Bus and Coach Services From Hamilton

Explore New Zealand's North Island with its unique 7 unique geographical regions and diverse natural beauty, from soaring mountain peaks, fiords, lakes, rivers, native rugged bush, the majestic volcanoes of the North Island's central plateau to the central North Island skifields of Whakapapa and Turoa  by bus and coach from Hamilton.

Hamilton (Pop: 193,000) is New Zealand's 4th largest city and is becoming an  industrial, financial, educational and IT centre.

The centre of the city, on the Waikato River, is a bustling retail precinct. The entertainment area is quite vibrant due to the large student population. The 2008 Lonely planet guide states that "the city's main street has sprouted a sophisticated and vibrant stretch of bars and eateries that on the weekend at least leave Auckland's Viaduct Harbour for dead in the boozy fun stakes." Hamilton has the second-largest collection of cafés in the country—second only to Ponsonby Road in Auckland.

Hamilton is known for abundant parks, walkways, river jet boating and river cruises, agriculture research, Waikato University, stud farms and the annual National Field day and Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Education and research are important to the city, through the University of Waikato, and Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology). Research at the Ruakura centre has been responsible for much of New Zealand's innovation in agriculture.

Hamilton is known for the world famous Hamilton Gardens - a 54 hectare public garden park in the south of Hamilton, located on the banks of the Waikato River and includes enclosed gardens, open lawns, a lake, a nursery, a convention centre and a cemetery. It is the Waikato Region's most popular visitor attraction, attracting more than 1 million people and hosting more than 2,000 events a year.

Hamilton Gardens is described in popular culture as a botanical garden but does not technically qualify as a botanical garden. Instead, the site features 21 gardens representing the art, beliefs, lifestyles and traditions of different civilisations or historical garden styles. These gardens are grouped into the Paradise, Productive, Fantasy, Cultivar and Landscape garden collections.

Lonely Planet encourages visitors to the gardens to see the "extravagant themed enclosed gardens" with "colonnades, pagodas and a mini Taj Mahal". They also recommend the pre-colonial Te Parapara garden and Ngā Uri O Hinetuparimaunga earth blanket statue at the main gates. Hamilton Gardens hosts the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival in February of each year.

Hamilton annually hosts the National Agricultural Field days at Mystery Creek, the southern hemisphere's biggest agricultural trade exhibition. Mystery Creek is the country's largest event centre and hosts other events of national importance, such as the National Car Show and the National Boat Show.

Manufacturing and retail are also important to the local economy, as is the provision of health services through the Waikato Base Hospital. The city is home to New Zealand's largest aircraft manufacturer, Pacific Aerospace who manufactured their 1,000th aircraft in August 2009, and Max Clear Aviation who manufacture and export high quality micro light aircraft. It also has its largest concentration of trailer-boat manufacturers such as Buccaneer.

Recent years have seen the firm establishment of the New Zealand base of the British flight training organisation CTC Aviation training over 100 airline pilots a year at its "Crew Training Centre" at Hamilton International Airport.

Travelling from Hamilton is in modern buses and coaches with InterCity Coachlines operating a fleet of eco-friendly air conditioned buses with reclining seats and foot rests. Great Sights and Newmans Coachlines operate premier services using a fleet of modern eco-friendly air conditioned coaches featuring reclining seats with foot and head rests and onboard toilet/washroom facilities.

InterCity Coachlines Starlighter overnight bus service operating between Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo, Palmerston North and Wellington connects at Wellington with the Cook Strait ferry services operating between Wellington in the North Island to Picton in the South Island. The Starlighter overnight service features reclining seats with foot and head rests, individual reading lights and air conditioning controls, onboard toilet/washroom facility and makes two refreshment/comfort stops on route.

There are combined bus and ferry fare and travel options, allowing you to make one reservation, pay one fare and travel on one ticket, from Hamilton to Nelson, Blenheim, Kaikoura and Christchurch.

If you want to explore and see New Zealand's unique scenic beauty from Hamilton, there are a range of flexible 'Book As You Go' bus, scenic coach, ferry travel and sightseeing passes giving you value for money travel.

Your 'Book As You Go' flexible bus, scenic coach and ferry pass, allows you to travel through out New Zealand on New Zealand's largest regional and national bus, coach, scenic coach, ferry and sightseeing network, that includes Cook Strait ferry sailings between the North and South Islands, sightseeing tours - like dolphin watching cruises in the Bay of Islands and lots more. Travel is discounted, so you will be saving money, as you travel plus it gives you total freedom to alter your plans whenever you want.

Set your own itinerary and travel when you want, as your 'Book As You Go' flexible bus, scenic coach and ferry pass is valid for 12 months so you can stay a while and leave when you please.