Bus Travel

InterCity provides regular bus service for the entire region. Comfortable, reasonably priced, and efficient, it's particularly useful to backpackers and people who are in no particular hurry. The Napier-to-Auckland trip takes 8 hours, Napier–Rotorua is 3½ hours, Napier–Taupo is 2¼ hours, and Napier–Wellington is 6 hours. Frequent local services go between Napier and Hastings. There's also a daily bus to Gisborne from either Auckland, via Rotorua, or from Wellington, via Napier.

Nakedbus runs an alternative, low-cost operation that serves some 300 cities and towns around New Zealand.

Contacts

Inter-City. Rotorua, Bay of Plenty. 09/913–6100; www.intercitycoach.co.nz.

Nakedbus. 09/979–1616 ; nakedbus.com.