Wellington Region - New Zealand's North Island - page 762

to the Interislander from platform 9 at Wellington train station (where long-distance buses
also depart). It also meets arriving ferries, returning passengers to platform 9. There's also
a taxi stand at the terminal.
Car-hire companies allow you to pick up/drop off vehicles at ferry terminals. If you ar-
rive outside business hours, arrangements can be made to collect your vehicle from the
terminal car park.
Bluebridge Ferries ( 04-471 6188, 0800 844 844; www.bluebridge.co.nz ; 50 Waterloo Quay) Crossing takes
3½ hours; up to four sailings in each direction daily. Cars and campervans from $118; mo-
torbikes $51; bicycles $10. Passenger fares from adult/child $51/26.
Interislander ( 0800 802 802, 04-498 3302; www.interislander.co.nz ; Aotea Quay) Crossing takes three
hours 10 minutes; up to five sailings in each direction daily. Cars are priced from $118;
campervans (up to 5.5m) from $133; motorbikes from $56; bicycles $15. Passenger fares
start from adult/child $55/28.
BUS
Wellington is a major bus-travel hub, with InterCity ( 04-385 0520; www.intercity.co.nz ) boasting
the most extensive network. Services depart from platform 9 at the train station north to
Auckland (11 hours) and all major towns in between and beyond such as Palmerston
North (2¼ hours), Rotorua (7½ hours), and Napier (5½ hours). Buy tickets from the Inter-
city ticket window in the train station, or online for discounted fares.
Naked Bus ( 0900 625 33; www.nakedbus.com ) runs north from Wellington to all major North
Island destinations, including Palmerston North (2½ hours), Napier (five hours), Taupo
(6½ hours) and Auckland (11½ hours), with myriad stops en route. Buses depart from op-
posite the Amora Hotel in Wakefield St, and collect more passengers at Bunny St opposite
the railway station. Book online or at Wellington i-SITE; get in early for the cheapest
fares.
TRAIN
Wellington train station has six ticket windows ( 0800 801 700; 6.30am-8pm Mon-Thu, to 1am Fri
& Sat, to 7pm Sun) , two selling tickets for KiwiRail Scenic Journeys ( 04-495 0775, 0800 872 467;
www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz ) trains, Interislander ferries and InterCity coaches; the other four tick-
eting local/regional Tranz Metro ( 0800 801 700; www.tranzmetro.co.nz ) trains (Johnsonville,
Melling, Hutt Valley, Kapiti and Wairarapa lines).
KiwiRail Scenic runs the just-hanging-in-there Northern Explorer service from Wel-
lington to Auckland on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, returning from Auckland on