Most people visiting New Zealand hire a campervan or car to explore this amazing country. While this gives you the most freedom, it’s not a viable option for everyone.
Whether it’s because of budget, confidence or driving ability, there are several reasons why people choose to visit New Zealand without hiring a car.
Thankfully, there are several other easy ways to explore New Zealand. So, if you can’t hire a car or campervan, don’t let this put you off from visiting.
Despite spending two months exploring New Zealand in a campervan, I also spent four months travelling around without one. While I occasionally hired a car or campervan, I primarily used buses to get around.
In this post, I’ve shared all my knowledge about how to travel around New Zealand without a car. This includes using the InterCity bus, joining a group tour or using the famous Kiwi Experience.
Travel by bus (InterCity)
Travelling around New Zealand by bus is one of the best ways to see the country without a car. Despite many towns being remote and amongst the mountains, the country has an excellent bus network.
One of the major bus operators in New Zealand is InterCity. Honestly, if you’re looking for the cheapest and most convenient option without a car, it’s going to be InterCity.
InterCity buses connect many towns and cities in the North and South Islands. They operate all year round, but some routes are seasonal.
InterCity Options
Pay as you go
When travelling around New Zealand with InterCity, you have different options. The first option is to buy pay-as-you-go tickets. This means you book your bus tickets as and when you want to. However, this will not be cost-effective if you plan to use InterCity several times.
One of the great things about InterCity is that they offer passes. This means you can buy a pass and use the bus as a hop-on, hop-off service. There are two options for InterCity passes.
Travel Pass
The travel pass is a set itinerary covering some of the most popular areas in New Zealand. It often includes extra perks, such as activities.
Here are some of their popular Travel Pass options:
- Alps Explorer: Christchurch to Queenstown with Mount Cook. This includes a day trip to Milford Sound ($229 NZD)
- West Coast Passport: Picton to Queenstown, including Nelson and Franz Josef ($125 NZD)
- Ultimate New Zealand: North Island & South Island, including ferry crossing and Milford Sound ($529 NZD)
All the passes are available to buy on the InterCity website.
The Travel Pass is a cost-effective way to see New Zealand in a short amount of time. There’s no limit on how long you can spend in each destination, giving you plenty of time to explore.
The disadvantage of choosing InterCity’s Travel Pass is that your route is not flexible. You can only visit the set destinations.
Flexi Pass
In my opinion, the InterCity Flexi Pass is the best way to get around New Zealand without a car.
Like the Travel Pass, the Flexi is a hop-on, hop-off pass, but it’s set up by hours instead. You purchase a set number of hours and can travel on their network for that amount of time. Once you’re running low, you can top up your hours.
If you’re planning to travel several times with InterCity and want the flexibility to see plenty of destinations, this is likely your best option.
InterCity Summary
Pros of InterCity
- It’s a great bus network
- It can be inexpensive depending on which pass you travel on
- You can be flexible and make changes to your itinerary
- It gives you the chance to spend time in each place
Cons of InterCity
- There is a set timetable
- Not all bus routes run every day or all year
- It doesn’t go everywhere
- You may still need a car/taxi to get to your activities
It’s advised to book in advance as the buses do fill up, especially in the summer.
The Kiwi Experience Bus
Overview
If you’re a backpacker looking for a service like InterCity but want to meet other travellers quickly, then the Kiwi Experience could be an option.
The Kiwi Experience describes itself as a guided tour but with the flexibility to do what you want. In summary, it’s a hop-on, hop-off bus service with some added extras.
Many drivers act as tour guides and will tell you about the area. They can sell discounted activities and discounted accommodation, which are available as part of your package.
The Kiwi Experience is an excellent option for those nervous about travelling alone. You’ll be with like-minded travellers and experienced drivers, but you’ll still have the flexibility to do what you want. It’s a great option for getting around New Zealand without a car or campervan.
How it works
The Kiwi Experience offers hop-on, hop-off bus passes. The passes offer pre-set routes around New Zealand.
Once you’ve decided which route you want to take, you purchase your pass and book your bus. The tours range from 1 day to 25 days.
If you want to see the highlights of both the North and South Island, I’d consider the Hokey Pokey tour ($1795 NZD). This tour takes you around the main spots on the North Island before making a loop of the South Island. You’ll need at least 3 weeks to do this.
Their most in-depth bus route is called the Whole Kit and Caboodle. It takes at least 25 days to complete and costs $2000 NZD.
For those with less time, consider the Tiki tour, which lasts only 16 days (1540 NZD). All the tour options can be found on the Kiwi Experience website.
The Kiwi Experience also offer pre-organised group tours. I’ve spoken more about these below.
Summary
I find the Kiwi Experience a bit expensive for what it is. If you want to do a budget trip, you’re better off choosing InterCity and staying at social hostels to meet people. If you want to be sure you’ll meet people and have lots included, choose a fully guided tour.
