Air travel isn’t the only way to get around. Find out why travelling New Zealand by bus is the easiest way!
1. Non-stop is overrated
Forget being stuck in a tin tube for hours at a time! Travelling by bus means you get to make stops along the way to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. See the towns and cities you travel through, meet the locals, and try the local specialties.
2. No queues for security
Sadly, these days air travel means queuing up to remove jackets and belts and emptying your pockets into a plastic tray to be X-rayed. Talk about stressful! When you travel by bus the only thing you need is your name and booking reference. Check in with the driver, hand over your luggage to be stowed safely under the bus – and that’s it! Step on board, choose your seat and relax.
3. No wasted time
Of course a jet plane can travel faster than any land transport option. But when you add up the time it takes to travel to the airport, checking in hours early and getting to your gate, there’s an awful lot of extra time before you start barrelling down the runway. Bus travellers need to be at their stop 15 minutes before departure – that’s it.
4. It’s cheaper than flying
With tickets from $1* on every service, long distance buses are unbeatable when it comes to cheap travel. And there are no nasty surprises like airport taxes.
5. Travel in comfort
You know what it’s like trying to get comfortable on a plane. You’re crammed in, the person in front of you decides to recline their seat until it’s horizontal and you can’t even distract yourself by checking Facebook. InterCity buses have comfy seats, there’s free wifi on board, and their Gold seats are like a business class upgrade, except you don’t have to sell your firstborn to pay for it!
6. Take more stuff
We’ve all been there – standing at the check-in counter, frantically putting on three extra t-shirts, a big puffy jacket and your winter hat so your bag isn’t overweight. InterCity buses have a super generous baggage allowance. We’re talking TWO bags, weighing up to 25kg each, plus carry-on. Oh, and excess baggage costs $10, instead of the GDP of a small African nation.
7. Hassle-free arrivals
Bus stations tend to be centrally located, meaning you’re smack in the middle of all the action and close to your accommodation. Hop off the bus, retrieve your bags from underneath (no waiting in agony at a carousel either!) and off you go.
8. Buses reach more destinations
If you really want to see as much of New Zealand as possible, you want to get on board the bus. InterCity visits more places in New Zealand than any other passenger transport network – 600 towns, cities and communities around the country.
9. Buses are flexible
While you can book bus travel months in advance in order to snap up the best deals, you can also pick up a ticket a day or two in advance – or even on the day – and get a reasonably-priced fare. And if you want to change your ticket it’s a quick and easy process without the staggering change fees some airlines charge.
10. Buses are better for the planet
You’ve already increased your carbon footprint just getting to New Zealand – no need to make it worse by jetting around the place. InterCity’s low-emission buses are an environmentally friendly transport option.
So there you have it – 10 great reasons why bus is the best way to get from one end of New Zealand to the other. Your next mission, should you choose to accept it: find out more about New Zealand bus passes.