Ever dreamt of unravelling the wonders of New Zealand? Whether you’re cruising in a campervan, zipping around in your own car, hopping on public transport, embarking on a group adventure, or catching the next bus, we’ve dissected each option to help you discover the ultimate travel experience in New Zealand. Dive in and let your journey begin!
So, you want to travel New Zealand? Great start, you’ve made the right choice! The next step is deciding how you’re going to get around. The possibilities are endless: going for a bus pass, buying a car or hiring a campervan.
Which travel option provides the best value for money and will get you to all the amazing places New Zealand has to offer? Sneak preview: they will all get you there, it is just a different way of travelling. Check out our comparison.
Renting a car or campervan in New Zealand
Getting your own set of wheels by renting a car or hiring a campervan is probably the first thing that comes to mind when planning your trip to New Zealand. It is perfect for travellers that crave flexibility and hate fixed plans or a fixed route. There are, of course, advantages but also disadvantages to renting a campervan in New Zealand.
Advantages of renting a car or campervan
- Affordable due to flexible pricing and seasonality. Check out these deals for renting a car in New Zealand. Or get yourself accommodation and transport rolled into one and book a cheap campervan or motorhome.
- Freedom: go wherever you want whenever you want.
- No need to unpack/repack luggage as your camper is not only your transport but also your accommodation (everything you need in one space). And when travelling by car and staying in motels or hostels, you just have to grab your overnight bag from the trunk and not all your belongings.
- Less money spent on accommodation: freedom camping (self-contained), cheap campsites, budget motels or cheap hostels.
Disadvantages of hiring a car or campervan
- Holiday parks – commercial full-service campsites – can be expensive.
- Freedom camping can be a logistical nightmare: where can you camp for free? Fines for breaking the freedom camping rules have increased. And to be honest, most freedom camping sites are boring parking spaces next to the road or a small muddy field in an area that isn’t even scenic.
- Big campervans and motorhomes are harder to drive than cars or compact campervans.
- It can be tiring to drive long trips, especially if you aren’t used to it.
- Driving on the left-hand side of the road can be hard for some to get used to.
Buying a car in New Zealand
Lots of backpackers that plan a trip to New Zealand, immediately want to go for buying their own set of wheels to explore New Zealand. But before you start browsing sites for used cars, check out the advantages and disadvantages below as buying a car in New Zealand can be different than buying a car in your home country.
Advantages of buying a car
- It’s a one-time purchase so there are no daily fees, except for petrol.
- Freedom: go wherever you want to go, whenever you want to go.
Disadvantages of buying a car
- You need to have some mechanical knowledge to make sure you buy a good second-hand car. Can you trust the backpacker that is trying to sell you his/her car while they are about to leave the country?
- Driving in New Zealand is different: roads are winding, narrow, and there are lots of gravel or chipsealed roads. Winter conditions can be harsh and throughout the year you can expect to see animals like cows and sheeps on the roads (the less travelled, scenic ones, not the motorway).
- Break downs: something you will have to take care of yourself. Keep in mind that there are places in New Zealand without any cell phone reception or where the nearest workshop can be 100s of kilometres away.
- Selling a car at the end can be tough, especially if you are leaving New Zealand in a month with a low number of incoming international travellers aka low demand for used cars or second-hand campervans.
- Car insurance isn’t compulsory in New Zealand, so you better make sure to get it! This means that there are lots of cars & drivers on the road without proper insurance. Even if an accident isn’t your fault you can still be liable for the damage if the costs cannot be recovered from the other party involved. This adds an extra cost to your travel budget.
Bus pass: fixed tour or hop-on/hop-off
Even if you are not a fan of travelling by bus in your home country, make sure to check out the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by bus in New Zealand that we have compiled. When we say bus, we don’t mean public transport. We mean adventure tour bus travel aka the fun & easy way to see heaps of our amazing country.
Advantages of a bus pass or bus tour
- Hassle-free: guaranteed accommodation and activities.
- You don’t have to worry about planning so you can go with the flow.
- One-time purchase – you’ll know how much it costs and can then budget your trip much easier. And as a bus pass includes transportation, accommodation, some activities and various meals you can check off all these items from your travel budget list.
- Make friends easily – you’ll meet a great bunch of people to do activities & travel with.
- Let someone else do the driving: you just have to sit back & relax. You’ll have time to daydream and get lost in thoughts and admire New Zealand.
- Commentary and tips along the way from the drivers – you’ll get top tips and insider info from the driver/guide, stuff you can’t find in any search engine.
Disadvantages of a bus pass
- You can’t go wherever you want as you have to stick to a fixed route BUT all stops and destinations are definitely off the beaten track.
- More expensive than taking public transport but these bus pass tours do include more than just transport from A to B.
Catching public transport in New Zealand – or a point-to-point bus network
Public transport might not be the same as you are used to in your country. Yes, in big cities like Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch there is a dense public transport network, mainly consisting of buses. However, as soon as you leave the city things are quite different. But there is something like a point-to-point bus network, where you can create your own itinerary by stitching together loose trips. We'll explain it into detail…
Advantages of public transport or point-to-point bus trips
- It sure is the cheapest way to travel as it is just transportation from A to B (it’s point to point).
- You can sit back and let someone else do the driving.
- You can create your own itinerary. Well, you have to create your own itinerary as these buses just take you from A to B, you’ll have to do the rest.
- Frequent schedules on popular routes, usually there is at least one bus per day.
Disadvantages of using public transport or point-to-point bus trips
- No commentary so you’ll have no idea where you are and what you’re seeing along the way.
- Harder to meet people as there isn’t much mingling or social contact on public transport.
- It takes a long time with several stops – you can’t stop where you want to at points of interest
- You have to carry your luggage to the bus stop or train station and get your stuff to your next accommodation when the bus arrives, it isn’t door-to-door transport.
- You have to find accommodation yourself when you arrive in a town.
Now you know the best way to travel around New Zealand
As you can see, each travel option has advantages and disadvantages. Nothing is 100% perfect, but if you select the transport option that fits your travel style and wish-list you can get pretty close to perfection. It basically all depends on your travel plans, what you want to get out of your New Zealand trip and most importantly how much you are willing to spend.
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