New Zealand Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Should a visitor be invited to a formal Maori occasion, the hongi (pressing of noses) is common. Casual dress is widely acceptable. New Zealanders are generally very relaxed and hospitable. Stiff formality is rarely appreciated and, after introductions, first names are generally used. Smoking is restricted where indicated. It is banned in pubs and restaurants as well as on public transport or in public buildings.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Air New Zealand (NZ) (www.airnz.co.nz).

Departure Tax

Up to NZ$25 (depending on airport); children aged under 11 are generally exempt, but age range varies according to airport. Transit passengers are generally exempt for 24 hours, but again this is dependent on airport.

Main Airports

Auckland (AKL) (www.aucklandairport.co.nz) is 22.5km (14 miles) south of the city (journey time - 40 minutes). To/from the airport: Airbus runs an efficient service between the international terminal and the city center. In addition to regular taxis, there is a shuttle taxi service that operates 24 hours. Heletranz (www.heletranz.co.nz) has a helicopter service from Auckland's North Shore and city to the airport (journey time - 12 minutes). An interterminal bus operates daily. Facilities: Duty-free shopping, banks/bureau de change, post office, restaurants and cafés, car hire and baggage facilities/left luggage. There is a wide selection of hotels near the airport.

Christchurch (CHC) (www.christchurchairport.co.nz) is 10km (6 miles) northwest of the city (journey time - 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Buses run all day between the city center and the airport (journey time - 40 minutes). A door-to-door shuttle service operates. A journey into the city center by taxi takes approximately 20 minutes. Facilities: Currency exchange, ATM, mobile phone hire and bank. Good hotels are within 10km (6 miles).

Wellington (WLG) (www.wellingtonairport.co.nz) is 8km (5 miles) southeast of the city (journey time - 30 minutes). To/from the airport: Stagecoach Flyer operates a bus service to the city center every 30 minutes. The shuttle service operates on demand (maximum 10 people). Taxis are available. Facilities: Duty-free, bar, restaurant, ATM and currency exchange.

Queenstown International Airport (ZQN) (www.queenstownairport.co.nz) is 7km (4 miles) northeast of central Queenstown. To/from the airport: A taxi into the town center takes 10 minutes. Shuttle buses are available (a discount is available for more than one passenger) and the journey lasts 15 minutes. A bus takes passengers into town and will also pick up from some hotels (journey time - 20 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free, currency exchange and baggage storage.

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Lyttelton, Opua, Picton and Wellington. They are served by international shipping lines sailing from the USA and from Europe.

A few cruise ships visit New Zealand, but there are no regular passenger ship services. For further details, contact Tourism New Zealand.

Duty Free

Overview

The following items may be imported into New Zealand by persons of 18 years of age and over without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or a mixture of all three weighing no more than 250g.
• 4.5L of wine or beer.
• 3 bottles of 1.125L or 40oz of spirits or liqueurs.
• Goods to a total value of NZ$700.

Prohibited Imports

Because of the importance of agriculture and horticulture to the New Zealand economy, it is illegal to import most foodstuffs (meat, meat products, honey, fruit and dairy). Take care when importing wood products, such as golf clubs, shoes and items made from animal skin. For further information, contact the nearest Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The import of the following items is also prohibited: firearms and weapons (unless a special permit is obtained from the New Zealand police); ivory in any form; tortoise or turtle shell jewelry and ornaments; medicines using musk, rhinoceros or tiger derivatives; carvings or anything made from whalebone or bone from any other marine animals; cat skins or coats and certain drugs (eg diuretics, depressants, stimulants, heart drugs, tranquillisers, sleeping pills) unless covered by a doctor's prescription.

Prohibited Exports

There are export restrictions on wildlife, plantlife, antiquities and works of art.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Air New Zealand (NZ) (www.airnewzealand.co.nz) and Qantas (QF) (www.qantas.com) operate domestic flights between the major airports. Several smaller airlines, including Air Nelson, Eagle Air and Mount Cook Airlines, are wholly owned by Air New Zealand and have been grouped together as Air New Zealand Link. They serve many of the smaller airports throughout the two islands. Soundsair (www.soundsair.com) flies between Wellington and Picton daily (journey time - 25 minutes) and offers you the chance to parachute into the city from high above it.

