8 Ways to Get From Auckland to Wellington, New Zealand

Travelling from Auckland to Wellington is more than just getting from one city to another. It’s a chance to experience some of New Zealand’s most beautiful landscapes, vibrant towns, and unforgettable scenery along the way.

Whether you’re planning to fly, take a scenic train journey, drive at your own pace, or even walk as part of a longer adventure, each option offers something unique. So let’s get into it and explore the best ways to travel between Auckland and Wellington, comparing costs, travel times, and highlights to help you choose the option that best suits your budget, schedule, and travel style.

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Fly

The quickest, easiest and usually cheapest option to get from Auckland to Wellington is to fly. There are two airlines – Air New Zealand and Jetstar – serving the route with flights leaving frequently through the day between the two cities. If you’re limited on time or just want to get from A to B with the least hassle, flying is definitely the choice for you.

Flights through Auckland are often very reliable, and if you’re delayed getting in or out of Wellington because of the wind then you’ll be rescheduled with priority, though it’s not often that flights are actually cancelled out of the capital because of weather.

Depending on the weather, flying between Auckland and Wellington takes between 50 minutes and 1hr 15 minutes. The wind in Wellington is serious and can either help or hinder, depending what it feels like on a given day! There’s a reason it’s got the nickname Windy Welly, so be prepared in case you have a bumpy landing.

Flight route: Auckland to Wellington (or the other direction). There is just one airport in each city, but Auckland has two terminals; international and domestic. For flights to and from Wellington, you’ll be going to the domestic terminal.

International -> Domestic?
If you’re flying in to Auckland on an international flight and then need to connect to a domestic flight to Wellington you need to clear customs and get to the other terminal. Wellington international arrivals and domestic departures are in the same terminal.
Make sure there’s enough time in your layover for this to happen, it can take a while at Auckland!

Drive

My favourite option and certainly my recommendation if you have the time to make the journey a real New Zealand experience! Road tripping through New Zealand’s north island is an experience and a half, and well worth the time and money it takes to get around.

For those not in a rush, this journey can take anywhere between a few days and a few months. Yep, months! There’s so much to see and do that the route from the north to the south of the island can criss cross across the island before arriving at your destination.

Plan Your Trip: Guide to a North Island Road Trip

If you’re just driving straight from Auckland to Wellington or vice versa, it’s quite a trek. While possible in one day, it’s highly recommended to spread it across two days as this journey – and nearly all New Zealand long drives – take longer than Google Maps suggests. Partly due to pit stops needed, partly due to other drivers and sometimes the weather can have an impact. And of course, if you’re new to this journey, chances are you’ll pass something you want to stop and take photos of!

Auckland to Wellington driving time: 8 hours+, 640km.

Recommended halfway point is Taupō – a great spot to rest and relax and get some sightseeing done with what time you have in the town.

Bus

If driving isn’t your cup of tea, there are bus services running between Auckland and Wellington. Intercity is the most popular and well-known company, getting you between the two cities in just under 12 hours. You can either take the trip during the day or overnight, and there are also plenty of stops along the way if you want to break up the journey and visit another town on the way.

Intercity bus Auckland to Wellington starts at $68, book in advance to get the best prices.

Kiwi Experience is another bus/tour company that covers the Auckland to Wellington route, however Kiwi Experience is all about, you guessed it, the experience! It’s not an A to B trip, instead you’ll visit North Island highlights on your way between the two cities and the price reflects this.

Kiwi Experience tends to look after backpackers and younger crowds, so if you’re just looking to travel between Auckland and Wellington to get to your destination, Intercity is your best bus bet.

Train

Rail infrastructure isn’t New Zealand’s strength, but there is one long distance train on the North Island runs between Auckland and Wellington. It’s a scenic train called the Northern Explorer, taking a full day to travel the distance of the island. It’s not intended to be a commuter train or anything like that, so it only runs a couple of times a week in each direction.

However, if you want to jump on board and enjoy the scenic route between Wellington and Auckland, you’ll pass through some of the North Island’s highlights. We’re talking mountains, volcanoes, viaducts, coastal views and views of Middle Earth territory!

Budget tip: If you’re an AA member, you get a 10% discount on the Northern Explorer train!

