Hi all, I did a search for past threads on NZ phone cards and discovered various recommendations (mainly Chi Tel). Although we are intending to hire a sim card from Vodafone, the thought also crossed our minds to consider picking up a phone card to make (cheaper) domestic calls & international calls (Australia & Singapore) to family during our 2 week adventure in the South Island (27-Dec to 9-Jan).

From what I have read, it seems as simple enough as picking one up from the airport when we arrive, or the local dairy (corner store) anywhere in NZ? Any recommendations from fellow Fodorites who have travelled to NZ and purchased a phone card recently;as well as the line quality? Preferably one with a nationwide toll-free access number.

Cheers, Simon.

Friendly "bump" just in case there is someone out there who has some recommendations on this.

Cheers.

Where are you coming from? We are coming from the US, and I plan to buy a pre-paid phone card here, which has a local number in NZ to call anywhere. It seems to me that that is the simplest and cheapest way to call.

I imagine it will be good for local NZ calls also. Is this correct?

I don't think you want or need a vodaphone card. My expericen was that any cornor convenience stor sold phoen cards is as low as $5 incriments that offer plenty of minutes. Just let teh shop keep know what you intend to use it for (ovresees calls etc) and they can direct you. We used tehm extensively through NZ and OZ without a problem and just picked up another when needed. The types we used were those that you just scratched off a PIN number and used it in conjuction with either a local call number or an 0800 number. Efficient and certainly the cheapest alternative we foudn to making calls home.

I agree with WA. Pick up a scratch card almost anywhere. I used "Kia Ora" cards for 3 months and found it to be reliable and cheap.
Have fun!

Just wait till you get there. It's so easy to go to any news agent, tell them what you want, and they will offer suggestions. Very cheap, too!

If you buy a phone card in NZ, and don't use it all when you are there, can you use it in your home country (like US)?

Are you using it to call within NZ, or to call back home?
Here's what we did, and it worked well.
I purchased a $20 MCI phonecard from Costco with like 670 minutes. I used this to call from the US to NZ and make reservations (you get about 200 international minutes.) I called MCI before I left, and got all the phone numbers and access codes I would use in NZ to call back to the states.
We called from MZ to the US with no problems whatsoever with this card and still had like 175 minutes to use.
The couple we were travelling wtih bought a $5 Yabba phonecard in Christchruch (not realizing I had the other card), and it had about 15 minutes, and that also worked well for calls within NZ; I have no idea how well it work to call to the US.
Hope that helps.
Kate

Hi Kate - Did you use the MCI card (which incidently I have) in NZ to call locally? You did not say so explicitly.

Now I am trying to remember if I did...I think so.....I know you can, because you have the option in the menus when you are dialing.
Does that help?

I hope so. I will post again when I get back.