Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Air Passes
With discounting being the norm these days, and a number of budget airlines now serving
the trans-Tasman route as well as the Pacific islands, the value of air passes isn't as red-
hot as in the past.
Available exclusively to travellers from the USA or Canada who have bought an Air
New Zealand fare to NZ from the USA or Canada, Australia or the Pacific Islands, Air
New Zealand offers the good-value
New Zealand Explorer Pass
. The pass lets you fly
between up to 27 destinations in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific islands (in-
cluding Norfolk Island, Tonga, Vanuatu, Tahiti, Fiji, Niue and the Cook Islands). Fares are
broken down into four discounted, distance-based zones: zone one flights start at US$79
(eg Auckland to Christchurch); zone two from US$109 (eg Auckland to Queenstown);
zone three from US$214 (eg Wellington to Sydney); and zone four from US$295 (eg Tahiti
to Auckland). You can buy the pass before you travel, or after you arrive in NZ.
Star Alliance
(
www.staralliance.com
)
offers the sector-based
South Pacific Airpass
,
valid for selected journeys within NZ, and between NZ, Australia and several Pacific is-
lands, including Fiji, New Caledonia, Tonga, the Cook Islands and Samoa. Passes are
available to nonresidents of these countries, must be issued outside NZ in conjunction
with Star Alliance international tickets, and are valid for three months. A typical
Sydney-Christchurch-Wellington-Auckland-Nadi pass cost NZ$1050 at the time of re-
search.
Bicycle
Touring cyclists proliferate in NZ, particularly over summer. The country is clean, green
and relatively uncrowded, and has lots of cheap accommodation (including camping) and
abundant fresh water. The roads are generally in good nick, and the climate is generally
not too hot or cold. Road traffic is the biggest danger: trucks overtaking too close to cyc-
lists are a particular threat. Bikes and cycling gear are readily available to rent or buy in
the main centres, as are bicycle repair shops.
By law all cyclists must wear an approved safety helmet (or risk a fine); it's also vital to
have good reflective safety clothing. Cyclists who use public transport will find that major
bus lines and trains only take bicycles on a 'space available' basis and charge up to $10.
Some of the smaller shuttle bus companies, on the other hand, make sure they have stor-
age space for bikes, which they carry for a surcharge.
If importing your own bike or transporting it by plane within NZ, check with the relevant
airline for costs and the degree of dismantling and packing required.
See
www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/ways/bike
for more bike safety and legal tips, and
Click
here
for info on Nga Haerenga, New Zealand Cycle Trail - a network of 22 'Great Rides'
across NZ.