Pros of Kiwi Experience
- It’s easy to meet people
- The drivers can help you plan everything
- It’s flexible, so you can spend as much time in places as you want
- You can easily book accommodation through the website
Cons of Kiwi Experience
- It’s very expensive for what it is
- It can be a bit of a party vibe
- You’ll still often find yourself needing to use taxis to get to specific places
Read an in-depth review of the Kiwi Experience.
Travel by train
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get around New Zealand by train. The country doesn’t really have a train network away from the cities.
One option to take the train in New Zealand is to choose one of the scenic rail journeys.
One of the most popular scenic train routes is the TranzAlpine, which takes you through the stunning mountains from Greymouth to Christchurch. The ride is approximately four hours, and it’s one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.
Another popular scenic train route is the Northern Explorer from Auckland to Wellington. The train passes through popular places in the North Island including Hamilton and Tongariro National Park.
The Coastal Pacific train is another stunning route which takes passengers from Picton to Christchurch via the east coast.
While using trains to get around New Zealand will be a challenge, they could be added to a bus itinerary. For example, consider taking the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth. From there, use InterCity to explore New Zealand’s West Coast.
Join a group tour
If you don’t have a car in New Zealand and are nervous about travelling alone, consider joining a group tour.
Group tours are the perfect option if you want everything planned for you with little hassle. They can be expensive, but I think it’s a great way to get around New Zealand, see the highlights and meet like-minded people. If you’re nervous about travelling solo in New Zealand, a small group tour could be the answer.
There are many operators offering group tours in New Zealand. Some of my favourites include:
Intro Travel
Intro offers 9 or 17-day tours around the country. You can opt to do the North or South Island, or both. The tour takes you to the major highlights of New Zealand, including Rotorua, Hobbiton, Waitomo, Mount Cook, Queenstown and Milford Sound.
If you’re coming to New Zealand on the working holiday visa, Intro offers an extra service to help you get set up for your stay. This includes sorting your IRD number and helping you find a job.
The demographic for Intro Travel in New Zealand is 18-40s.
Disclaimer: I worked as a Group Leader for Intro during my time in New Zealand. I receive no commission or benefits for promoting this tour on this website.
G Adventures
G Adventures is one of my favourite group travel companies. They offer group tours all around the world. I’ve travelled with them several times and have always had a great experience.
G’s demographic tends to be a little more varied, but if you prefer a younger crowd, they offer tours for 18-40s.
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid is another popular group tour agency that offers tours around New Zealand. These tours tend to have a slightly older demographic, and they’re another fantastic option for seeing New Zealand without a car.
The Kiwi Experience
Along with their hop-on and hop-off busses, the Kiwi Experience also offers organised tours.
Joining a group tour is a great way to see New Zealand without a car. Everything is organised for you, and if something goes wrong, you don’t have to worry. However, it’s worth noting that there’s little flexibility with group tours. There is a set itinerary that you must stick to unless you leave the tour.
Read Next: Discover why a group tour might be a good option for you
By boat or plane
New Zealand is made up of an estimated 600 islands, so it’s no surprise that several boats take people between destinations.
The ferry between the North and South Islands is the most popular boat journey in New Zealand. Whether you have a car or are travelling by bus, the ferry is the best option to get between the North and South Islands. It’s a lovely boat ride with beautiful scenery, and there’s even the chance of seeing whales at certain times of the year.
Despite New Zealand’s small size, many major towns and cities also have regional airports. While you certainly won’t be able to get around all of New Zealand by plane, you can fly between some of the more popular destinations.
For example, destinations such as Rotorua, Dunedin and Nelson all have airports.
Itinerary for getting around New Zealand without a car
To get around New Zealand without a car, consider various transport options. Here’s one idea for an itinerary:
Stop one: Fly into Auckland and explore New Zealand’s largest city for two days.
Stop two: Join an organised tour to Rotorua via Hobbiton and Waitomo Glowworm caves.
Stop three: From Rotorua, take the InterCity bus to Wellington (some buses go via Tongariro National Park if you want to stop here).
Stop four: Take the ferry across to Picton from New Zealand’s capital.
Stop six: Spend time in Queenstown, the ‘Adventure Capital of New Zealand’. Luckily, there is so much to see in Queenstown, even without a car. Make the most of your InterCity bus pass and take a day trip to the wondrous Milford Sound. To get off the beaten path, consider visiting Doubtful Sound.
Stop seven: Join an organised tour from Queenstown to Christchurch via a stop in Mount Cook National Park, home to one of the best walks in New Zealand – The Hooker Valley Track. If you have time, stay for a few days in Tekapo.
Stop eight: Finish your trip to New Zealand in Christchurch, the biggest city on South Island. You can get a bus from Tekapo to Christchurch if you’ve chosen to spend time there.
Summary: New Zealand without a car
Even without a car, New Zealand is a fantastic place to explore. While you might not be able to visit every corner of the country, you’ll still be able to see the main highlights of both islands.
You may find it beneficial to book as much of your transport in advance as possible. This way, you don’t need to worry about buses selling out, especially during peak season.
It may also be worth budgeting extra money for taxis and day tours.
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