Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

By Air

Air New Zealand (03/547-8721 or 0800/737-000 www.airnewzealand.co.nz) links Nelson with Christchurch, Auckland, Queenstown, Dunedin, the West Coast town of Hokitika, and all major cities on the North Island. Soundsair (03/520-3080 or 0800/505-005 www.soundsair.co.nz) flies in from Wellington almost daily with a very scenic, low-level flight over the Marlborough Sounds via Blenheim.

Blenheim Airport (BHE) and Picton's Koromiko Airport (PCN) are small regional airports—Picton's Koromiko is little more than a paved runway in farmland. The scenic flight from Wellington to Blenheim takes about a half hour. Air New Zealand Link has at least 10 departures to and from Wellington daily. From Wellington, Soundsair (03/520-3080 or 0800/505-005 www.soundsair.co.nz) makes the half-hour trip to Picton. They also fly to Nelson (via Blenheim) and Kaikoura from Wellington most days.

By Bus

InterCity (03/365-1113 www.intercitycoach.co.nz) runs between Christchurch and Kaikoura, Picton, Blenheim, and Nelson a couple of times a day. The ride between Christchurch and Blenheim takes about 5 hours, from Christchurch to Picton closer to 6 hours, and from Picton to Nelson, about 2½ hours. A trip between Kaikoura and Christchurch runs 2 hours 40 minutes. At Blenheim, buses stop at the train station; at Picton, they use the ferry terminal. In Kaikoura, southbound buses stop at the parking lot by the Craypot restaurant, northbound buses at the Sleepy Whale.

Aside from tour buses, the only reliable local alternatives are Atomic Shuttles (03/349-0697 www.atomictravel.co.nz) and Southern Link K Bus (03/358-8355 or 0508/458-835 www.southernlinkcoaches.co.nz). Atomic operates coaches between the most popular tourist spots and shuttle vans on the lower-profile regional runs. Southern Link K Bus also connects from Picton to the West Coast via Nelson Lakes. In the December and January holiday season, book at least a couple of days before you plan to travel, but during the rest of the year a day's advance reservation should do the trick. Bus tickets can also be booked at information centers.

Abel Tasman Coachlines (www.abeltasmantravel.co.nz) and Southern Link K Bus run the smaller routes to Motueka, Takaka, and the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi national parks.

Many of the smaller routes cut their service frequency in winter, some stop altogether, and others reduce their destinations, so double-check the schedules.

By Car

Roads through the countryside's mountain ranges and deep river gorges can be narrow and winding, and a 160-km (100 mi) drive might take over three hours. However, the roads are generally good and there's always something to look at. There are a number of one-way bridges along the way and several on the West Coast shared with trains. Watch the signposts and road markings for "give way" rules.

Most car rental agencies have North Island-South Island transfer programs for their vehicles: leave one car in Wellington and pick another one up in Picton on the same contract. Some car rental companies are reluctant for their vehicles to leave the sealed roads but Apex Rentals in particular is more lenient about that.

Nelson is about a two-hour drive from Picton. From Nelson, State Highway 6 runs southwest to the West Coast, down the coast to the glaciers, then over the Haast Pass to Wanaka and Queenstown. For the West Coast, allow at least seven hours for the 458-km (284-mi) journey from Nelson to Franz Josef. This route demands frequent scenic stops. The same applies to a drive from Nelson to Christchurch, 424 km (265 mi) to the southeast, whether you go through the mountains of Nelson Lakes National Park or through Blenheim and Kaikoura. Highway 60 splits from State Highway 6 about 13 km (8 mi) out of Nelson near Richmond to reach the Abel Tasman area, Moyueka, and Golden Bay.

The north end of the West Coast is roughly a four-hour trip from Nelson on State Highway 6 or a five- to six-hour drive over Arthur's Pass on Highway 7 from Christchurch. State Highway 7 climbs the steep pass over the backbone of the Southern Alps before winding steeply down through rain forest to the tiny town of Otira and on to the coastal river plains of the mid-West Coast.

It can be a long way between gas stations.

By Ferry

Many people arrive in the South Island on the ferry from Wellington to Picton, the northern entrance to the South Island. The trip is spectacular in good weather, but Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton can be rough in bad weather. The one-way adult fare ranges from $52 to $72, depending on the time of year, and whether you book from inside New Zealand or not. The fare for a medium-size sedan ranges from $165 to $235, which includes one adult fare. The crossing takes about 3½ hours, but if the weather is bad take sea-sickness medication before boarding. There are several departures in each direction every day, and you should make bookings in advance. Ferries dock in Picton at the town wharf. Often, rental cars and campervans can be left at your departure point, either Wellington or Picton, and a new one picked up on the other side of the strait. Interislander (0800/802-802 www.interislander.co.nz) runs vehicle and passenger ferries.

By Train

The West Coast is poorly served by rail, but the exception is the TranzAlpine Express (0800/872-467 www.tranzscenic.co.nz), which ranks as one of the world's great rail journeys. The train crosses the Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth, winding through beech forests and snow-covered mountains. The train is modern and comfortable, with panoramic windows and a no-frills dining and bar service. The train departs Christchurch daily at 8:15 AM and arrives in Greymouth at 12:45 PM; the return train departs Greymouth at 1:45 PM and arrives at Christchurch at 6:05 PM. The one-way fare is $110-$124, round-trip $182-$235 if returning on the same day.