What you should know before hiring a car in Auckland
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Distance from Auckland city centre |
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Car hires in Auckland: practical information
Where to rent a car in Auckland
Auckland is the place to be on the North Island. Already booked tickets from London to Auckland? Great! Then you're on the right track to planning a wicked trip to New Zealand. New Zealand is a gem for wilderness and outdoor sports so it's natural to check out economy car rentals in Auckland for your trip here. First place to look is car hire Auckland Airport. Choose from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty from the airport building. There are also a few car rental companies located around the airport like A2B, ACE Rental Cars, Apex, Jucy, USave, GO Rentals, Yourway, Omega, ExploreMore and others.
How about car hire Auckland train station? The central station is located at Britomart Transport Centre at the northern end of Queen Street. Most all rental car companies in Auckland city centre are located near the harbour, along Quay Street and along the Strand. To make sure you get the best deals, always compare rental car prices in Auckland before you reserve.
Driving in Auckland: parking and other tips
Many residents drive to get around Auckland, locals depend on their own cars as their main means of transportation. Public transportation isn't as efficient or wide-spread as in Europe which means cheap car rentals in Auckland are essential for holidays in Auckland. Parking is easy in Auckland mostly because the city is so car-dependant.
Keep your eyes out for the international blue parking P. There are car parks all over the city, eight in central Auckland alone. Only a few hotels in Auckland have parking available so make sure you ask your hotel where you can park your rent car in Auckland overnight.
Road trips from Auckland: what to do, what to see
Rotorua
Rotorua is known for two things: hot springs and geysers. They've been attracting visitors for hundreds of years. The city is in the middle of a volcanic zone, a 3-hour drive from Auckland. Check out the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, Okere Falls and Te Puia. Motutara, just past the government gardens is also worth seeing. Also called Sulphur Bay, the walkway will take you round to several geo-thermal springs and sulphur vents.
Waitomo Caves
Also 3-hours away are the Waitomo Caves, one of the most famous sights in New Zealand. The caves were formed 30 million years ago and are where the famous glowworms live, more technically known as Arachnocampa luminosa. There are four main caves here to explore: Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave and Gardner's Gut.
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is just across the water from Auckland and makes a great day trip for some wine tasting. There are also some great beaches on the island as well, although they get pretty crowded on weekends by Auckland locals looking for an escape from the city. It takes 35 minutes to reach by ferry.