Regardless of where you begin your road trip, it is impossible to drive to New Zealand directly. The country is one of the most isolated in the world and is situated around 1,000 miles away from its closest neighbor, Australia. Such a distance makes the idea of a bridge, tunnel, or even a ferry crossing completely unfeasible.
As well as being a substantial distance from anywhere else, the seas surrounding New Zealand are especially inhospitable. The waters are incredibly deep and experience regular tectonic activity, making it a difficult area to build major infrastructure projects. Because of this inhospitable setting, there isn’t even a bridge connecting New Zealand’s North Island and South Island. Traveling the 13.7 miles between the two islands across the Cook Straits is only possible by ferry.
New Zealand is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is an island country comprising two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island, along with numerous smaller islands. It is situated to the southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea.
New Zealand is one of the most remote locations in the world, making any travel to the country difficult. It is located in the South Pacific Ocean, around 1,000 miles from its closest neighbor, Australia. Not only is the area isolated, it’s also inhospitable. The Tasman Sea that separates Australia and New Zealand is one of the world’s roughest and most dangerous stretches of water. The area is also prone to strong tectonic activity, as seen in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Even though Australia is the closest country to New Zealand, it is impossible to drive between the two countries. The ~1,000-mile distance between the two countries and the rough Tasman Sea makes any bridge, tunnel, or ferry service unfeasible. If you want to bring your vehicle from Australia to New Zealand, you must look into shipping your car and then taking a flight. Details on how to ship your vehicle feature later on.
There has never been a regular ferry service between Australia and New Zealand. While some boats have been chartered for specific trips, there has never been a scheduled service. The only boats crossing between the two countries are cargo ships and cruise ships.
There are several reasons that an Australia to New Zealand ferry service has never been introduced:
The only viable alternatives to driving to New Zealand are:
Flying – There are 5 international airports in New Zealand; Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, and Wellington. These service international flights primarily to Australia, North and South America, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Europe via connecting flights.
Cruise Ship – Several different cruise lines operate services that include travel between Australia and New Zealand. Companies that offer this service include Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, and Cunard Line. While traveling this way is possible, it will certainly be the most expensive.
Cargo/Freight Ships – Most freight ships have the facilities to carry a few passengers, so technically, it’s possible to travel this way. While it’s cheaper than travel by cruise ship, it’s still much more expensive than flying. Don’t expect much in the way of amenities or entertainment on your journey either.
Shipping your vehicle to New Zealand is a relatively straightforward process once you locate a reliable company to work with. Most shipping providers offer two different services, shipping via container or roll-on roll-off service. The former is the more expensive option, where your vehicle is safely secured inside a shipping container. The latter option is exactly how it sounds: the vehicle is driven onto the ship, parked, and secured. Once the ship has docked at the destination, it is driven off and returned to you. Costs are considerably lower for this method of transportation, but there are generally fewer options to transport vehicles by this method.
Several providers offer shipping services from North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia. Costs start at $2500 from the U.S., $1500 from Australia and $3000 from Europe. Estimates vary, but typically allow 30 days for your vehicle to be shipped.
When deciding whether to ship your car, it’s important to remember 2 things:
There is no way to drive directly between New Zealand’s North Island and South Island. This is despite the islands only being 13.67 miles apart at the closest point. The islands are separated by the Cook Strait, a very deep body of water, which makes constructing any bridge impossible. The area’s active tectonic system also makes the possibility of a tunnel being built unlikely.
The good news is a regular and reliable car ferry service operates between the North and South Islands. The ferry runs between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. The crossing takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes, and there are several sailings daily, which are operated by Interislander and Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries. Costs vary depending on the number of passengers, the crossing, and the type of vehicle.
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