Dunedin buses

[mr walker]

49 minutes ago, chezzyr said:

 If anyone has done any good wildlife related tours (land or water) around Dunedin please feel free to chime in. Thankyou.

On our last visit to Dunedin in Jan '19 (Ovation OTS), we did a wonderful tour with Russ at Tourworks 

Dunedin Tours For Small Groups » Tourworks

We did Mainland Peninsula Tour - picked up at ship & visited some city sights & then went to see Penguins, Seals & Albatross - great trip, thoroughly recommended

[Relaxing Robbies]

We are cruising to NZ late next week and are intending to use the public buses in both Dunedin and Christchurch. Sounds like we will need to get an early start to beat the masses. Looking at the websites of the bus services, they are already warning about overcrowded services, even without cruise ships added to the mix.

 

I have rummaged through my foreign currency supplies and found a NZ$50 note left over from my last trip. Bus websites say you can pay cash for tickets on the bus, but do not mention if you need the correct fare or if they will give change. Does anyone know the answer to this?

[NSWP]

6 minutes ago, mr walker said:

On our last visit to Dunedin in Jan '19 (Ovation OTS), we did a wonderful tour with Russ at Tourworks 

Dunedin Tours For Small Groups » Tourworks

We did Mainland Peninsula Tour - picked up at ship & visited some city sights & then went to see Penguins, Seals & Albatross - great trip, thoroughly recommended

Back in 97, we did a 3 week in depth coach tour of NZ North and South Islands with Guthrey Pacific Coach Tours, not sure if they still exist. It was leisurely with some 2 and 3 night stops, but missed nothing, saw and did everything, good hotels, meals, all inclusive, even the inter island ferry with the coach on board too, lol   So I highly recommend a coach tour of NZ on a ship visit you only have limited time and range, done that too.

[possum52]

3 hours ago, chezzyr said:

Is there a way to find out which tour operators are offering Port Chalmers pick ups/drop off on cruise ship days (besides the ship advertised shore excursions)?

We booked our last excursion from Port Chalmers (2018) through Viator where we were picked up at the cruise terminal. There were plenty of tour operators collecting passengers for their respective excursions/tours. 

 

A quick look at Viator shows a number of full and half day tours for cruise ship passengers in Dunedin. Also just google cruise ship excursions and you will find some more suggestions. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by possum52

[Jean C]

19 minutes ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

We are cruising to NZ late next week and are intending to use the public buses in both Dunedin and Christchurch.

...

I have rummaged through my foreign currency supplies and found a NZ$50 note left over from my last trip. Bus websites say you can pay cash for tickets on the bus, but do not mention if you need the correct fare or if they will give change. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Hi, if it says you can pay cash then in NZ you hand it to the driver and you would be given change. However, you may or may not have problems with a $50 note, especially at the start of their run when they won't have built up much cash in their drawer. If possible, visit a convenience store and make a small purchase, or a bank, to change the note. Some drivers, and it would depend who you got and what mood they were in, would give you the ride and if possible (cash depending) charge you at the end - but don't rely on that scenario 😊

[Relaxing Robbies]

6 hours ago, Jean C said:

Hi, if it says you can pay cash then in NZ you hand it to the driver and you would be given change. However, you may or may not have problems with a $50 note, especially at the start of their run when they won't have built up much cash in their drawer. If possible, visit a convenience store and make a small purchase, or a bank, to change the note. Some drivers, and it would depend who you got and what mood they were in, would give you the ride and if possible (cash depending) charge you at the end - but don't rely on that scenario 😊

Thanks for your advice. I have searched my currency supplies furter today and found about $6 worth of NZ coins. Did your coins change at some stage? I have 2 different sizes of coins saying 20 cents and 2 different sizes of 10 cents. Do they still accept old currency?

[windsor26]

ALL passengers who are not Australians or residents with PR  have to pay for a tourism entry and a visa waiver the total is $116 for a couple  surely  this tourism tax should enable local councils to offer shuttles at a fare(lol) fee

[Jean C]

36 minutes ago, Relaxing Robbies said:

Thanks for your advice. I have searched my currency supplies furter today and found about $6 worth of NZ coins. Did your coins change at some stage? I have 2 different sizes of coins saying 20 cents and 2 different sizes of 10 cents. Do they still accept old currency?

Hi, yes our coins changed a while back and unfortunately old coins are no longer accepted.  The old style coins were the same size as their Australian counterparts.  NZ's new coins are all smaller in size - see screen shot below of what they look like 🙂

[Jean C]

44 minutes ago, windsor26 said:

ALL passengers who are not Australians or residents with PR  have to pay for a tourism entry and a visa waiver the total is $116 for a couple  surely  this tourism tax should enable local councils to offer shuttles at a fare(lol) fee

Unfortunately not, they say the levy "is invested in projects that will help to create productive, sustainable and inclusive tourism growth that protects and supports our environment". 

 

At the time it was introduced it was said to be to help small centres with a small ratepayer base but large tourist numbers to provide things like walking tracks and public toilets for the tourists.

 

I've enjoyed the convenience of free shuttle buses at different places but also accept that not everywhere provides them, it's just a bonus when they do.

 

Providing a reasonably priced shuttle is definitely an opportunity for an enterprising local though 💰

[Relaxing Robbies]

17 minutes ago, Jean C said:

Hi, yes our coins changed a while back and unfortunately old coins are no longer accepted.  The old style coins were the same size as their Australian counterparts.  NZ's new coins are all smaller in size - see screen shot below of what they look like 🙂

Thanks so much for your help.

