Christchurch Travel Guide: Your Gateway to New Zealand's South Island

Situated on the South Island's east coast, Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. Vibrant in nature, the city offers an eclectic mix of history, culture, and elegance. Highlighted with art institutions and notable botanic gardens all around, Christchurch is a gateway to the South Island and finds a place in every traveler's itinerary.

A city located on the east coast of South Island, Christchurch is a great mix of colonial history and everything contemporary. The city vibes with resilience and creativity through its many contemporary art galleries, boutique shops, and open-air markets, making it an ideal destination for New Zealand holiday packages. It has bounced back with new attractions when hit with the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.

Getting in Christchurch

Christchurch is well served by an international airport and there are regular flights that operate from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Kochin to Christchurch.

DEPARTURE	DURATION	LOWEST ROUND TRIP DEALS
Delhi	18h, 1 stop	Rs 65,000
Mumbai	18h, 1 stop	Rs 65,000
Chennai	28h, 2 stops	Rs 60,000
Bengaluru	17h, 1 stop	Rs 65,000
Hyderabad	22h, 2 stops	Rs 65,000
Kolkata	22h, 2 stops	Rs 78,000
Kochin	19h, 2 stops	Rs 98,000

Getting out Christchurch

Some of the nearby cities that you can take an escape to from Christchurch include the cities of New Castle, Sydney, Wollongong, Gold Coast, Logan City, Brisbane, and Canberra.

Public Transport in Christchurch

Public transportation system in Christchurch is fairly good. It covers most areas in the city and all the important attractions. There are four-cross city routes and one circular route in Christchurch that the city bus service attends to. The standard bus fare inside the city ranges from $2.55 to $4 along with a metrocard. The metrocard needs to be recharged.

Taxi & Airport transfer in Christchurch

Christchurch International Airport is well connected with most of the major cities in the world and there are also frequent flights that fly in daily to and fro from Auckland, Queenstown, Rotorua, and Wellington. Christchurch airport is located 12 Kms from the city centre. Regular public bus services run from the airport to the city centre and they cost $8.50 without a metrocard. Taxis are also readily available just outside the airport. But they are comparatively costly.

Transport & city passes in Christchurch

Getting a Metrocard if you are planning to travel frequently by bus. They cost $10 and you have to recharge them with a minimum $10. Post paying for two trips, you can travel free for the same day.

Driving & Car rental in Christchurch

Car rentals are a common thing in Christchurch. From international car rental companies to local car service providers, there are so many different car rentals that operate in New Zealand. Some of the car rental companies include Go Rentals, Airport rentals, Avis, Omega Rentals, and New Zealand rent a car.