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Touring New Zealand------Transport OptionsNov 29 '01 (Updated Jan 22 '03) Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line New Zealand is such a diverse landscape that you need to travel the length and breadth of the country to see all it has to offer. Half the fun of taking a holiday is in the planning! I’ve heard this said countless times and initially it is exciting but after a while it becomes time consuming and overwhelming. Hours and hours spent poring over search engine results, looking through brochures and reading travelogues can leave you travel weary before you have even left home. I have tried to put a few things together to make it easier to research your trip before you leave home. Flying This is the quickest and easiest way to get around NZ but it will cost you a pretty penny. Some domestic flights are more expensive then flying to Australia. It is ludicrous! If you book in advance you get cheaper flights but it has to be at least 21 days in advance so arrangements should be made before you leave home. Check with your travel agent about Air Passes. These might be available to international travellers but will have to be purchased before you leave home. Ask about the explore New Zealand Air Pass or check the website. These passes can only be bought out of New Zealand. Air New Zealand is the only airline left on the domestic market. They have extensive coverage of the country and service the main cities and rural centres as well. There is talk of Virgin Blue showing an interest but Air New Zealand have launched their cut price airline Freedom Air as a counter punch. Freedom only fly between the main centres AUCKLAND, WELLINGTON, CHRISTCHURCH, DUNEDIN . WEBSITES Air New Zealand-------- www.airnewzealand.com Freedom Air------------- www.freedomair.com Rail NZ train services are limited to the main centres. There is a good service provided up and down the country as long as you are content to stick to the main trunk line. WEBSITES www.tranzrail.co.nz www.tranzscenic.co.nz Bus This is a popular means of travel here, there are numerous ‘coach tours’ and package tours up and down the country but for the independent traveller there are the public transport busses. They provide fairly good, regular coverage of the country and if you incorporate the bus and train services, you can just about get anywhere. WEBSITES www.intercitycoach.co.nz Travel passes There are two that I know of that cover bus, train and interisland ferries. These are worth buying if this is going to be your main mode of transport. It makes it easier all round to have the one pass as opposed to buying tickets etc for every leg of your journey. WEBSITES www.travelpass.co.nz www.bestpass.co.nz Backpacker’s buses ------- Hop on / Hop off buses There are a few of these around now. They are a very popular way of seeing some of the out of the way parts of the country. Mainly used by the 18-30 age group so you can use your own judgement about this mode of transport. You can use them as a full on tour and stick with them for accommodation as well or just use then as a means of getting from A to B. They use Backpackers Hostels as their pick-up /drop off sites and it’s good alternative to public transport as they go to a lot of ‘out of the way spots’ and attractions. WEBSITES Kiwi Experience----- www.kiwiexperience.com Magic Bus------------ www.magicbus.co.nz Self Drive New Zealand is a small country but don’t be fooled, it may look harmless on the map but once you get going you will find it quite taxing on your driving skills and wearying on your body. The distances between cities is short in comparison to the USA and Australia but the roads are narrow and winding, there are no long straight multi-laned interstates and freeways, you have to make do with the odd passing lane every few miles or so and make a mad dash to pass the line of logging trucks and campervans in front of you. Nothing beats the freedom of driving yourself around while on holiday and if you aren’t easily intimidated, it is the only way to go. If your idea of a great drive is California’s Pacific Coast highway or Colorado’s Million Dollar highway you will be in your element on NZ’s roads. Car Rental Companies are everywhere. The major firms are Hertz, Avis, Budget etc; their prices are pretty much the same and you have the security of their name and reputation. There are lots of cheaper companies if you are prepared to shop around when you get here. If dealing with the big companies see if your travel agent can get you a good deal. Bear in mind that the $NZ is very low against most currencies so don’t be lulled into thinking you are getting a good deal in your own currency. I heard of some travel agencies not passing on the benefits of the low $ NZ to their clients so just double-check over the Internet if you can. WEBSITES www.budget.co.nz www.hertz.co.nz www.avis.com Campervans Campervans are a popular choice if you want to get off the beaten track. In the long run it would work in your favour as you combine transport and accommodation in one go. If you are prepared to meander along at an easy pace and have the time up your sleeve, this is a good alternative to a car. WEBSITES www.maui-rentals.co.nz www.keacampers.com www.britz.com Motorbikes If you fancy touring the country on a bike there are a couple of rental firms to check out. There are also organised tours available with a guide to show you around if you would prefer. WEBSITES www.nzbike.com www.1800nz.com/motorcycles www.GoTourNZ.com Bicycles If you prefer to get around under your own steam a biking tour might be the one for you. A surprisingly large amount of people do tour NZ this way but I would imagine a good level of fitness would be requires as NZ terrain is rather challenging to say the least. You might get a good deal at a cycle shop on a 2nd hand bike. Some shops will sell under the ‘buy back scheme’, this works out quite well as you will receive ½ the purchase price back on return of the bike….depending on the condition of the bike. If you prefer you can rent bikes instead WEBSITES www.bicyclerentals.co.nz Hitching This is an option a lot of people use but my hitching days are long gone. Lots of truckies will stop for hitchers and it is still a viable way of getting around the country. Please be careful and it is safer to have a companion then to go it alone. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because you are in NZ. In any society there is the criminal element that target tourists as easy prey. They will stop to give you a ride and then turn around and rob you. If you are staying in hostels always check out the notice boards, you might meet up with other travellers wanting to share petrol costs etc. One last website to check is www.purenz.com. This is a great site for planning the perfect New Zealand adventure. ========================== More reviews. Driving in New Zealand - http://www.epinions.com/content_2863177860 Cook Strait ferries - http://www.epinions.com/content_2947260548  |
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