Last Updated: 1/4/21 | January 4th, 2021
New Zealand is an easy country to navigate. Buses go everywhere, automobiles constantly pick up hitchhikers, campervans are easy to rent, and backpacker bus tours zigzag around the country.
Plus, there are trains and planes.
In short, there’s no shortage of transportation options.
On my last trip to new Zealand, I used almost every one of these options. Today, I want to share the pros and cons of each (as well as some estimated prices) so you know how to get around new Zealand in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible!
Backpacker Tours
One of the most popular ways travelers get across new Zealand is by backpacker bus. These buses offer a hop-on/hop-off service that allows travelers both the flexibility to go at their own pace and the convenience of having activities and accommodation organized for them. new Zealand has two major hop-on/hop-off buses: The Kiwi Experience and Stray.
The Kiwi Experience – The Kiwi Experience is the biggest and most popular backpacker bus in new Zealand. It attracts mainly young gap-year travelers. I like how they go out of their way to make sure everyone socializes and gets to know each other: the drivers play a lot of games and icebreakers, and there are group dinners most nights. The downside is that: (a) the buses seat around 55 people, and when they’re full, they get a little bit cliquey (and during the busy season, the bus is pretty much always full); and (b) the passengers are really focused on getting drunk (the bus’s affectionate nickname is “The green Fuck Bus”), hence why so many young people take it. I’d say if you’re 25 or younger (or just looking for a party), this bus is for you. tours range from 2-28 days and cost between 85-1,799 NZD per person.
Stray travel – stray has smaller buses, providing a more intimate setting and making it easier to meet people. While there are many gap-year travelers on the bus, stray get more older, independent travelers. The bus drivers don’t play as many games or have as many icebreakers, making it a bit awkward when you first step on the bus alone and aren’t an extrovert. If you aren’t really looking to party a lot or want to spend time with more mature travelers, stray is for you. tours range from 10-24 days and cost between 1,000-2,400 NZD per person.
For a small-group tours that caters to more than just the backpacker crowd, check out Haka Tours. They offer some epic adventure tours all around the country and are a good choice for travelers looking to get their adrenaline pumping.
Trains
New Zealand has three train lines: northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific, and TranzAlpine. These are not commuter trains but scenic train rides: they come with viewing platforms, audio commentary, information packets, and big windows for taking photos.
Here are some example prices (in NZD):
Rute
Adult (One-Way)
Child (One-Way)
Northern Explorer
(Auckland-Wellington)
159
79
Coastal Pacific
(Christchurch-Picton)
99
69
TranzAlpine
(Christchurch-Greymouth)
109
76
Prices will vary based on when you book. expect prices to be upwards of 50% more expensive if booked last minute.
I took the TranzAlpine across the South Island. It had been a dream of mine to do since my first check out in 2010 and I loved every minute of it. It lived up to all the hype. You pass rivers and mountains, cross gorges, and roll through vibrant green farmland. It was a really peaceful, informative, and scenic way to get across the South Island and made me wish there were more trains around the country (come on, NZ, you can do it!).
This isn’t the most efficient or cheapest way to get around (heck, the northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington is 11 hours!) but it’s worth every penny. It’s an incredibly scenic way to see the country.
Buses
If you aren’t renting a car, buses are the best and cheapest way to get around new Zealand. Buses stop in every town, and there are frequent departures from even the smallest cities.
InterCity, new Zealand’s largest public bus network, is your main option. skip Bus, a low-cost coach bus similar to Megabus, is available on the North Island and has over a dozen stops, making it another budget-friendly choice if you’re shopping for tickets. (Note: as of January 2021, skip Bus service is suspended due to COVID-19).
These are some example InterCity ticket costs for sample routes to help you budget (prices in NZD):
Routes (One-Way)
Last-Minute Booking
Advanced Booking
Christchurch-Picton
81
61
Christchurch-Queenstown
115
57
Auckland-Wellington
76
46
Auckland-Taupo
70
42
Franz Josef-Wanaka
55
35
Auckland-Rotorua
58
32
Auckland-Bay of Islands
43
29
Taupo-Wellington
78
57
Prices exclude booking fees.
