Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
plane within NZ, check with the relevant airline for costs and the degree of dismantling and
packing required.
Rental
The rates offered by most outfits for renting road or mountain bikes range from $10
to $20 per hour and $30 to $50 per day. Longer-term rentals are often available by negoti-
ation.
Boat
NZ may be an island nation but there's virtually no long-distance water transport around the
country. Obvious exceptions include the boat services between Auckland and various islands
in the Hauraki Gulf, the inter-island ferries that chug across Cook Strait between Wellington
and Picton, and the passenger ferry that negotiates Foveaux Strait between Bluff and the
town of Oban on Stewart Island.
Bus
Bus travel in NZ is relatively easy and well organised, with services transporting you to the
far reaches of both islands (including the start/end of various walking tracks), but it can be
expensive, tedious and time-consuming.
drive you to just about anywhere on the North and South Islands. They also offer discounts
for YHA, BBH and VIP backpacker members.
Naked Bus
( 0900 625 33;
www.nakedbus.com
)
is the main competition, a budget operator with fares as low as $1 (!). The
best prices are generally available online, booked a few weeks in advance.
Many provincial routes are serviced by smaller, local bus and shuttle bus operators, some
of which provide scheduled and on-demand tramper transport services, as detailed for each
tramp within this topic.
NATIONWIDE PASSES
Flexipass
A hop-on, hop-off InterCity pass, allowing travel to pretty much anywhere in NZ,
in any direction. The pass is purchased in blocks of travel time: minimum 15 hours ($117),
maximum 60 hours ($449). The average cost of each block becomes cheaper the more hours
you buy. You can top up the pass if you need more time.
Flexitrips
An InterCity bus-pass system whereby you purchase a specific number of bus
trips (eg Auckland to Tauranga would count as one trip) in blocks of five, with or without
the north-south ferry trip included. Including the ferry, 5/15/30 trips cost $210/383/550
(subtract $54 if you don't need the ferry).
Aotearoa Adventurer
,
Kiwi Explorer
,
Kia Ora New Zealand
and
Tiki Tour New Zeal-
and
Hop-on, hop-off, fixed-itinerary nationwide passes offered by InterCity. These passes
