New Zealand looks like a small country on a map, especially next to Australia. But once you’re in the country, it’s actually quite big.
So I want to share with you the best and cheapest ways for getting around in New Zealand.
Getting around New Zealand
Travelling within New Zealand by bus
When travelling around New Zealand, you’ll notice that New Zealand has a well-developed bus network that connects all major cities. It also services many small stops on the way. If you are going to rely on busses for getting around in New Zealand, you must get a bus pass.
Inter-City offers the FlexiPass and the TravelPass, which are valid for 12 months and they offer almost unlimited travel around both islands, including the Interislander ferry. To buy a pass, you either buy hours of travel with the FlexiPass (from about 140 NZD for 10 hours up to about 640 NZD for 80 hours) and use them at your own pace, or you pick a fixed route with the TravelPass, from about 330 NZD for the Alps Explorer up to around 755 NZD for the Scenic South (prices checked in September 2026).
Kiwi Experience offers something similar but their passes are a bit more pricey than by Inter-City’s. However, on the Kiwi Experience, you meet a lot more backpackers and they also offer additional experience tours (e.g. to tour Milford Sound) at a special price. Their passes that cover both islands also include the Interislander ferry. So if you’re travelling alone and want to meet other backpackers really fast, their bus passes are surely worth looking at.
Stray offers guided tours around New Zealand, varying in length from a few days to a couple of weeks. These days they focus on small group tours with your accommodation and guide included, and their tours covering both islands include the ferry crossing. Their old hop-on-hop-off passes are no longer sold. The Naked Bus, which used to offer sleeper beds, doesn’t exist anymore either. But InterCity runs an overnight bus between Auckland and Wellington, so if you want to replace a hostel with a night on a bus, this might be something to consider.
Check out Klook for other activities and tours across New Zealand.
Moving through New Zealand by train
Trains aren’t widely available but there are a couple of tourist lines that run across the North and South Island. There are three scenic rail lines operated by KiwiRail under the Great Journeys New Zealand brand: the Northern Explorer (Auckland-Wellington), the TranzAlpine (Christchurch-Greymouth) and the Coastal Pacific (Christchurch-Picton). They all start in the morning. The TranzAlpine runs every day, the Northern Explorer three days a week in each direction, and the Coastal Pacific only runs in the warmer months (there are no trains from late April to the end of August).
If you just want to get from A to B, there are definitely more convenient buses running on all those routes. If you have extra time, the train journeys are definitely worth it. The windows of the carriages are big and let you take pictures along the way. I have done the Wellington to Auckland journey before and it’s a beautiful way to see the centre of the North Island. A ticket from Auckland to Wellington starts at around 160 NZD (around 80 Euro or 90 US Dollar at the moment) and the journey takes about 11 hours. If you want to combine bus and rail, some of the InterCity TravelPasses include a trip on the TranzAlpine.
Wellington also has a very well developed train network that runs up the coast and up the Hutt Valley. The fares are very cheap, especially when you are used to the prices of European trains, but the trains are very comfortable and the staff at the Wellington Station are very helpful if you’re unsure as to what ticket you need.
Travelling in New Zealand by ferry
If you have ever looked at a map of New Zealand, you may notice that New Zealand is made of separate islands: the North Island, the South Island and Stewart Island (excluding smaller islands).
The best way to cross the Cook Strait is by ferry. There are two operators that run between Wellington and Picton: the Interislander and Bluebridge. Both operators sail several times a day between the two main islands. You can expect the trip to take about three and a half hours. Prices differ greatly, as there are a lot of discounts and different fare options available. You can search for the different options here.
To give you an idea, Interislander has advertised foot passenger fares from around 50 NZD (roughly 25 Euro or 28 US Dollar at the current exchange rate), but prices go up quickly the closer you get to your travel date. I’d definitely recommend that you book the ferry a couple of days in advance, especially during the summer months (November-February) as there are a lot of Kiwis and tourists around.
The ferry is definitely the best way to get to the Marlborough Sounds and the beauty of the South Island. If you doubt your seaworthiness, I’d recommend stocking up on anti-seasickness medication. That’s because because the crossing of the Cook Strait is almost always rough. I did the crossing once and I have never felt so sick in my entire life. So don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Getting around New Zealand by plane
Flying is certainly the quickest way to get around the country, but it’s also the most expensive. Having said that, if you can plan ahead or if have definitely plans within New Zealand, it’s worth checking flights. Air New Zealand is the most widely-operating airline in the country. They tend to have good offers that can save you money and time when travelling around New Zealand.
Jetstar also flies between the main centres, like Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, and is comparable with Easyjet or Ryanair. They offer similar service (or lack thereof) and similar friendliness. Jetstar can be unreliable, however, as they tend to delay or cancel flights quite regularly.
Search for affordable flights to and around New Zealand .