InterCity has two travel passes, both of which valid for up to 12 months: FlexiPass, an hours-based bus pass (10-80 hours) designed for backpackers and independent travelers; and the TravelPass, a fixed-route pass that’s only good for spots on that specific route.
The FlexiPass costs between 98-561 NZD ($69-395 USD). You can top up your hours if you run out. The TravelPass costs between 125-549 NZD ($88-386 USD).
With the InterCity TravelPass, you can stop anywhere along the route. For example, if your pass includes travel between Picton and Christchurch, you could do Picton to Blenheim, Blenheim to Kaikoura, and Kaikoura to Christchurch all on one trip.
I bought a 15-hour FlexiPass. adding up my journeys on the South Island individually, the price of my tickets would have been 172 NZD. I paid 135 NZD so the pass did save me money. However, there’s a caveat: you can only use the FlexiPass on InterCity buses, and on the South Island they contract out a lot of routes, so I couldn’t use my pass on most of the routes to Milford Sound, Mt. Cook, or Bluff (to get to Stewart Island).
So what’s a traveler to do?
If you’re booking far in advance and getting the low-cost discount fares, don’t buy a pass. I’d also skip the big fixed-route pass, as they don’t offer value when compared to other giant passes or tour operators.
I’d buy a FlexiPass since it is hours-based and valid for up to twelve months. combine that with other low-cost tickets bought far in advance, ridesharing, or anything else. mix and match what you do for optimal savings. use the pass for expensive routes and cheaper options for other, shorter routes!
Flying
Flying in new Zealand isn’t that cheap, as there are only two companies that dominate the entire market: Air new Zealand and Jetstar — and on most routes, it’s just Air new Zealand. While you can find some low-cost fares on shorter routes or by booking a few months in advance, unless you are really pressed for time or traveling from island to island, I’d skip flying.
Here are prices for some popular one-way routes when booked in advance (prices in NZD):
Routes (One-Way)
Air NZ
Jetstar
Auckland-Queenstown
65
44
Auckland-Christchurch
98
41
Auckland-Wellington
60
39
Queenstown-Christchurch
49
163
Queenstown-Wellington
54
49
Christchurch-Wellington
50
35
Auckland-Queenstown
71
52
Campervans and automobile Rentals
Campervans litter new Zealand, especially on the nature-heavy South Island, where people hike and camp, because they serve as accommodation and transportation all in one, and for budget-conscious travelers, that’s a win-win. There are five main rental agencies:
Jucy
Travellers Autobarn
Spaceships
Britz
Wicked Campers
Jucy is the most dominant in the country; I saw more of its automobiles and vans than any other company.
Prices vary a lot. Your daily rate will change depending on where you pick the vehicle up, if you are dropping it off at a different place, how long you are renting it for, how far in advance you book, and when you book (going during the high season? prices seem to double!). You need a degree in accounting to figure out how these companies price their cars!
Here are sample daily rates for when you pick up and drop-off at the same location (prices in NZD):
Rental Type
Jucy
Ond
Spaceships
Britz
Traveller’s Autobarn
Bil
29/day
i en uge
25/day
i en måned
23/day
N/A
N/A
44/day
i en uge
33/day
i en måned
2-Person
Camper
50/day
i en uge
46/day
i en måned
38/day
i en uge
26/day
i en måned
46/day
i en uge
37/day
i en måned
170/day
i en uge
145/day
i en måned
86/day
i en uge
45/day
i en måned
3-Person
Camper
140/day
i en uge
130/day
i en måned
N/A
84/day
i en uge
78/day
i en måned
159/day
i en uge
132/day
i en måned
104/day
i en uge
75/day
i en måned
4-5-Person
Camper
120/day
i en uge
111/day
i en måned
N/A
N/A
170/day
i en uge
142/day
i en måned
131/day
i en uge
80/day
i en måned
Here are sample daily rates for when you pick up and drop-off at a different location:
Rental Type
Jucy
Ond
Spaceships
Britz
Traveller’s Autobarn
Bil
29/day
(when booked
i en måned)
23/day
N/A
N/A
49/day
for 10 days
33/day
i en måned
2-Person
Camper
47/day
(when booked
i en måned)
38/day
i en uge
26/day
i en måned
46/day
i en uge
37/day
i en måned
262/day
i en uge
185/day
i en måned
71/day
for 10 days
45/day
i en måned
3-Person
Camper
130/day
(when booked
i en måned)
N/A
78/day
i en uge
84/day
i en måned
160/day
i en uge
132/day
i en måned
104/day
for 10 days
60/day
i en måned
4-5-Person
Camper
111/day
(when booked
i en måned)
N/A
N/A
172/day
i en uge
145/day
i en måned
120/day
for 10 days
73/day
i en måned
If you drive, getting a campervan is going to be one of the most economical way to get around. You’ll be able to use your van/car as accommodation, pick up travelers to split the cost of gas, and maybe find travel partners to split the cost of the vehicle itself. If you are spending $70 NZD per day for a Jucy campervan that can fit three people, that’s a savings of up to 50% compared to a hostelog Daily Bus Ride, der sætter dig tilbage $ 30-50 om dagen.
