Getting Around



There are lots of transport options available - you could book a tour or buy a bus pass, buy or hire a car (but be sure you know the law!) or a freedom camper.

Most places in the country are accessible by bus, but some more remote areas can be a bit harder to get to. There are specialist backpackers’ bus companies that offer unique travel routes and experiences. Check out our Hot Deals page for current deals.

Cycle tours and cycle travel have become more and more popular over recent years. If you plan to use a bike for transport, be sure to plan your routes carefully. We have many rough gravel roads and travel times can be much longer than you might expect because of hilly terrain. Having said that, a bike can get you to some amazing places!

Hitchhiking has become less and less popular, however, mostly because of safety concerns. Be particularly cautious about hitching if you are a woman travelling alone. You can still hitch in most parts of New Zealand (just not on motorways), but when all’s said and done, now that there are so many other ways to get around, why risk getting left on the side of the road at dusk when you could be sitting inside a cozy lodge having a drink and chatting with like-minded people?

North Island transport
Northland region transport Rotorua region transport Taranaki region transport
Auckland region transport Eastland region transport Wanganui region transport
Coromandel region transport Hawke's Bay region transport Manawatu region transport
Waikato/Hamilton region transport Taupo region transport Wairarapa region transport
Bay of Plenty region transport Ruapehu region transport Wellington region transport
South Island transport
Nelson region transport Timaru region transport Queenstown region transport
Marlborough region transport Waitaki region transport Fiordland region transport
Christchurch/Canterbury region transport Dunedin/Clutha region transport Southland region transport
West Coast region transport Central Otago region transport Stewart Island region transport
Mt Cook Mackenzie region transport Wanaka region transport
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