Getting There By Air:Christchurch International Airport Tel: (03) 358 5029
or 353 7777 (24 hours).
Website:
www.christchurch-airport.co.nz Christchurch International Airport is the major international airport in the South Island of New Zealand. It also acts as a gateway to Antarctica. The airport is located 12km (7.5 miles) west of the city center.
Airport facilities: These include a bank, exchange facilities, ATMs, a post shop, mobile
phone hire, Internet kiosks, public showers, long-term baggage storage, duty-free shops, a restaurant and bar, a travel & information center (tel: (03) 353 7774/7783), as well as car hire from
Avis,
Budget,
Hertz,
Maui Rentals and
Thrifty.
Transport to the city: A public bus service, the
Airport Flyer, operates to and from the City Center every day (travel time 30-40 minutes). A door-to-door shuttle service to all parts within Christchurch is also available, and so are taxis (journey time: 15-20 minutes). The taxi fare is around NZ$25-40.
Getting There By Road:New Zealand is an ideal country to explore in a car. Traffic is not heavy and the scenery is spectacular. Nearly all roads are State Highways, designated by ‘SH’ and a number. Small numbers refer to the major routes between destinations (such as SH1 from Auckland to Wellington) while larger numbers indicate smaller roads linking smaller destinations (such as SH94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound). All other roads, of which there are a few, are known, although not officially, as ‘B’ roads. These are often little more than ribbons of tarmac or, on some occasions, ‘metalled’ roads, where the surface is made of loose chippings.
A valid national driving license is all that is required for driving in New Zealand, for up to 12 months. The legal driving age is 18 years. Insurance is not mandatory but is recommended. Traffic drives on the left and most roads are quiet. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08% (0.03% for drivers under 20 years). Speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on open roads, 50kph (31mph) in urban areas and 20kph (12mph) in the vicinity of schools and stopped school buses. There are ‘Limited Speed Zones’ where the speed limit is often reduced from 100kph (62mph) to 50kph (31mph) in adverse conditions.
The
New Zealand Automobile Association (website:
www.aa.co.nz) provides information on road conditions (tel: 0900 33222) and general information (tel: 0800 500 222) and have a reciprocal agreement with the British
AA, whereby visiting drivers can get maps for free.
Emergency breakdown service: NZ AA (tel: 0800 500 222
or 222 if calling from a mobile)
Routes to the city: The main road to Christchurch is SH1. It bypasses the city, though, so from the north (Picton and Kaikoura), follow SH74 for the city center. From the south (Dunedin and Queenstown), follow SH73 for the city center (it merges with the ring road for a while) and Lyttelton Harbour.
Coach services: Intercity Coachline Service (tel: (03) 365 1113; website:
www.intercitycoach.co.nz) runs throughout New Zealand. Discounts are available for Youth Hostel members and VIP cardholders. Backpackers also use the
Kiwi Experience (tel: (09) 366 9830; website:
www.kiwiexperience.com) and the
Magic Bus (tel: (09) 358 5600; website:
www.magicbus.co.nz), which sell a variety of passes including accommodation in hostels.
Average driving times to Christchurch: from Dunedin - 5 hours; from Queenstown - 7 hours 15 minutes; from Invercarill - 8 hours; from Picton - 4 hours 30 minutes.
Getting There By Rail:Train services to and from Christchurch include the
TranzAlpine (to/from Greymouth via Arthur’s Pass), one of the world’s great scenic railway journeys, and the
TranzCoastal (to/from Picton via Blenheim and Kaikoura), operated by
Tranz Scenic (tel: (04) 495 0775
or 0800 872 467/TRAINS; website:
www.tranzscenic.co.nz). The Christchurch Railway Station is on Clarence Street, in Addington. Regular shuttles run from the station to the city.
Getting Around:
Public TransportAll local
buses in Christchurch operate out of the Bus Exchange, Colombo and Lichfield streets. The main operator is
Red Bus Limited (tel: (03) 379 4260
or 0800 733 287/REDBUS; website:
www.redbus.co.nz).
Metro (tel: (03) 366 8855; website:
www.metroinfo.org.nz) coordinates the passenger transport network in Christchurch and can provide information and details on fares, passes (including the
Metrocard), time-tables and routes.
After hours, the Midnight Express Service leaves on four major suburban routes on the hour between midnight and 0400. Just look out for the distinctive purple buses, or call
Metro for route details.
There is also a free central-city electric shuttle (bright yellow): its pickup points are designated by bright-yellow street towers. The shuttle travels between the Casino, Town Hall, Victoria Square, Cathedral Square, City Mall, South City, Smiths City, and Hoyts 8 on Moorehouse Avenue at 10-minute intervals during the day, 15-minute intervals at night.
The
Best Attractions double decker bus (website: www.chchattractions.co.nz) offers transportation to the area’s most popular attractions, including Willowbank, the Antarctic Center and the Gondola. There are two different circuits, but both start at the visitor center in the Square.
Christchurch’s tram (tel: (03) 366 7830;
website:
www.tram.co.nz) runs from Cathedral Square down Worcester Boulevard, crossing the Avon River to the Arts Center. From here, it turns right to Rolleston Avenue and travels on to Armagh and New Regent streets and back to the Square. Tickets can be purchased on board.
TaxisBlue Star Taxis (tel: (03) 379 9799; website:
www.bluestartaxis.org.nz) has Christchurch’s largest taxi fleet.
First Direct (tel: (03) 377 5555) is another reputable company.
Car HireCar hire companies in Christchurch include:
Avis (tel: (03) 379 6133; website:
www.avis.co.nz);
Budget (tel: (03) 366 0072; website:
www.budget.co.nz),
Hertz (tel: (03) 366 0549; website:
www.hertz.co.nz); and
Thrifty (tel: (03) 374 2357; website:
www.thrifty.co.nz). All have offices in town (on Lichfield Street) and at the airport.
Local operators such as
Britz (tel: (03) 358 4159
or 0800 831 900; website:
www.britz.com),
Kea Campers (tel: (03) 359 2820
or 0800 520 052; website:
www.keacampers.com) and
Maui (tel: (03) 358 4159
or 0800 651 080; website:
www.maui-rentals.com) hire motor homes and campervans. This is a popular way to travel around New Zealand.
Bicycle HireBecause Christchurch is so flat, it really lends itself to cycling. This is the preferred mode of transportation for many of the city’s students, and there are quite a few cycling lanes. Bikes can be hired from
Natural High Adrenalin Dealers, Unit 3, 14 Kennaway Road (tel: (03) 982 2966; website:
www.naturalhigh.co.nz) or delivered to your door by
City Cycle Hire (tel: (03) 339 4020
or 0800 424 534; website:
www.cyclehire-tours.co.nz).
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