Wellington

Getting Here and Around

Wellington is a great walking city. The compact area around Lambton Quay and on Cuba Street is flat. A stroll along the waterfront around Oriental Bay provides outstanding sea views. If you head for the hills, take the cable car, and see the sights with a walk down.

For cyclists, designated bike lanes in and around Wellington are marked with a continuous white line and a white bike image on the pavement. More details about urban cycling are on the city's Web site, www.wcc.govt.nz.

Penny Farthing Cycles (89 Courtenay Pl., Wellington, 6011. 04/385-2279. www.pennyfarthing.co.nz.)

Buses are a great way to navigate the city, though service outside the city center is sporadic. In Wellington, buses are operated by several companies; for information on all routes and fares contact Metlink. The main terminals are at the railway station and from Courtenay Place. For all inner-city trips, pay when you board the bus. Bus stops are marked with red-and-white signs. STARpass tickets ($12) allow a day's unlimited travel on all area buses; a $5 ticket gives you a day's bus travel within the city center.

A car is unnecessary to get around central Wellington, which is compact; its many one-way streets can frustrate drivers. However, a car is convenient for outlying places such as Akatarawa and the coastal region around Paraparaumu and essential for exploring the Wairarapa.

Taxi ride rates are $3 on entry, then $2.50 per 1 km (½ mi). Taxis idle outside the railway station, on Dixon Street, and along Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay.