salmoncolour

Currently in the trip planning stage, we've got far too many questions.

1. flights - having never been on such an incredibly long flight, we are undecided between "getting it over with" approach (to go for the shortest possible time with few stops) and "taking your time" (stop overs, multiple cities...). What are your experiences, what's worked better for you and children?
2. rail - how easy/cheap is it to travel across NZ by train? Can you buy tickets on the spot or is it better/cheaper/easier to buy them online?
3. public transport in Wellington in particular - is it easy to get around?
4. beaches - are there any ice-cream-hut, safety nets in the water type of beaches? Can you swim in lakes?
5. is tap water drinkable?

Thank you!!!

snaps

1. Avoid LA for a change of plane.

salmoncolour

Thank you, Snaps. I've seen a few posts saying that.

Spacecake799

Going out we did, Birmingham-Dubai, stopover,- Singapore, stopover-Sydney-Akl

Returning we did Akl-LA, stopover, NY, stopover, UK. US one was awesome, but then for me I was going home as well!

escapedtonz

1. We spread it out. Took us 10 days to get to Wellington. We did Manchester - Dubai then stayed in Abu Dhabi for 4 nights, then Dubai - Sydney then stayed in Sydney 4 nights then Sydney - Auckland - Wellington. Best way to do such a long journey in our opinion. Still a nightmare though with a 13 month old.

2. Very expensive to travel across NZ by train. It's nothing like the uk where you can get a train anywhere. Only really Auckland and Wellington has commuter train services. There is the Northern Explorer that travels Auckland to Wellington but it takes 12hrs and costs hundreds of dollars. It meets up with the interislander ferry service in Wellington for transfer across to Picton on the south island then there's a few other similar train services to get you to Christchurch and over Arthurs Pass to the West Coast. They are all proper tourist services and as I said very expensive. I think the Northern Explorer on its own is like $500-$600 per adult ? Book as early as possible. You can get deals on these tickets but they come with lots of conditions. A much cheaper way to travel although takes a while is by coach. There are many services from all the main places to all the other main places.

3. Lots of train services North out of Wellington station. There's 5 routes. 3 of them don't go that far then there's a service up to the Kapiti Coast which terminates at Waikanai and another that goes through the Rimutakas and terminates in Masterton in the Wairarapa.
You can also get the Northern Explorer from Wellington to Auckland which I think goes via the line through Waikanai and the Kapiti Coast.

4. Don't really understand what you are asking. Wellington beaches and beaches all up the West coast are predominantly windswept and covered in driftwood. East coast beaches are better although some are pebbles. Mount Maunganti beach is the best beach resort.

5. Yes.

MOSO

1. We originally came via LA and had a few days at Disneyland on the way. We've also been back via Singapore which has a fabulous airport especially with kids as it has a swimming pool on the roof and a butterfly garden and lots of playgrounds etc.

2. Rail across NZ isn't really an option. There are coach companies that travel the main routes. Cheap, but slow as they stop so much.

3. Public transport in Welly is great with lots of train lines. We live up on the Kapiti Coast and my OH commutes to Welly by train every day and costs about $300 per month for an hour's journey. We think it's worth it as I work further north (car is my only option) and the weather/house prices are much better on the coast.

4. There are plenty of nice beaches around Wellington. Waikanae is the best on the Kapiti Coast (the coast is made up of 40km of beach!). Closer to Welly Plimmerton is nice and child friendly and in Welly itself Oriental Bay is made from imported sand with a nice playground area and cafes. There's also Scorching Bay which has another nice café as well as safe beach and playground and Lyall Bay near the airport which is popular with surfers as well as families. Some of the other beaches are rockier but great for seal watching.

salmoncolour

Thank you.

salmoncolour

That sounds lovely! We won't have that much time, I am afraid but the splitting it up sounds like a plan.

Thank you. Shame as the children love trains.
Car it is then. Thanks.

