Travel & Accommodation

Travel Note

New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) visa for NZ

IMPORTANT: The New Zealand Government requires a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) for all visiting and transit passengers from Ireland. Please see the requirements and apply from the below website only. It's really simple to fill out and costs approx. $23 NZD/ €13 per person. Do not bring any unpackaged or fresh food products to New Zealand. You don't want to end up as a TV star on Border Control!

Flight

Emirates

Emirates fly to Auckland through Dubai. This is usually the quickest option for getting to Auckland from Dublin, however it can be more expensive. Layovers in Dubai are usually either about 1 and a half hours (recommended) or 9 and a half hours. You can also add multiple stops in when searching if you would like to stop and holiday anywhere else on the way. From Bali to Borneo, anywhere is an option!

Flight

Etihad

Etihad Airways fly to Auckland through Abu Dhabi and Sydney or Melbourne, with a variety of layover times and options. If the layover in Abu Dhabi is over 10 hours they generally give you a free hotel room in the airport. This can be a good option to make sure you are well rested and break up the flights!

Flight

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways fly from Dublin to Auckland through Doha. They also have relatively short connections so this would be another good option to get here quickly!

Flight

Aer Lingus & Air New Zealand

Travelling through America or Canada takes the same amount of time as going through the Middle East. There are various different flights you can take to get to America or Canada and then onto Auckland. The most convenient connection is Dublin to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York or Vancouver with Aer Lingus and then to Auckland with Air New Zealand. This would be a good option is you want to have a holiday in the US or Canada on the way. Important to note you may need an American visa to do this (ESTA). The flights can be booked together through Air New Zealand.

Flight

Qantas

Qantas is another option for those who may wish to stop in Australia on the way. They have a selection of flights (some codeshare) with most connecting in London and Australia before flying on to Auckland. It is approx. 2.5 hour flight from Auckland to East Coast Australia cities; Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns.

Flight

New Zealand Domestic Travel

Driving distances between cities in New Zealand can be massive, for example Auckland to Wellington is 9 hours by car. The ferry between the North and South Island is slow. The best way to travel between cities and islands is to fly! Flights are frequent and easy. Air New Zealand is the domestic airline of New Zealand and is a great option to fly between the cities; Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch & Queenstown. They also fly to smaller regions from Auckland such as Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Marlborough and Dunedin. Look out for Koru hour flights for free wine and cheese! Jetstar is the budget airline of New Zealand, operated by Qantas. They fly between the cities in both the North & South Islands and Australia. They often have good bargains on flights and are a cheap way to travel.

Travel Note

Public Transport

New Zealand does not have good public transport infrastructure outside the cities. Auckland has train and bus lines which are cheap and easy to catch using an AT Hop card. Uber is in the majority of cities and is a cheap way to get around for short distances. Once you leave the cities, a car becomes essential to get to where you want to go. Please see some car rental suggestions below. Most of the time you can pick up and drop off in different locations.

Rental Car

Apex car rental

Rental Car

Budget Car rental

Rental Car

Jucy car rental

Generally a cheaper alternative to some of the other rental companies. A good option if you want to hire a campervan also.

Travel Note

Accommodation

We are more than happy to help you book accommodation or provide recommendations to you on an individual basis - just reach out! For accommodation in Auckland we would recommend looking at Parnell (where we live), Mount Eden, Ponsonby or Remuera for suburban areas close to the city, restaurants, cafes etc. Mission Bay, St Heliers and Kohimarama are also relatively close by and are beside the beach. Some websites below may give you an indication of what is available.

House Or Rental

Air BnB

If you want to have a look at the types of places available Air BNB is a great start. There are lots of different options, both short and long term all across NZ.

House Or Rental

Book A Bach

Another option for both long and short term houses to rent across NZ. Not as much choice as Air BnB however.

Hotel

Booking.com

A helpful website to book all accommodation options such as hotels, motels, studios and apartments.