Auckland and Around Intercity Transportation

• Flights: Auckland International Airport (AKL), a 40min. drive from Central Auckland, is the point of entry for about 80% of New Zealand’s overseas visitors. For international flights, Air New Zealand (☎357 3000 or 0800 737 000; www.airnewzealand.co.nz) and Qantas (☎357 8900 or 0800 808 767; www.qantas.com.au) both have frequent flights to Australian cities and Pacific islands, including Brisbane, Fiji, Melbourne, Rarotonga, and Sydney. For domestic flights, Air New Zealand provides service to: Christchurch (1hr., 1-2 per hr., from $110); Queenstown (1hr., or via Christchurch 3hr.; 4-5 per day; from $140); Rotorua (45min., 5-11 per day, from $80); Wellington (1hr., every hr., from $89). Backpackers and students may receive discounts; see By Plane. Super Shuttle (☎306 3960) runs to Central Auckland ($26, $5 per extra person). From the free phone in the Visitor Information concourse outside the International Terminal, call ☎66 for the Super Shuttle. Airbus (☎0508 247 287; www.airbus.co.nz) runs every 20min. from 6am, with the last bus at 10pm, and makes many stops, including the YHA, SkyCity bus station, and Downtown Airline Terminal ($15, children $6; $13 YHA/VIP discount). From the airport, a taxi to downtown Auckland can cost up to $80. Discount Taxi (☎529 1000), will send a 3-person car for $30.
• Trains: TranzScenic (☎0800 872 467; www.tranzscenic.co.nz) leaves from the Britomart Transport Centre (☎366 6400) next to QE II Sq. Open M-F 7:30am-6:30pm, Sa-Su 8am-3:30pm. To: Hamilton (2hr., 1 per day, $37); Palmerston North (10hr., 1 per day, $110); Wellington (12hr., 1 per day, $145). Cheaper fares available if booked ahead (see By Train).
• Buses: InterCity (☎913 6100; www.intercitycoach.co.nz) arrives at the travel center of SkyCity, 102 Hobson St., at Victoria St. in Central Auckland. Service runs north to Paihia in the Bay of Islands (4hr., 4 per day, $49) via Whangarei (2hr., 4 per day, $37). Southbound buses run to: Napier (7hr., 1 per day, $83); New Plymouth (6hr., 2 per day, $69); Palmerston North (9-10hr., 2 per day, $78); Rotorua (3-5hr., 6 per day, $45-55) via Hamilton (2hr., 13 per day, $26); Tauranga (4hr., 4 per day, $40); Wanganui (8hr., 1 per day, $76); Wellington (11hr.; 4 per day; $109, overnight bus $70) via Taupo (4-5hr., 5 per day, $54). Special discounts available by booking ahead and with student ID or YHA card.
• Cars: SH1 is the main route in and out of Auckland. To the south, it’s called the Auckland-Hamilton or Southern Motorway, with on-ramps at the top of Hobson St., Symonds St., and Khyber Pass Rd. To the north, it’s the Northern Motorway, with an on-ramp at Beaumont St. by Victoria Park. Locals simply refer to either as “the motorway,” using NW or NE to specify direction.
• Hitchhiking: While Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, hitchhikers report that the best rides can be found by taking a bus to the outlying suburbs and asking locals for advice. To head north, hitchers reportedly catch the Stagecoach (☎366 6400) #89, the Hibiscus Coast Bus, from the downtown terminal to Orewa ($9.60). To head south, hitchers take the #471 to Papakura and switch to the 475 to Drury ($8.60). It is illegal to hitch on the freeway; hitchers recommend thumbing near on-ramps where cars can pull over. (For more info, see By Thumb.) A safer way to travel is to look for notices in hostels posted by other backpackers wishing to share rides.