The short answer: rent a car. The long answer: rent a car — plus the understanding that points are often 4–6 hours apart, public transport barely exists, and there are exactly as many ferries and domestic flights as needed.
A car is the default
99% of NZ routes are built around a car. The roads are in excellent condition, the markings clear, the local drivers courteous — but traffic drives on the left, and you need to remember that literally every time you pull out of a car park. The most frequent tourist accidents happen in the first 2 days.
Small driving nuances: on a two-lane road you overtake only in stretches with a broken line (passing lanes) — they’re signposted and usually come every 10–15 km. The open-road limit is 100 km/h, but most drivers do 85–95 because the road curves. Don’t stress, don’t honk.
Where to rent
🚗The big chains
🇳🇿The locals
The campervan — a philosophy of its own
It’s the most “New Zealand” way to travel. A house on wheels rented for a week or more; you sleep at dedicated camping grounds (DOC campsites are public, $8–15 a night; Top 10 Holiday Parks are private with showers and kitchens, $40–60). The hotel savings offset the higher rental.
Between the islands
The Interislander or Bluebridge ferry from Wellington to Picton. 3.5 hours, $50–80 per passenger, $130–250 per car. They often sell a “scenic experience” — skip it: you can see everything from the deck for free. Book ahead for summer.
The alternative: domestic flights on Air NZ or Jetstar. From 1.5 hours in the air, often cheaper than it seems — $80–150 on the low-cost carriers. But you’ll have to pick up a fresh car from scratch on the other island, and that often eats the savings.
Trains — strictly for the views
NZ has three tourist trains: the Northern Explorer (Auckland → Wellington), the TranzAlpine (Christchurch → Greymouth over Arthur’s Pass) and the Coastal Pacific (Picton → Christchurch). Not fast, not cheap, but the TranzAlpine ranks in the world’s top-10 scenic railways — worth riding as an “experience”, not as a way to get around.
Buses
InterCity is the national coach operator — it reaches almost everywhere, but slowly. Right for budget backpackers; there are travel passes for 15/25/50 hours of riding. Wrong for routes with nature stops — you’ll miss all the beautiful places.
Within the cities
Auckland and Wellington have public transport (buses + trains) that works fine. Everywhere else — walk, taxi or Uber. Uber operates in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Hamilton, Tauranga and Dunedin. In small towns — local taxi firms, booked by phone.
Cycling
NZ invests seriously in cycle touring — the Great Rides, a network of 22 long routes across the whole country. Perfect for two or three days in one region. Rentals in every major town; book your transfer back.