Transport > New Zealand & Pacific Islands > New Zealand > Bus and coach travel > Backpackers coaches > Stray Bus
Stray Bus
Stray Travel (tel (09) 526 2140) is the newest of the three big backpacker coach companies and they have the newest fleet. They have an excellent coverage of the South Island including the Catlins and Milford Sound on their standard passes (other backpacker coach operators sell these as an additional add-on pass). However their coverage of the North Island is more limited, for instance they do not go to Hawkes Bay or the Taranaki region; but they include Raglan, which the other coach companies miss out on.
Stray have an emphasis on active outdoor activities such as walking and spotting wildlife, so they may not be the best option if this isn’t your thing.
Like Kiwi Experience, Stray’s passes have cute names that don’t give you any clue where they go. The ferry between Wellington and Picton is not included in Stray passes.
National Stray travel passes
Passes covering both North and South Islands include:
Arthur
The Arthur pass includes the bottom half of the South Island including Christchurch, Greymouth, Franz Josef, Queenstown and the Catlins; it also includes Kaikoura and Picton plus Wellington and Auckland in the North Island. You can upgrade to the TranzAlpine train over Arthurs Pass for an additional $85.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Price $1020
Minimum trip 16 days
Short Arthur
The Short Arthur pass is basically the same as the Arthur Pass but with travel only as far south as Queenstown. It includes Christchurch, Greymouth, Franz Josef, Queenstown, Kaikoura and Picton on the South Island plus Wellington and Auckland in the North Island. You can upgrade to the TranzAlpine train over Arthurs Pass for an additional $85.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Price $735
Minimum trip 12 days
Bret
Bret covers all the South Island, plus Wellington and the central North Island. The pass includes Christchurch, Kaikoura, Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill, through the Catlins to Dunedin, then up the east coast and across to the North Island. On the North Island, it covers travel from Wellington to Taupo, Raglan, Waitomo, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua and Auckland.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Price $1280
Minimum trip 28 days
Short Bret
This pass covers covers the South Island north of Queenstown and the central North Island. Destinations include Christchurch, Kaikoura, Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman National park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, Wanaka and Queenstown in the South Island. On the North Island it covers travel from Wellington to Auckland stopping at Taupo, Rotorua, Raglan and the Waitomo Caves.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Price $995
Minimum trip 26 days
Dave
Dave includes all the South Island, plus the drive between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island.
Start Christchurch or Picton; finish Auckland
Price $1070
Minimum trip 22 days
Short Dave
The Short Dave pass is similar to the Dave pass except it doesn’t include the bottom of the South Island. It goes to destinations on the South Island north of Queenstown and on the North Island includes the direct route between Wellington and Auckland.
Start Christchurch or Picton; finish Auckland
Price $785
Minimum trip 17 days
Max
Max is a very extensive pass that goes to all Stray destinations south of Auckland.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $1430
Minimum trip 25 days
Short Max
Short Max is similar to the Max pass, but it doesn’t go any further south than Queenstown. In other words it goes to all Stray destinations between Auckland and Queenstown.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $1145
Minimum trip 21 days
Maximus
The Maximus pass is Stray’s most extensive year-round pass. It includes travel throughout the North and South Islands from Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island to Invercargill at the bottom of the South Island.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $1580
Minimum trip 28 days
Short Maximus
The Short Maximus pass is similar to Stray’s Maximus pass, but only goes as far south as Queenstown missing out on the bottom bit of the South Island. The coverage of the North Island is the same as the Maximus pass as is the coverage on northern part of the South Island.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $1295
Minimum trip 25 days
Moe
Moe covers the North Island between Auckland and Wellington with stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Hahei, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park. On the South Island, it covers transport from Picton to Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, plus Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill, through the Catlins to Dunedin and up to Christchurch.
Start Auckland; finish Christchurch
Price $1255
Minimum trip 22 days
Short Moe
Moe covers the North Island between Auckland and Wellington with stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Hahei, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park. On the South Island, it covers transport from Picton to Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, plus Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill, through the Catlins to Dunedin and up to Christchurch.
Start Auckland, finish Christchurch
Price $970
Minimum trip 17 days
Stray Everywhere
The Stray Everywhere pass is Stray’s most extensive pass but it only operates during summer. It goes everywhere that the Maximus pass goes with the addition of the East Cape.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $ 1885
Minimum trip 35 days
North Island passes
Passes covering the North Island only include:
Blue Duck
An excursion from National Park to Blue Duck Station in Whakahoro for a taste of life on a New Zealand farm.
Start/finish National Park
Price $33
Minimum trip 2 days
Go East
This add-on pass can be added to any other pass that goes through Rotorua. Go East and goes to the East Cape and Gisborne. It only operates during summer.
Start/finish Rotorua
Price $350
Minimum trip 3 days
Jill
This pass covers most major destinations between Auckland and Wellington including stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Ohakune and Wellington.
Start/finish Auckland
Price $535
Minimum trip 7 days
Patch
This excursion to the Northland region visits Whangarei, Paihia in the Bay of Islands, Kiatia and includes a drive on the 90 Mile Beach to Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island.
Start/finish Auckland
Price $210
Minimum trip 3 days
Peter
This pass visits Raglan, Waitomo, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo and Ohakune (near Tongariro National Park). From Ohakune you have the option of taking an express coach to Wellington or back to Auckland.
Start Auckland; finish Auckland or Wellington
Price $425
Minimum trip 6 days
Tom
This pass covers the central North Island including Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Raglan and Waitomo.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $340
Minimum trip 5 days
South Island passes
Passes covering the South Island only include:
Q
The Q pass covers travel on the southern half of the South Island. It includes an express coach across Arthurs Pass to Barrytown on the West Coast and then travels down the coast to Wanaka and Queenstown, to Te Anau (with an excursion to Milford Sound), down to Invercargill, through the Catlins and back up to Christchurch. You can upgrade to the TranzAlpine train over Arthurs Pass for an additional $99.
Start/finish Christchurch
Price $795
Minimum trip 12 days
Short Q
The Short Q pass is the same as the Q pass, but without any travel south of Queenstown. It includes an express coach across Arthurs Pass to Barrytown on the West Coast and then travels down the coast to Wanaka and Queenstown and then heads back up to Christchurch. You can upgrade to the TranzAlpine train over Arthurs Pass for an additional $99.
Start/finish Christchurch
Price $510
Minimum trip 8 days
Ron
Ron includes both the east and west coasts and covers the whole South Island including Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Milford Sound, the Catlins and Christchurch.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $940
Minimum trip 17 days
Short Ron
The Short Ron pass goes everywhere that Ron goes except the north east coast between Christchurch and Picton. In other words it covers all the South Island except Kaikoura.
Start Picton; finish Christchurch
Price $890
Minimum trip 15 days
Southern Man
This pass covers the southern part of the South Island including Christchurch, Mount Cook/Aoraki, Dunedin, the Catlins, Invercargill, Te Anau, Milford Sound and Queenstown.
Start Queenstown; finish Christchurch.
Price $395
Minimum trip 5 days
Willy
This pass includes the east coast of the South Island between Christchurch and Picton, then heads to Nelson and the Abel Tasman National Park and down the west coast to Wanaka and Queenstown with an express coach between Queenstown and Christchurch.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Price $595
Minimum trip 11 days
Short Willy
This pass starts in Picton and heads to Nelson and the Abel Tasman National Park and down the west coast to Wanaka and Queenstown with an express coach between Queenstown and Christchurch. It is basically the Willy pass without Kaikoura.
Start anywhere; finish where you started
Prices $395
Minimum trip 5 days
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