Best way to travel in New Zealand???

Question

whats the best way to travel through New Zealand other than renting a car?? Is there a good rail or bus service in NZ

Answer 1

Umm. I would suggest hitch hiking

Answer 2

there isnt one company that caters for the whole of new zealand which makes it very hard the best way to get around is to rent a car im sorry but it is the easist

Answer 3

My suggestion is the company Atomic Shuttles. They go anywhere, and are good, and even cheap. Just buses, really.

Answer 4

Everyone has suggested some good ways to get around NZ I have included this link about all the transport in NZ so check it out.

http://www.tourism.net.nz/transport/

this site is about back packing and hiking around NZ it is really interesting Im sure you'll find what your looking for,

http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/

however if your still stuck for transport then this site may be of some help,

http://www.turners.co.nz/

well good luck I hope you find what your looking for and happy holidaying!

Answer 5

i haven't found any good bus services but the trains are good they just don't go everywhere in NZ but i have travelled by camper van and i found that that was the best way

Answer 6

Rail transport is rubbish.Stick with buses,various types are available like intercity(city to city destinations nationally) or backpacking buses are good-kiwiexperience is great for the young partying crowd.Magic and stray buses are very good for the more laid back travellers.All cover both islands and you can get to most places with them.

Otherwise buying a car or sharing driving with other travellers are great options.Hitch hiking as a last resort.

Hope it helps

Answer 7

there are sum really awesum scenic train journeys through nz....

http://www.scenicpacific.co.nz/tranzalpi...

Answer 8

check out www.excitingjourneys.com

Answer 9

Renting or buying a car is really the only way to travel around NZ.  Public transport is non-existent in rural areas, motoring is cheaper than in most countries and public transport, especially flying, is expensive.  Some interesting, under-rated places are off the beaten track and inaccessible by public transport.  But the best public transport is backpacker buses.  For instance, down at this end of the country we've got the Bottom Bus which will take you door to door between Dunedin, round the coast of Otago and Southland (the Southern Scenic Route), Invercargill, Riverton, Tuatapere, Manapouri and Te Anau.  These backpacker buses are reasonably priced.

Answer 10

It depends on how long you'll be there. If you're going to be there for a month or longer, I'd definitely recommend buying a car. There are several backpacker car markets in the major cities with used cars from people who have done the same thing and are ready to sell their cars. You can also look on trademe.co.nz (New Zealand's answer to Ebay). I bought a 1995 station wagon for $1300NZ two years ago and sold it for $1800 three months later. Insurance is also cheap; the basic liability package was $7 a month.

I'd also recommend renting a car if you don't want the hassle of having a car to sell before you leave. So many of New Zealand's treasures are off the beaten path, and having your own car gives you the freedom to take back roads, go where you want and set your own itinerary. You can often find people to share the cost of gas/petrol who are looking for rides at hostels along the way.

If buying/renting a car doesn't sound like something you'd want to do, I'd look into the backpacker buses. The NZ bus network isn't great, and the backpacker buses go everywhere you generally want to go and also have a built-in crowd to make friends with and travel with. However, the crowds on the bus can be more interesting in partying than in taking in New Zealand's sights.

Answer 11

i took intercity and it worked  great for me!