Picton – The ferry from the North Island to the South Island (New Zealand)

Today we left the North Island of New Zealand and took the ferry to the South Island to Picton on time at 1.30 p.m.

The strait between the North and South Island

The North Island and the South Island of New Zealand are separated by a strait called the Cook Strait (see Google Maps). It is 22 km wide at its narrowest point and connects the Tasman Sea (in the west of New Zealand) with the Pacific Ocean (in the east). The Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet here with their waves and winds. This is why the Cook Strait is one of the most stormy sea routes in the world.

The route by ferry from Wellington to Picton

By Bluebridge ferry from Wellington to Picton

To get from the North Island to the South Island (with or without a car), there are two different providers: Interislander and Bluebridge. We chose Bluebridge because the price for our day (NZD 53 per person) was slightly cheaper than that of Interislander. The ticket should be booked in time to ensure that you can get a seat on the desired day and time. Especially if you want to take your car (or motorhome) from the North To the South Islands (or vice versa), it is strongly recommended to book a few weeks in advance.

The journey through the Queen Charlotte Sound

The ferry takes about 3.5 hours for the 90 km long route from Wellington to Picton. The crossing offers beautiful views in many places. In the bay in front of Wellington you had a great view of the city. And while driving through the Queen Charlotte Sound, the ship sails through a fjord-like landscape.

Our car rental for the South Island of New Zealand

Around 5 p.m. we arrived at the port in Picton and were taken by bus to our car rental company Europcar. Here we got our small SUV for the trip over the South Island of Neuseland (see travel report car rental for New Zealand).

Our car rental from Europcar for the South Island in New Zealand

Our Picton Hotel

Afterwards we went to our accommodation Park Regis (now Picton Yacht Club Hotel ) and bought something to eat and drink in a small supermarket. We spent a night here. The room was generously furnished (sofa, desk, small kitchen, balcony) and clean. You can see that it is a bit older, but our room was not “used to it”, as some have written here. Wi-Fi is free for 30 minutes per day per device in the lobby. For us, that was enough. Free parking is available on site. The area is very quiet, no noise. A supermarket is a 5-minute walk away.

Our room at Regis Picton Park

All travelogues from New Zealand