Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

By Air

Airports serve the main centers but many areas are quite remote and driving or taking a bus is the best option. Air New Zealand (0800/737-000 www.airnewzealand.co.nz) operates flights daily from Auckland and Wellington to Hamilton, New Plymouth, and Palmerston North. It also flies to New Plymouth and Palmerston North from Christchurch. Flights to Australia fly out of Hamilton and Palmerston North.

By Bus

Intercity (09/913-6100 www.intercitycoach.co.nz) links all cities and towns throughout the region with regular, daily scheduled bus service. Flexible travel passes allow independent travelers the chance to stop off at towns and visitor attractions along the way, and then continue on when it suits. Shuttle transport from nearby towns is available to major visitor attractions, such as, the Waitomo Caves and Egmont National Park.

One Newmans (09/913-6200 www.newmanscoach.co.nz) bus leaves Auckland daily direct to Waitomo. The Waitomo Wanderer (07/349-2509 or 0508/926-337 www.waitomotours.co.nz) makes the two-hour trip between Rotorua and Waitomo once (each way) daily. From Otorohanga, the Waitomo Shuttle (0800/808-279) makes the half-hour trip to Waitomo five times daily, connecting with major bus and train arrivals. Book in advance: the shuttle is $7 per person each way, but $30 for those who don't book in advance.

White Star (06/758-338 www.yellow.co.nz/site/whitestar/index.html) provides a daily city-to-city service linking New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, and Wellington.

By Car

Driving is the most flexible way to travel through this region. Roads are nearly all clearly signposted, and pass through diverse and scenic landscapes of farmland, forest-covered ranges, and rugged coastline.

To reach the Taranaki region, you could travel south from Auckland, explore the surfer's paradise town of Raglan, and continue south along the remote coast road, or detour inland via Cambridge, then Waitomo and on to New Plymouth. This city is an excellent base for exploring Taranaki/Egmont National Park, the gardens of Taranaki, and the surfing beaches. From there, you can continue southward to the Whanganui River region for kayaking, canoeing, or simply exploring this scenic and historic wilderness. En route to Wellington, Palmerston North—one of New Zealand's leading university towns—and its farming surrounds are worth a quick stopover.

Access to the Waikato region is straight down SH1 from Auckland—count on 90 minutes to Hamilton. Cambridge is another 15 minutes southeast on Highway 1. For Raglan, take Highway 23 west, a 40-minute drive. For Waitomo (one hour from Hamilton), take Highway 3 south and turn off onto Highway 37 past Otorohanga.

New Plymouth looks well out of the way on the map, but it is only 5 to 6½ hours from Auckland and 5 hours from Wellington. From the north, head to Te Kuiti near Waitomo Caves, and then simply continue on State Highway 3. Leaving Taranaki heading south, take State Highway 3 to Wanganui. Staying on Highway 3, keep traveling to Sanson, where you have the option of heading east—still on Highway 3—through Palmerston North, the Manawatu Gorge, and on to the Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa regions; or following State Highway 1 south to Wellington.

By Train

The Overlander, the daily 12-hour Auckland/Wellington train service, stops at Hamilton, Te Kuiti (near Waitomo), and Palmerston North. This is the only train service in the region.