[Ozwoody]

2 hours ago, Jean C said:

Hi, yes our coins changed a while back and unfortunately old coins are no longer accepted.  The old style coins were the same size as their Australian counterparts.  NZ's new coins are all smaller in size - see screen shot below of what they look like 🙂

Is that a NZ in joke, "The three 'sides' of each coin", I know we Aussies tease you, But...😄

[Jean C]

8 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Is that a NZ in joke, "The three 'sides' of each coin", I know we Aussies tease you, But...😄

Our coins of similar size have a different feel to the edges to assist vision impaired people to distinguish one from another - so, front, back and sides. Isn't that universal? 🤔

Edited October 29, 2022 by Jean C

[Ozwoody]

1 hour ago, Jean C said:

Our coins of similar size have a different feel to the edges to assist vision impaired people to distinguish one from another - so, front, back and sides. Isn't that universal? 🤔

Guess so😁 But we call the side, the rim or edge😄 and yes we have tactile edges as well.

But with them being different sizes, their fairly easy to tell apart. Even our notes have tactile dots for sight impaired.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Ozwoody

[windsor26]

At least NZ  has the $2 coin larger than the $1 which makes sense  !!

[MMDown Under]

34 minutes ago, windsor26 said:

At least NZ  has the $2 coin larger than the $1 which makes sense  !!

Agree!

[Over from NZ]

It's interesting. It was even in the news - how much the cruise companies are rorting people with chartered buses here in NZ. Absolutely a rort. Something like $50 to get from Lyttleton to Christchurch on a rickety old bus. Shocking. 

[Sallyandtex]

46 minutes ago, Over from NZ said:

It's interesting. It was even in the news - how much the cruise companies are rorting people with chartered buses here in NZ. Absolutely a rort. Something like $50 to get from Lyttleton to Christchurch on a rickety old bus. Shocking. 

I hought there was a free or low cost shuttle between the 2?

[Sallyandtex]

On 10/29/2022 at 11:37 AM, Relaxing Robbies said:

We are cruising to NZ late next week and are intending to use the public buses in both Dunedin and Christchurch. Sounds like we will need to get an early start to beat the masses. Looking at the websites of the bus services, they are already warning about overcrowded services, even without cruise ships added to the mix.

 

I have rummaged through my foreign currency supplies and found a NZ$50 note left over from my last trip. Bus websites say you can pay cash for tickets on the bus, but do not mention if you need the correct fare or if they will give change. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Do you know if you can tap with a visa debit card?

[Over from NZ]

22 minutes ago, Sallyandtex said:

I hought there was a free or low cost shuttle between the 2?

There should be - the public buses charge $2.10 each way! lol. Seems it was celebrity sorry. Princess may have something better.. but I doubt it. They'll all try and stiff you and Princess are no different. The article blamed Christchurch.. but it was the cruise company that charters the buses..

 

 https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-christchurchs-shameful-welcome-for-cruise-passengers/?fbclid=IwAR256hbE8KDwo4Fc07s8fV5l-ZyxtbLrP_GNYWGOTpsgRskgsVdBFjmCyYg

 

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, Over from NZ said:

It's interesting. It was even in the news - how much the cruise companies are rorting people with chartered buses here in NZ. Absolutely a rort. Something like $50 to get from Lyttleton to Christchurch on a rickety old bus. Shocking. 

You can bet the bus owners/tour operator is making big dollars from the charters, not all Princess, probably 50/50.

Edited October 30, 2022 by NSWP

[Jean C]

48 minutes ago, Sallyandtex said:

Do you know if you can tap with a visa debit card?

Not on public transport just yet - it's planned to be introduced in 2024, both credit and debit cards.

[Sallyandtex]

2 hours ago, Over from NZ said:

There should be - the public buses charge $2.10 each way! lol. Seems it was celebrity sorry. Princess may have something better.. but I doubt it. They'll all try and stiff you and Princess are no different. The article blamed Christchurch.. but it was the cruise company that charters the buses..

 

 https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/christchurch/canterbury-mornings-with-john-macdonald/opinion/john-macdonald-christchurchs-shameful-welcome-for-cruise-passengers/?fbclid=IwAR256hbE8KDwo4Fc07s8fV5l-ZyxtbLrP_GNYWGOTpsgRskgsVdBFjmCyYg

 

Thanks for the reply and link.

So, is it possible to get a public bus? Or has the cruise companies taken over the route entirely?

How about a taxi.? 

I was really looking forward to Christchurch in  a few weeks, $50 each for a bus seems excessive. We would rather spend that on the local businesses. 

[suey]

We always hire a car at Dunedin . Visited Larnach castle and Otago museum is great. My son also drove our van up Baldwin St the steepest street, scared the life out of me most people walk up.

 

[Over from NZ]

9 hours ago, Sallyandtex said:

Thanks for the reply and link.

So, is it possible to get a public bus? Or has the cruise companies taken over the route entirely?

How about a taxi.? 

I was really looking forward to Christchurch in  a few weeks, $50 each for a bus seems excessive. We would rather spend that on the local businesses. 

Taxi, Uber.. public bus.. all available.  

[chezzyr]

Question re Port Chalmers. Can passengers walk off the ship and walk straight to the terminal building and beyond? Or is it a 'working port' and passengers have to be bussed/escorted?