Christchurch - Getting Around - Road

New Zealand is an ideal country to explore by car, as the scenery is spectacular. Most roads are State Highways ('SH'). All other roads are known, although not officially, as 'B' roads. To drive in New Zealand, you will need a valid national driving licence, for up to 12 months. The legal driving age is 18 years, and the minimum age for hiring a car is 21. Insurance is not mandatory but recommended. Traffic drives on the left and seat belts are mandatory. The New Zealand Automobile Association (www.aa.co.nz) provides information on road conditions (tel: 0900 33 222) and general information (tel: 0800 500 444) and has a reciprocal agreement with the British AA, whereby visiting drivers can get free maps.

Emergency breakdown services
NZ AA (tel: 0800 500 222).

Routes to the city
The main road to Christchurch is SH1. It bypasses the city, though, so from the north (Picton and Kaikoura), follow SH74 for the city centre. From the south (Dunedin and Queenstown), follow SH73 for the city centre and Lyttelton Harbour.

Driving times to the city
From Dunedin - 5 hours; from Queenstown - 6 hours 15 minutes; from Invercargill - 7 hours 30 minutes; from Picton - 4 hours 15 minutes.

Coach services
Intercity Coachline Service (tel: (03) 365 1113; www.intercitycoach.co.nz) runs throughout New Zealand. Discounts are available for Youth Hostel members and VIP cardholders. Backpackers also use the Kiwi Experience (tel: (09) 366 9830; www.kiwiexperience.com) and the Magic Bus (tel: (09) 358 5600; www.magicbus.co.nz), which sell a variety of passes including accommodation in hostels.