Transport

Transport

New Zealand Transport

Plan your New Zealand transport here. Choose from a range of options including vehicle hire, iconic train journeys, and ferry crossings.

If you book a holiday through NZ Travel Organiser, we include your transport in the package. In other words, we bundle together rental car hire, ferry crossings between the two islands (if required), and any other relevant transport.

In addition, we make the planning process easy by connecting different legs of transport together. For example:

• Interislander Ferry: Drop your North Island rental car off at the Wellington ferry terminal before boarding. Upon arrival in Picton, collect your South Island rental car for a seamless transition.
• TranzAlpine Train: At the end of your South Island holiday, drop off your rental car at Greymouth Train Station before boarding the TranzAlpine Train. Your holiday finishes in Christchurch, where the train ends.
• Stewart Island Flights: Leave your vehicle at Invercargill Airport during your stay on Stewart Island. Upon arrival, your accommodation will collect you from the airport.

Read on to choose the type of transportation that best suits your New Zealand holiday.

Self-Drive

Renting a car and exploring New Zealand independently offers a rewarding way to travel. This allows you to choose central accommodation in some destinations and more scenic, remote accommodation in others. In addition, renting your own vehicle gives you the chance to explore various scenic detours along the way.

We will help recommend the correct vehicle based on your group size and travel plans. For example, all ski packages include a 4WD vehicle capable of handling ski roads. In addition, winter vehicle hire on the South Island comes with snow chains and a ski rack.

Motorhome Travel

For some travellers, motorhome rentals allow for a fun, flexible style of travel. However, there are a few details to be aware of.

1. Once you factor in daily hire costs and nightly holiday park fees, motorhome travel is typically equal to or more expensive than standard self-drive holidays.
2. Most holiday parks lie outside the city centre. In other words, you may need to drive into town to visit restaurants and attractions. In places like Queenstown, you could struggle to find parking large enough to suit your vehicle.
3. Motorhome travel in winter may seem attractive because prices are cheaper. However, the temperature inside a motorhome is about the same as the outside air. In other words, you will be in for some very cold nights.

Train Journeys

Trains are not a practical means of transport in New Zealand. Instead, they offer iconic sightseeing journeys through some of the country’s most scenic regions.

The TranzAlpine Train is the most famous train journey in the country. Because of this, many of our South Island holiday packages finish with the train journey from Greymouth to Christchurch.

Ferries

Unless you choose to fly from the North Island to the South Island, you will need to take the Interislander Ferry between the two. This scenic crossing takes just three hours and offers spectacular views along the way.

M0st rental car companies don’t allow their vehicles onto the Interislander Ferry, so we book your vehicle for a drop-off in Wellington and a pick-up in Picton (or vice versa).

Another ferry you might consider is the Stewart Island Ferry. This offers easy access to New Zealand’s ‘third island,’ located off the southern tip of the South Island. However, many travellers choose to fly to Stewart Island due to the notoriously rough ocean crossing.

Contact New Zealand Travel Organiser to plan your transport throughout the country. Or book a convenient holiday package with all transport bundled together.