Hvis du bruger en campervan, skal du huske at downloade den fantastiske camperkammerat -app, der giver dig mulighed for at finde nærliggende campingpladser, tankstationer og dumpstationer.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking er let i New Zealand. Det er en af de vigtigste måder at komme rundt på, og der er masser af mennesker, der vil hente dig (hvis du rejser solo eller sammen med nogen. Grupper, der er større end 2 personer, vil kæmpe for at finde en tur).
Derudover kan du bare bede om ethvert hostel om en tur – alle laver det samme kredsløb og vil være glade for at have en anden person til at opdele gasomkostninger med. Vandrerhjem har normalt bestyrelser, hvor du også kan finde rideshare -tilbud. Jeg gik fra Wanaka til Queenstown til Fiordland på et indfald og havde ikke nogen problemer (jeg så masser af andre backpackere gøre det samme også).
Tjek desuden tommelfingrene op NZ eller Carpool New Zealand Ridesharing -apps.
***
Der er mange måder at komme rundt i New Zealand på. Hvis du har det godt med at køre, skal du leje en bil eller campervan. Vil du ikke køre? Bus det eller få forlystelser med andre rejsende – nogen er altid på udkig efter at opdele omkostningerne ved gas!
Uanset hvad, vil du ikke have problemer med at komme fra punkt A til B, selvom du vågner op og har brug for bære den samme dag! New Zealand er et let land at rejse, og med en vis planlægning behøver det ikke at bryde banken!
Book din rejse til New Zealand: logistiske tip og tricks
Book din flyvning
Brug Skyscanner eller Momondo til at finde en billig flyvning. De er mine to foretrukne søgemaskiner, fordi de søger på websteder og flyselskaber over hele kloden, så du ved altid, at der ikke er nogen sten, der ikke er vendt. Start dog med Skyscanner først, fordi de har den største rækkevidde!
Book din indkvartering
Du kan booke dit hostel med HostelWorld, da de har de største lager og bedste tilbud. Hvis du vil bo et andet sted end et vandrerhjem, skal du bruge Booking.com, da de konsekvent returnerer de billigste priser for gæstehuse og billige hoteller. Mine yndlingssteder at bo er:
Nomads (Queenstown)
Urbanz (Christchurch)
Rainbow Lodge (Taupo)
Hvis du leder efter flere steder at bo, er her en komplet liste over mine foretrukne vandrerhjem i New Zealand.
Glem ikke rejseforsikring
Rejseforsikring vil beskytte dig mod sygdom, skade, tyveri og aflysninger. Det er omfattende beskyttelse, hvis noget går galt. Jeg tager aldrig på en tur uden den, da jeg har været nødt til at bruge den mange gange i fortiden. Mine yndlingsfirmaer, der tilbyder den bedste service og værdi, er:
Sikkerhedsfløj (for alle under 70)
Forsikre min rejse (for dem over 70)
Medjet (til yderligere hjemsendelse af hjemsendelse)
Leder du efter de bedste virksomheder til at spare penge med?
Tjek min ressourceside for de bedste virksomheder, der skal bruges, når du rejser. Jeg viser alle dem, jeg bruger til at spare penge, når jeg er på vej. De sparer dig penge, når du også rejser.
Vil du have mere information om New Zealand?
Sørg for at tjekke vores robuste destinationsguide til New Zealand for endnu flere planlægningstips!
