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Stray Bus

Stray Travel (tel (03) 309 8772; website www.straytravel.com) 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 they miss out on Mount Cook and 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 PASSES

Passes covering both North and South Islands include:

Bret

This pass covers all the South Island, plus Wellington and the central North Island. Destinations include 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.

Starts Christchurch, finishes Auckland

Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Picton, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Te Anau, Wellington

Cost $1045 ($1035 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 22 days

Dave

Dave includes all the South Island, plus the drive between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island.

Starts Christchurch or Picton, finishes Auckland

Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Picton, Queenstown, Te Anau, Wellington

Cost $840 ($825 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 17 days ex Christchurch, 15 days ex Picton

Des

This pass covers the North Island south of Auckland and the South Island north of Queenstown. Destinations covered include Auckland, Raglan, Waitomo, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Ohakune and Tongariro National Park and Wellington on the North Island and Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Christchurch and Kaikoura on the South Island.

Starts/finishes Auckland

Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Ohakune, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Wellington

Cost $885 ($870 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 16 days

Max

Max is the most extensive of the Stray Travel passes and goes to all Stray destinations south of Auckland.

Starts/finishes Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington

Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Ohakune, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Te Anau, Wellington

Cost $1130 ($1115 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 21 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.

Starts Auckland, finishes Christchurch

Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Invercargill, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Ohakune, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Te Anau, Wellington

Cost $990 ($975 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 17 days

NORTH ISLAND PASSES

Passes covering the North Island only include:

Jack

Jack is an excursion to Paihia in the Bay of Islands.

Starts/finishes Auckland

Cost $105 ($90 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 1 day

Jill

This pass covers most major destinations between Auckland and Wellington including stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Ohakune and Wellington.

Starts/finishes Auckland

Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Ohakune Raglan, Taupo

Cost $425 ($410 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 7 day

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.

Starts/finishes Auckland

Overnight stop Paihia

Cost $195 ($180 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 3 days

Pete

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.

Starts Auckland, finishes Auckland or Wellington

Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Ohakune, Raglan, Taupo

Cost $360 ($345 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 6 days

Sunny

This add-on pass starts and finishes in Rotorua and goes to the East Cape and Gisborne.

Starts/finishes Rotorua

Overnight stops Hicks Bay, Rotorua, Tatapouri

Cost $335 ($320 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 4 days

Tom

This pass covers return travel from Auckland to the main spots in the central North Island including the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Raglan and Waitomo.

Starts/finishes Auckland

Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Raglan, Taupo

Cost $275 ($260 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

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 to Dunedin and back up to Christchurch.

Starts/finishes Christchurch.

Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Queenstown, Te Anau.

Cost $640 ($625 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 9 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, Dunedin and Christchurch.

Starts/finishes Christchurch or Picton.

Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Queenstown, Picton, Te Anau.

Cost $790 ($775 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 13 days ex Christchurch, 14 days ex Picton

Sally

Sally includes Milford Sound, Te Anau, Invercargill and travels through the Catlins to Dunedin and then up to Christchurch.

Starts Queenstown, finishes Christchurch.

Overnight stops Dunedin, Invercargill, Te Anau.

Cost $380 ($365 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 4 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.

Starts/finishes Christchurch or Picton

Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Haast, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Queenstown, Picton

Cost $520 ($505 HI/YHA, ISIC, VIP)

Minimum trip 9 days ex Christchurch, 10 days ex Picton

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