Some bus and ferry services are to start up again in greater Christchurch on Thursday, and will be free for the first two weeks.
Canterbury Regional Council says limited services will be offered on northern bus routes, and western and southern routes, between 7am and 7pm.
Eastern suburbs will be serviced by Metrostar, the Number 60 service, and the Orbiter, although services will be limited because of the poor state of the roads.
The northern service will operate from a terminus on Bealey Avenue between Durham Street North and Montreal Street.
The western and southern services will operate from a terminus near Christchurch Hospital on Hagley Avenue. A shuttle bus will link them.
Key routes remain disrupted
Thirty-three Christchurch roads are closed or partly closed because of earthquake damage, as well as those inside the cordoned-off city centre.
About 59km of roading is affected, including major routes such as Avonside Drive, Woodham Road, Pages Road and roads around the Port Hills.
Christchurch City Council says in many cases, it is not just the road itself that needs repairs, but also the water and sewage pipes beneath them.
The work is being co-ordinated so all damaged infrastructure is repaired at the same time. The work is expected to take months to complete.
Meanwhile, police have issued a fresh appeal for people to keep vehicle journeys to a minimum.
Superintendent Dave Cliff says many of the roads that are open are clogged with traffic for much of the day, and while it is good to see people returning to their normal routines, the route need to be clear for emergency vehicles.
Interislander adds extra sailings
Meanwhile, the Interislander ferry company has added sailings to its weekend schedule after last week's quake.
It says its three ferries have carried almost 400 earthquake personnel, about 180 vehicles and 150 metres of rail freight south.
Interislander say it has experienced an increase in passenger numbers as it helps the Red Cross and Work and Income relocate families who lost their homes in the quake.
