is expected around 2028. Until that happens, no congestion charge is being collected and no firm charging start date has been confirmed.
How the Charge Works Day to Day
Peak only: the charge would apply during defined morning and afternoon peak windows. Off-peak travel would not be charged.
Crossing the area: you are charged when you cross the charged zone boundary during a peak period.
Daily cap: a maximum of two charged trips per day, so additional peak trips beyond two would not add cost.
Indicative rate: the proposed $3.50 to $5.00 per trip is not yet final and could change before any scheme goes live.
How This Calculator Works
The calculator multiplies your charged trips per day by your peak charge per trip to get a daily cost. It multiplies that by your charged days per week, then by the weeks per year you travel, to get an annual total. The monthly figure is the annual total divided by 12, so it averages out weeks with leave. Because every assumption can change as the scheme is designed, treat the output as a planning estimate and update the per-trip charge as new information is released.
Worked Example
Using the default settings of 1 charged trip per day at $5.00, 5 days a week, for 48 weeks: the daily cost is 1 x $5.00 = $5.00. The weekly cost is $5.00 x 5 = $25.00. The annual cost is $25.00 x 48 = $1,200.00, and the monthly average is $1,200.00 / 12 = $100.00. If you were charged both ways (2 trips a day, the cap) at the same rate, every figure would double: $10.00 a day, $50.00 a week, $200.00 a month and $2,400.00 a year.
Sources: Auckland Transport time-of-use charging (at.govt.nz). Ministry of Transport time-of-use charging (transport.govt.nz). Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Act 2025 (legislation.govt.nz).
This calculator provides indicative estimates only. Auckland's time-of-use (congestion) charging scheme is not finalised and the proposed $3.50 to $5.00 per-trip charge, charged hours, zone boundary, daily cap, and any exemptions or discounts may change before any scheme is introduced. A final decision is expected around 2028. This is an estimate, not financial or legal advice. Check at.govt.nz and transport.govt.nz for official information.
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