There are shorter distance commuter trains that run some sections of the Northern Explorer train, so if you want to break up the journey with some sightseeing you can catch the Te Huia train from Auckland to Hamilton, the Northern Explorer train from Hamilton to Palmerston North and a separate commuter train from Palmerston North to Wellington.

Although this trip breaks up the long Northern Explorer train journey and gives you some flexibility on days that you travel, Palmerston North is not somewhere most people would recommend you visit if you’ve got limited time in New Zealand. When I visited, most people’s first reaction was a confused ‘why?’.

Ride Share

Facebook is used for nearly everything in life in New Zealand, and there are always people posting in both travel and local groups when they will be undertaking long journeys to see if anyone wants to join them and share petrol costs and/or driving.

Availability is limited to whether people are already undertaking the journey, and it’s quite a long time to commit to being with someone you don’t know but if you’re outgoing and flexible this could be a great opportunity to make a new friend!

Similarly, if you’re undertaking the drive and want some company or someone to share the cost of petrol with, pop it in a Facebook group and see if there are any takers.

If you’re staying in hostels, check the noticeboard for ride share opportunities. Sometimes there’ll be a proper sign up sheet because road trips in New Zealand are very popular, other times there’ll just a one off notice of someone going somewhere and offering a seat in their car.

Hitch a Hike

It’s not uncommon to see hitchhikers in New Zealand. It’s considered a relatively safe country and people are very friendly and helpful, so you could try your luck to hitchhike to get from Auckland to Wellington. Despite the reputation as a safe country, there are still questionable characters so if you want to hitchhike always make sure someone knows where you are and listen to your gut with who you get into the car with.

Walk

No, you did read that right…walk. This is an option for the serious hikers out there with a bit of spare time, and it’s certainly not for the faint hearted. In a country known for Great Walks, this is one of, if not *the* greatest.

Te Araroa is a trail that runs from the northernmost tip of Cape Reinga on the North Island through both islands down to the southernmost tip of Bluff on the South Island. You certainly don’t have to commit to the whole walk, but you can follow the trail from Auckland to Wellington. The North Island section of the walk takes between 50- 80 days, though this does include the part from Cape Reinga to Auckland.

This method of getting from Auckland to Wellington is certainly not the quickest, but is definitely up there in terms of experience and making memories. It’s a popular trail to follow and you’re sure to meet some amazing people along the way.

Cycle

Step aside Tour de France, Tour Aotearoa has arrived!

On a very similar theme as walking, you can also cycle the length of New Zealand. The trail was originally compiled in 2016 using some of the best cycling routes in the country, and since then has grown in popularity. The full trail also goes from Cape Reinga right down to Bluff, taking between 10-100 days to complete the 3000km track, but you can just follow the section from Auckland to Wellington.

How to Get from Auckland to Wellington on a Budget

It’s pretty well known that New Zealand is an expensive place to travel, and if you’re looking to keep costs low while getting from A to B in a reasonable timeframe without the worry of hitchhiking, then you can either hire a car for a day and accept the one way drop off penalty, or you can look at car relocation deals.

Relocation deals are where car and campervan hire companies need vehicles to be relocated when someone has had a one way rental. There are often deals where you can hire the car or campervan for free or $1 a day, and sometimes will include a tank of petrol. These are limited to the demand of the rental companies, but always worth checking if you’re keeping an eye on the budget!

Check the latest relocation deals at: transfercar.co.nz

Another way to keep the travel budget in check is to ride share, though you will often be expected to contribute to petrol which does add up on a 650km road trip!

Is It Safe to Travel New Zealand As a Solo Traveller?

Yes, quite simply. I spent 6 weeks road tripping around New Zealand’s North Island as a solo female traveller, another 5 weeks travelling the South Island solo and had very few occasions where I didn’t feel safe. I had my own vehicle so had no hitchhiking or public transport worries, but as long as you keep your usual awareness and safety approaches you’ll hopefully have the same experience.

Tourism is a big deal in New Zealand, and kiwis are generally very proud of their country and the safety here. You’ll find a lot of people will offer to help you, and will take pride in the fact that you can explore the islands with ease. There is of course still crime in New Zealand, but in my experience I’ve felt much safer travelling here than anywhere else.