Hazelnut

For those of you that find NZ commute times bad and talk about how c*** the driving is over there I'm wondering how comparable the two countries are. I'm in an area of the UK where traffic is lighter than many others. I have a 30 mile commute with 24 miles being on 2 to 5 lane motorway. In the last three weeks it has taken us an average of 2hrs to drive the 30miles. Yesterday it took 5hrs.

When I'm looking at housing near Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland I'm limiting the search to within 40km (25 miles) and housing no more than 8km from a Highway. I'm hoping the average commute won't be more than 50mins, am I being naive?

Persephone

I never found the traffic too bad even in Chch. I try and work as close to where I live as possible, I much prefer to be able to walk but not really a realistic option in NZ. I suppose it all depends on how far out you are and where you're going. Also which side of the city you live on.
It used to take me 35-40 minutes to get from one side of Chch to the other at 8am. This was through the city itself though, no out of town travel.
I worked with someone who lived in Amberley and it took her about 50 minutes to get to work in Avonhead [north west Chch]. I couldn't have done that commute, too far for me!

Palmerston North: commute of 12 minutes, about 15km out of town.

Hazelnut

We're hoping to eventually buy 4 or 5 hectares and build a small (by NZ standards) house on it which I think means being that much further from the cities where work is. We can't afford Auckland as the closest in housing like that within our price range is well over 70km away but I keep an eye on it anyway as it's interesting for comparative purposes.

In the UK we've always accepted that length of commute as the price to pay of having a house with land. It would be amazing if we could afford something like that with less of a commute but I'm not anticipating that being possible.

Persephone

Quick look on Trademe. You can get sections/blocks at around 4 hectares around Rangiora which is north of Chch and an easy commute. 40 mins or so if I recall correctly. Many people I used to work with lived round that area and a bit further north.
I'm only mentioning Chch in particular as I know the area but it gives you an idea.

bearskin

Horses for courses. Depends on the location - whether North, East, South or West of any given city. The traffic around Hamilton would be a doddle compared to Auckland. Funnily enough I recall being amazed at how much traffic there was in New Plymouth when I went there.

Commuting isn't great around NZ cities, but I imagine it is better than the UK. You will still see the traffic sitting with a single occupant per vehicle in line after line. If those people would catch public transport then the traffic would improve no end.

However there is a stigma that buses are for poor people, so to show you are not poor, you should get a car and transport yourself. Then you can moan about how bad the traffic was today . NEWSFLASH - you ARE the traffic. Similar stigma exists with property for example - renting is just for poor people - like migrants from poor countries. If you are a 'proper kiwi person' you should own property - it shows you are successful - and, importantly, you are superior to these migrants that keep flooding in (some of them can't even speak Engrish properly) tsk

S_and_T

I can only speak for Wellington, but 40km from the CBD would mean you are probably looking in the Kapiti Coast area. I know several people who live there, and none of them drive, they all get the train. Bear in mind there is no motorway as you know it, dual carriageway at best, and a maximum speed of 100km/h. The SH1 traffic really starts building up around Johnsonville, with the 'motorway' staying pretty busy at peak times up to the Terrace Tunnel.

Alternatively, you could live Hutt Valley, or even Wairarapa, but again, the traffic on the SH2 towards those areas of a night is awful.

Having done the commute from Uxbridge to Hook in Hampshire in the past, I really like sitting on the bus. No stress, and to coin a phrase, no worries.

moving2NZ2013

Whilst I don't commute as I stay at home with my babies at the mo. I have been to chch all diff times of the day. Rush hour doesn't seem anywhere near as bad as rush hour in cities in the Uk. BUT I find the driving standards are v poor here. They pretty much do as they want lol. Plenty of nice places to live in commuting distance. I know people who commute from here and that's an 1 hr 20mins drive!

bearskin

I'm with you there. Its a fine way to get to work, a real zone-out time.
On the subject of commuting, I used to find that I needed the work-to-home time in order to unwind. If I got home too quickly I wasn't quite ready for being at home mode.

Snap Shot

Yes

lisamct

If its any use..

In the UK I commuted from East Ayrshire to central Glasgow, 25kms, I started work at 8 and it took me on average 90 minutes every day.

In Auckland I commute from the North Shore to Manukau South Auckland, 30kms, again an 8am start and it takes me 40 miinutes.

Blade Down Under

It takes me at least 1 hour to get to work in Christchurch from Amberley. That's about a 40km drive.

I've given up leaving early as it caused friction between the wife and I.

Highway 1 between half 6 and 8 is like the M6 between junction 8 to junction 10

MrsFychan

commuting times does depend on the time and how many drunks/foreign drivers are on the road and how many road options you have to get anywhere. Also in Wellington how strong the wind has been affecting and if they are affecting the overhead power lines for the trains.

scrubbedexpat094

We live in Gulf Harbour on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula approximately 40km north of Auckland (less as the crow flies which is not helpful unless you're a crow!). OH works in the CBD and most days catches the ferry from GH to the CBD. It takes 50 mins, the times & numbers of ferries has recently been changed and there has been a significant increase in the numbers of people using the service.

There is a bus service that he uses on occasion too but I don't know how long that takes. Will have to ask him!

Driving times vary depending on the time of day, so it can go from the reasonable - 40 mins, to the frustrating - 90+ mins.

SSky

I live outside Rangiora, I work at the airport and travel 50k to and from work and it takes me about 25mins.

Tom H

What time do you leave???? There is no way at the moment it'll take 25 minutes between 7 and 8.

Returning, it takes me around that time to get home to where I live north of Woodend. Going down to work, no way josey