Flying - an alternative to the Cook Strait ferry
December 11th, 2007 by Tim Uden
Every day hundreds of backpackers travel between New Zealand’s North and South Islands and the majority of them take the ferry. I understand that the ferry offers many benefits, but I’m puzzled that more travellers don’t think about flying. Sure a three-hour cruise is a nice way to travel but a flight offers great views and gets you across the Cook Strait in just 25 minutes.
It’s affordable too. The one-way airfare between Blenheim and Wellington is $56 with Air New Zealand or $89 with air2there and Sounds Air flys between Picton and Wellington for $79. Compare this to the cheapest Interislander ($52) or Bluebridge ($55) ferry fare; and the ferry can cost as much as $72 each way. You’re not going to save much (if anything) by flying, but at around the same price as the ferry it is worth considering.
In New Zealand rental car companies generally let you book a multi-island rental dropping off at the Wellington ferry terminal and picking up a new car when the ferry arrives in Picton; however most rental companies will also let you do a multi-island rental with drop-off and pick-up points at Wellington and Blenheim Airports so there’s plenty of reasons to consider flying between the North and South Islands.
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