Getting Around

Tip: An Easy Introduction

If you're in town for a few days and want to get a feel for the inner city, head for the Square and look for the red-and-black Personal Guiding Service kiosk. Trained guides -- they're in red and black, too -- offer daily 2-hour walking tours at 10am and 1pm from October through April, and at 1pm from May through September. Tours also depart 15 minutes earlier from outside the nearby visitor center. For more information, call tel. 03/379-9629.

By Public Bus -- All local buses operate out of the Bus Exchange, Colombo and Lichfield streets (tel. 03/366-8855; www.metroinfo.org.nz). North-south buses are based on Colombo Street; east-west buses are based within the building. Red Bus Limited (tel. 0800/733-287 in NZ, or 03/379-4260; www.redbus.co.nz) operates the majority of these urban bus services, with others provided by Leopard Coachlines (Urban Cat; tel. 03/73-8100). The Bus Info Centre is on the second level of the building for details on the complete service. Zoned fares range from NZ$3 to NZ$10. For information and details on all-day passes, contact Bus Info (tel. 03/366-8855; www.metroinfo.org.nz).

Check out the advantages of a Metrocard All Day Pass, which costs NZ$4 for adults and NZ$2 for children, and gives as many trips as you like in a day. Purchase it from your bus driver or Metro Info in the Bus Exchange, which is open daily 7:30am to 6pm Monday through Friday and 9:30am to 5:30pm weekends. If you're planning an evening out, consider the Midnight Express Service, which leaves on four major suburban routes on the hour between midnight and 4am. Just look out for the distinctive purple buses, or call Bus Info for route details. It will save you the hassle of finding carparks and it costs just NZ$6, or you can use your Metrocard.

A suburban bus system, the Orbiter, allows you to travel around the outskirts without having to go into Central City. The bright-green buses run every 15 minutes during the day and every half-hour in evenings and on weekends. They cost NZ$3 and you can use your Metrocard. The Metro Star is an extension of that cross-suburban service, linking all the major suburban shopping malls. Its orange buses run every 15 minutes Monday through Friday and every 30 minutes on evenings and weekends. It uses a long-term electronic card system, which is prepaid and can be used on all other buses. Cash is accepted, but it's more expensive and you only get one free transfer, as opposed to unlimited transfers with Metrocards.

The upstairs information center at the Bus Exchange has takeaway timetables and all the information you'll need.

By Shuttle -- The free central-city electric shuttle is bright yellow; its pickup points are designated by bright-yellow street towers. The shuttle travels between the Casino, Town Hall, Victoria Square, Cathedral Square, City Mall, South City, Smiths City, and Hoyts 8 on Moorehouse Avenue at 10-minute intervals during the day, 15-minute intervals at night. The service does not operate on December 25, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, or Good Friday.

By Private Bus -- The Best Attractions Bus (tel. 0800/484-485; www.leisuretours.co.nz) offers transportation to the area's most popular attractions: The Must See Four goes to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, the International Antarctic Centre, Air Force Museum, and Christchurch Tram. It takes 6 hours and costs NZ$125 per person, which includes all transportation and admission prices. The Big Five includes Willowbank, the Antarctic Centre, Christchurch Tram, a Lyttelton Harbour excursion with Christchurch Wildlife Cruises, and a ride on the Christchurch Gondola. It takes 8 hours and costs NZ$185 per person.

By Tramway -- Christchurch's short but pleasant tramway (tel. 03/366-7830; www.tram.co.nz) runs from Cathedral Square down Worcester Boulevard, crossing the Avon River to the Arts Centre. From here, it turns right to Rolleston Avenue and travels on to Armagh and New Regent streets and back to the Square. It operates from 9am to 9pm in summer and until 6pm in winter; one circuit takes 25 minutes and there are 11 stops along the route. Tickets, which can be purchased on the tram, are NZ$15 for adults, NZ$5 children ages 5 to 15, NZ$35 for a family, and you can hop on and off the tram as often as you like for 2 days.

By Taxi -- There are taxi stands scattered around the inner city and at all transport terminals. First Direct (tel. 03/377-5555) has a reputation for being the best priced. For taxis that can accommodate wheelchairs, call tel. 03/379-9788.

By Car -- If you want to see only the main central-city sights, you probably won't need a car; you can make the most of free shuttles and cheap tour buses for those farther-afield destinations. And don't forget the Midnight Express bus if you're staying late in the city. If you do have a car, driving in Christchurch is straightforward. Most on-street parking is metered or has time limits. It's a good idea to make use of the centrally located municipal parking buildings, most of which offer your first hour's parking free. They are well signposted on Kilmore Street over the Crowne Plaza Hotel; in Cashel Street near the Grand Chancellor Hotel; on Lichfield Street near the Durham Street intersection; on Oxford Terrace near the Main Library; on Manchester Street near the intersection with Armagh Street; and under the new Art Gallery on Gloucester Street. You'll find free car parking in Hagley Park during the day -- entrance is at the end of Armagh Street.

By Bicycle -- Christchurch is a biker's heaven -- it's flat (except for the Port Hills), and motorists are used to a high volume of bicycle traffic. There are cycle lanes set aside in many areas, especially in the northwest suburbs, where there's quite a bit of university bike traffic.

On Foot -- Most of the main central-city attractions are well placed for easy walking -- especially in the Arts Centre/Botanic Gardens area. Shopping areas are fairly far-flung, but you can make use of the free electric shuttle or the very reasonably priced tram to take the load off your feet every so often.

Tip: A Note on Safety

Like any large city, Christchurch has its criminal element, but if you use common sense, there's no reason why you should see any evidence of it. It's generally considered not a good idea to wander about in Cathedral Square alone after midnight, and most inner city streets east of Manchester Street need a little more caution. It also pays to give Latimer Square a wide berth if you're alone after dark. The inner city, especially around City Mall and Oxford Terrace, is generally safe, as there are always plenty of people about at all hours, and security cameras now operate in some areas.