Getting Around By Water

North and South Islands are linked by modern ferries operating between Wellington and Picton, carrying passengers and vehicles across Cook Strait. Interislander (tel: (04) 498 3302 or 0800 802 802; www.interislander.co.nz) (journey time - 3 hours) and Bluebridge (tel: 0800 844 844; www.bluebridge.co.nz) (journey time - 3 hours 20 minutes) ferries run all year. Reservations on all ferry services are highly recommended, particularly if you're taking a vehicle.

Getting Around By Rail

New Zealand's passenger train service is limited to commuter trains in Auckland and Wellington and a handful of scenic routes aimed at tourists.

Tranz Scenic (tel: (04) 495 0775 or 0800 872 467; www.tranzscenic.co.nz) operates three scenic long-distance routes. The Overlander runs between Auckland and Wellington (daytime and overnight) with good views of forests, gorges and volcanic peaks. The Transcoastal runs between Christchurch and Picton along the east coast between the snow-capped Kaikoura Mountains and past the Kaikoura coast, which is famous for whale watching. The TranzAlpine runs between Christchurch and Greymouth through spectacular landscapes of gorges and river valleys and across the snow-capped Southern Alps. There are buffet cars on all trains, but there are no sleeping cars on overnight services. All services are one-class travel only.

Rail Passes

Scenic Rail Pass: unlimited travel on Tranz Scenic trains available for seven days or one month, and including a journey on the Interislander ferry. For further information, contact Tranz Scenic (see above).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the left. Main roads are paved, but some quieter roads are not.

Coach: InterCity Coachlines (tel: (09) 583 5780; www.intercitycoach.co.nz) operates scheduled services throughout the country. Coach passes are available. Newmans Coach Lines (tel: (09) 583 5780; www.newmanscoach.co.nz) operates services in both islands. It is advisable to make reservations for seats. The Kiwi Experience (tel: (09) 369 9410; www.kiwiexperience.com) is a coach transport network for backpackers and independent travelers, as is Magic Travelers Network (tel: (09) 358 5600; www.magicbus.co.nz); the latter offers a slightly less comprehensive selection of trips. Stray (tel: (09) 526 2140; www.straytravel.com) aims to get further off the beaten track and has better coverage of South Island.

Bus: There are regional bus networks that serve most parts of the country and are on the whole friendly and cheaper than the larger companies.

Taxi: There are metered taxis throughout the country.

Car hire: Major international firms and local firms have offices at airports and most major cities and towns. It is recommended to hire vehicles from members of the New Zealand Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association.

Regulations: The minimum age for driving a hired car is 21. The legal speed limit is 100kph (62mph) on the open road and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. Both driver and passengers are legally required to wear seat belts at all times. For further information, contact The New Zealand Automobile Association (tel: (09) 966 8800 or 0800 500 222; www.aa.co.nz).

Emergency breakdown service: New Zealand Automobile Association (tel: 0800 500 222).

Documentation: All international driving licenses are recognized by New Zealand. And, although not compulsory, an International Driving Permit is recommended. Motor insurance is not a legal requirement in New Zealand because New Zealand law has removed the right of accident victims to sue a third party in the event of an accident.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

There are good local bus services in the main towns, as well as trolleybuses in Wellington. Both Auckland and Wellington have zonal fares with pre-purchase tickets and day passes. For public transport information and advice on journey planning in and around Auckland, call Maxx Regional Transport (tel: (09) 366 6400; www.maxx.co.nz). Metlink (tel: 0800 801 700; www.metlink.org.nz) runs buses, trains and ferries in and around Wellington.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Wellington to other major cities/towns in New Zealand:

	Air	Road	Rail
Auckland	1.00	9.00	10.00
N. Plymouth	1.00	8.30	-
Christchurch	0.45	*7.20	*5.20
Dunedin	1.20	*12.20	-

* Plus ferry crossing of three hours.