Costi di autobus, traghetti e treni panoramici in Nuova Zelanda

Flessibilità commerciale delle tariffe degli autobus

I prodotti InterCity standard e Flexi utilizzano termini di modifica e rimborso diversi, mentre i GoTicket bassi hanno una disponibilità limitata. Confronta le spese per bagagli e modifiche con la tariffa.

Un pullman raggiunge molte città ma potrebbe non collegarsi direttamente a un campeggio o all'inizio di un sentiero.

Il traghetto prezza il veicolo

Il costo del veicolo nello Stretto di Cook varia in base alle dimensioni e ai passeggeri. Inserisci con precisione l'altezza di portapacchi, rimorchi e camper, quindi leggi le condizioni di modifica.

Il viaggio a piedi è più economico ma richiede un piano per l'attrezzatura e il trasporto in entrambi i terminal.

La ferrovia panoramica è un'esperienza

I servizi Northern Explorer, Coastal Pacific e TranzAlpine non sostituiscono un normale treno pendolare. Il loro programma e la tariffa includono il valore del viaggio stesso.

Prezzo per la notte successiva perché l'orario di arrivo può eliminare una connessione lo stesso giorno. Un posto economico con un hotel extra potrebbe non essere il totale inferiore.

The intercity coach network

Long-distance coaches connect the main centres and most tourist towns, and booked well ahead they are the cheapest way to move between cities without a vehicle. Fares rise steeply close to departure, so the flexibility of booking late is expensive.

Coaches are slower than driving and stop frequently, which is fine if you treat the journey as part of the day. What they do not do is get you to trailheads, DOC campsites or anywhere off the main highway.

The three scenic rail journeys

New Zealand's passenger rail is a tourism product rather than transport: the TranzAlpine between Christchurch and Greymouth, the Coastal Pacific up to Picton, and the Northern Explorer between Auckland and Wellington. They are priced accordingly and run limited timetables, often seasonally.

The TranzAlpine in particular is worth doing for its own sake, and it works well as a return day trip from Christchurch. Treat all three as experiences you are buying rather than a way to save money on a transfer.

Cook Strait as the fixed cost

The Interislander and Bluebridge crossings are the only way to take a vehicle between the islands, and they are a significant, non-negotiable line in any two-island budget. Foot passenger fares are far cheaper, which occasionally makes a vehicle swap on either side worth pricing.

Book summer sailings well ahead, and read the change conditions before choosing a cheap fare. Weather cancellations are routine on this crossing, and an inflexible ticket is a false economy.

Smaller ferries you may need

Stewart Island is reached by ferry from Bluff or by air from Invercargill, and the crossing is short but frequently rough. Waiheke and the inner Hauraki Gulf islands run regular Auckland services, and there are vehicle ferries for some of them at a much higher price than the passenger fare.

Water taxis serve Abel Tasman, the Marlborough Sounds and parts of Fiordland, and for those they are not a luxury but the practical way in and out. Budget them as part of the walk rather than as an extra.

Passes and hop-on hop-off networks

Several operators sell flexible passes covering a set number of trips or a period of travel, aimed at backpackers moving between hostels and towns. These work well if your route matches the network and poorly if you want to stop anywhere it does not serve.

Compare the pass against the sum of the individual fares you would actually book, not the maximum possible use. Most people use fewer trips than they expected when they bought it.

Booking individual coach tickets early is frequently cheaper than any pass, particularly outside peak season. The pass buys flexibility rather than a lower price, so decide which of the two you actually need.

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