Thank you.
What I meant is to ask how organised they are: is it more just open, wild coastline or are there (m)any beaches with nets in the water, cafes, shops/kiosks type of thing?

salmoncolour

Thank you!
Wow, Singapore sounds great! Our small people would love that!
The $300 a month - is that like a pass type of thing (do they do passes?) or the total for daily tickets?

This is something I wonder about as so many people have said the same - we might just end up considering living somewhere further out (like Kapiti coast) and commuting too...

Brilliant, fab info!

bourbon-biscuit

1. Depends on kids' ages. When younger I suggest a stop, even if just in the airport hotel. Now mine are teens/adult-ish they manage long haul and the jetlag no worries.
2. Train lines outside of Auckland and Welly are tourist trains and not used for commuting. Google for train line info in the cities.
3. Pass - no idea, though older daughter seems to get around fine when down in Welly or in Auckland.
4. I get you; you mean not wild remote beaches. NZ is very good at wild remote beaches but in both Welly and Auckland there are plenty of the sort you are after also
5. You're joking, no? We are a population of 4.5 million. Do you think we're all boiling water or dragging it up from a well?

moving2NZ2013

We went with signapore airlines. they are fantastic and usually cheaper than other airlines if you use they're own website and do not go with a flight centre ect.

We stopped at signapore for 3 hours we had a 11month old and 2 yr old.
If we do this journey again we would stop over in a the hotel room in signapore, it's within the airport so you don't even have to leave the airport. It would be nice to have a shower and a decent nap in between change overs

escapedtonz

Weve found that Kiwis dont make the best of any opportunity.
In wellington the beaches are highly unorganized. They are all just open beaches and don't have lifeguards or anything like that. Well not that I remember anyway and we tried them all. The majority of them have at least got a nearby cafe and a playground for the kids.
Our favourites around Wellington were Scorching Bay and Plimmerton. Oriental Bay is man made pulverized stone and shell and not very good although has a good view across the Bay to the CBD and there's a nice water feature. As anywhere round Wellington the water is freezing. To get warmer sea you have to head up the Kapiti.
Plimmerton Beach on the way to the Kapiti Coast is pretty sheltered and not deep so excellent for a family day out if you pick a day without much wind. The village shops are very close by where theres a shop, cafe and a couple of eating places.
The long beach all up the Kapiti Coast is sand but we didn't like it much since there are a lot of cars drive up and down it, lots of dogs, lots of driftwood and every time we went there was always 5 or 10 metres of crap in the see just were the waves lapped which was like wood chippings probably from all the battered driftwood that was always strewn up and down the beach ?

One of the reasons why we moved up North to Tauranga. Our nearby beach at Mt Maunganui is beaut. All nice sand. Looked after by lifeguards and theres often planned events and things going on centered around the beach. The sea is so much warmer since its the Pacific and not the Tasman and great for all kinds of surfing swimming diving etc.

Timmy Chch

2. Google kiwi rail scenic for prices and route map, admittedly its only 1 route through the north island and say half the South Island (for half the year in South but Summer half is all good!) but price wise it's pretty good with a bit of planning. Just plan round what's available, very good & interesting service, beats driving if the route stops suit you

MOSO

There are lifeguards at Oriental Parade, Lyall Bay, Titahi Bay, Paekakariki and Otaki (just north of Waikanae).

Cars are only allowed on the Kapiti Coast in a few places at certain times and the same with dogs. There were kids playing in the sea at Waikanae and some people surfing last weekend so it's not all bad. My kids loved taking their boogie boards out any time between October and March when they were younger as it's shallow a long way out. They usually wear shortie wetsuits but they protect against the burning sun anyway.

Yes, the sea is warmer further north and the beaches are more crowded but then we're tied to Wellington through work and much prefer it to Auckland anyway!

This was us playing football on Waikanae Beach last Christmas Day to give you an idea!

salmoncolour

Wow, thank you so much, everyone. Loads of brilliant info!
I am getting more and more drawn to Kapiti the more posts I read.
Yes, wetsuits will be the way to go for us too.
Gorgeous photo, Moso! I still can't get my head around having a warm Christmas, lol.
Does anyone know approx water temperatures?