Christchurch, New Zealand — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
ChristchurchInternationalAirport
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.
Airportfacilities: 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 and information center (tel: (03) 353 7774/7783), as well as car hire from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Maui Rentals and Thrifty.
Transport to the city: A public bus service, the City Flyer, operates to and from the city center every day (journey time - 20 to 30 minutes). A door-to-door shuttle service to all areas within Christchurch is also available, and so are taxis (journey time - 15 to 20 minutes).
Getting There By Road
New Zealand is an ideal country to explore by car, as the scenery is spectacular. Most roads are State Highways ('SH'). All other roads are known, although not officially, as 'B' roads. To drive in New Zealand, you will need a valid national driving license, for up to 12 months. The legal driving age is 18 years, and the minimum age for hiring a car is 21. Insurance is not mandatory but recommended. Traffic drives on the left and seat belts are mandatory. The New Zealand Automobile Association (www.aa.co.nz) provides information on road conditions (tel: 0900 33 222) and general information (tel: 0800 500 444) and has a reciprocal agreement with the British AA, whereby visiting drivers can get free maps.
Emergency breakdown services
NZ AA (tel: 0800 500 222).
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 and Lyttelton Harbour.
Driving times to the city
From Dunedin - 5 hours; from Queenstown - 6 hours 15 minutes; from Invercargill - 7 hours 30 minutes; from Picton - 4 hours 15 minutes.
Coach services
Intercity Coachline Service (tel: (03) 365 1113; 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; www.kiwiexperience.com) and the Magic Bus (tel: (09) 358 5600; www.magicbus.co.nz), which sell a variety of passes including accommodation in hostels.
Getting There By Rail
Rail Services
The Christchurch Railway Station is on Clarence Street, in Addington. Regular shuttles run from the station to the city. The Scenic Rail Pass provides access to the entire Tranz Scenic Rail Network, and is a great way to explore New Zealand.
Rail Operators
Tranz Scenic (tel: (04) 495 0775 or 0800 872 467/TRAINS; www.tranzscenic.co.nz) operates train services to and from Christchurch including the TranzAlpine (to/from Greymouth via Arthur's Pass), one of the world's great scenic train journeys, and the TranzCoastal (to/from Picton via Blenheim and Kaikoura).
Getting Around in Christchurch, New Zealand
Public Transport
All local buses in Christchurch operate out of the Bus Exchange, on Colombo and Lichfield Streets. The main operator is Red Bus Limited (tel: (03) 379 4260 or 0800 733 287/REDBUS; www.redbus.co.nz). Metro (tel: (03) 366 8855; www.metroinfo.org.nz) coordinates the passenger transport network and provides information on fares, passes (including the Metrocard), timetables and routes.
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 every 10-15 minutes.
The Christchurch Tramway (tel: (03) 366 7830; www.tram.co.nz) allows you a hop-on, hop-off journey around the city center in restored vintage trams.
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.
Taxis
Blue Star Taxis (tel: (03) 379 9799; www.bluestartaxis.org.nz) has Christchurch's largest taxi fleet.
Car Hire
Car hire companies in Christchurch include Avis (tel: (03) 379 6133; www.avis.co.nz), Budget (tel: (03) 366 0072; www.budget.co.nz), Hertz (tel: (03) 366 0549; www.hertz.co.nz), Europcar (tel: (03) 366 5574: www.europcar.co.nz) and Thrifty (tel: (03) 374 2357; www.thrifty.co.nz). All have offices in town (on Lichfield Street) and at the airport.
Local operators such as Kea Campers (tel: (03) 359 2820 or 0800 520 052; www.keacampers.com) and Maui (tel: (03) 358 4159 or 0800 651 080; www.maui-rentals.com) hire motor homes and campervans. This is a popular way to travel around New Zealand.
Bicycle Hire
Because 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. You can hire bikes from Natural High Adrenalin Dealers, Unit 3, 14 Kennaway Road (tel: (03) 982 2966; www.naturalhigh.co.nz) or have them delivered to your door by City Cycle Hire (tel: (03) 339 4020 or 0800 343 848; www.cyclehire-tours.co.nz). Many local buses have bike racks for cyclists.
