car hire in new zealand

Choosing car hire New Zealand style

New Zealand's a pretty huge place boasting some epic scenery - well, why else would director Peter Jackson have chosen it to recreate the fantasy landscapes of Middle Earth in his film adaption of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?

It's fair to say you won't be getting around on foot if you want to see everything on offer. New Zealand is made up of two main land masses - the North and South islands, with a cluster of smaller islands nearby. We advise a mid-sized to large hire car with air-con ensuring a little comfort on your travels.

Locations to hire your car in New Zealand

gosimply provides New Zealand car hire at hundreds of locations across the North and South Islands including the main Airports, too many in fact to list here (well, we could, but the page would be rather long). Here are just a few of the locations:

Towns and Cities	Airports
Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Palmerston North, Hastings	Hamilton Airport, Queenstown Airport, Dunedin Airport, Christchurch Airport, Wellington Airport

The open road awaits - but don't be in too much of a hurry. Take the time to carry out a few basic checks before leaving the forecourt. It may save you time and money down the line.

• Your hire car should have a full tank of petrol on collection. Don't forget - it should also have a full tank when you return it too. If it doesn't, you'll likely be charged the difference or a full tank again - at a far greater cost than filling it up yourself. A costly mistake indeed.
• On collecting your hire car, give it the once over for any marks, dents or scuffs (and person-shaped dents). Take a couple of snaps on your mobile phone before you leave the car rental depot and report any damage not noted on the hire paperwork - it's pretty hard to dispute visual documentation.
• If you return your hire car in a state akin to having just completed the Paris-Dakar rally, then you're likely to incur a hefty valeting fee. It's only fair.
• And last, but by no means least - ensure you're aware of what fuel the car takes. Sound silly? Not as silly as forking out for a new engine after you've filled up with unleaded instead of diesel.

Driving in New Zealand

As with any foreign county, New Zealand has its own unique road rules and regulations. It makes good sense to familiarise yourself with these before heading out - apart from potentially saving your life, it could also prevent a hefty fine or a visit to jail. We'd like you back in one piece.

Before you go anywhere - we recommend checking out the rather helpful car hire information on the New Zealand Government's website. Here are a couple of things to be aware of in the meantime:

• New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where you drive on the left so visitors from the UK will feel right at home.
• Journey times can be easily underestimated - many routes use long narrow winding roads. Even short journeys can take longer than you might think.
• Watch out for farm animals and horses on the road, particularly in rural areas.
• New Zealand has many mountainous regions where roads can be slippery and weather conditions can change rapidly. Drive slowly, prepare for delays and carry the right equipment for emergency situations.

Speed Limits on New Zealand Roads

Speeds and distances are measured in kilometres per hour rather than miles per hour. This difference should be taken in to account when planning journey times and distances (it could end up taking longer than you think).

Towns and Cities	Open road
50 kph (31 mph)	100 kph (62 mph)

Ferry services between New Zealand's North and South Islands

There are a range passenger and vehicle services that operate between Wellington on the North Island and Picton on the South Island. Crossing times for the 19 kilometer journey usually take around 3 hours. Ferry services also operate to the smaller islands of New Zealand. Car hire in New Zealand gives you the perfect opportunity to get out and explore these magical islands and all they have to offer.