Travelling between New Zealand cities: coaches, trains and the Cook Strait ferries
New Zealand has few passenger trains, but a dense coach network, a handful of scenic rail journeys and ferries between the North and South Islands. An overview of how to get between cities without a car.
- Updated: 24 October 2026
- 3 min read
- Buses editorial team
New Zealand has few passenger trains, but a dense coach network, a handful of scenic rail journeys and ferries between the North and South Islands. An overview of how to get between cities without a car.
Long-distance coaches
InterCity runs the national coach network, with services on both islands to more than 600 destinations, from the big cities to small towns and tourist areas such as Rotorua, Taupō, Franz Josef and Queenstown. For many places it is the only public transport option, so book ahead in the summer holidays, when popular services fill up.
For longer trips InterCity sells the FlexiPass, an hours-based pass valid for 12 months that can also include the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait. Smaller operators run shuttles on some regional routes, for example to trailheads and ski fields.
Commuter trains around Auckland and Wellington
Te Huia is a regional train between Hamilton and Auckland, run as a trial that has been extended until mid-2027. It stops at stations in the Waikato and southern Auckland, and the Bee Card is valid on it.
Around Wellington, Metlink trains run on the Wairarapa Line to Masterton, as well as on the suburban lines to the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast. The Capital Connection is a weekday commuter train from Palmerston North to Wellington in the morning and back in the evening, stopping at towns such as Levin and Ōtaki.
Scenic trains: Great Journeys of New Zealand
KiwiRail's Great Journeys of New Zealand runs three long-distance trains. The Northern Explorer links Auckland and Wellington on a few days a week in each direction, and the TranzAlpine crosses the Southern Alps daily between Christchurch and Greymouth. The Coastal Pacific runs along the coast between Christchurch and Picton, but only seasonally, from September to April.
These trains are designed for sightseeing rather than everyday travel. All seats are reserved and there are no walk-on passengers once a train is full, so book in advance.
Crossing Cook Strait
The North and South Islands are linked by ferries between Wellington and Picton, run by two companies: Interislander, owned by KiwiRail, and Bluebridge. In Wellington, Interislander uses the Kaiwharawhara terminal north of the centre, with a shuttle bus from Wellington Station before sailings, while Bluebridge sails from a terminal in the city centre, opposite the railway station.
In Picton, the ferry terminals are close to the railway station and the coach stops, with connections to Blenheim, Nelson and, in season, the Coastal Pacific to Christchurch. Book sailings ahead, especially in summer and during school holidays.
Regional buses between towns
Several regional networks connect towns near the main cities. In Canterbury, Metro buses serve Selwyn and Waimakariri as well as Christchurch. In the Bay of Plenty, Baybus links Tauranga with Ōmokoroa and Katikati and serves Rotorua, Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki. In Manawatū–Whanganui, buses run from Palmerston North to Feilding, Ashhurst, Levin and Marton, and Busit buses connect Hamilton with towns across the Waikato.
These routes often have only a few departures a day and less on weekends, so check the timetable before you go. The same regional card, usually the Bee Card, works on the town and regional buses of each network.
Useful pages
All guides