New Zealand for the Independent Traveler

The Lynx, fast cat ferry

The North and South Islands of New Zealand are separated by the often windy Cook Strait. Cook Strait once recorded New Zealand's highest wind speed, 268 kmh! While we were in Wellington, all cross-Strait ferry transport was cancelled for a couple of days due to high winds and waves - 13m waves - the highest recorded since the 1968 record storm winds noted above. During such rare occassions, accommodation for miles around Picton and Wellington rapidly overloads.

Regular car, truck and passenger ferry service is operated by Transrail aboard either the two conventional ferries, the Arahura and the Aratere (3 hour crossing) or the high speed catamaran, the Lynx. Arrivals and departure times are designed to coincide with train schedules.

Rates are relatively expensive, especially for car or campervan transport, but limited numbers of discounted fares may be available. The Lynx is about 20-25% more expensive and 30 minutes faster than the Interislander. Economy (about 20% off), Saver (about 30% off), and Super Saver (about 50% off) discounted tickets are available in limited numbers for advance bookings on both. No discounts are available for bookings made on the same day as travel. When we booked, standard fare for a small car, driver and one adult passenger was about NZD 330.

Advance reservations are highly recommended, and are just about always required for car transport on holiday weekends and the busy summer months. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance, by phone or internet. If travelling by rental car or campervan, try to rent from a company that will provide a vehicle at each depot, instead of incurring the extra vehicle ferry cost.

The ferry company website is at: transrail.

About one-third of the 50 mile trip is within the protected waters of Queen Charlotte Strait.If possible, try to book transport to arrive or depart in daylight, especially for the Picton, Queen Charlotte Sound, South Island side of the trip. Going through Wellington Harbour is pretty in daylight or night. There is a pleasant two-mile (each way) walk out to "The Snout" along Queen Charlotte Sound from Picton. A good place to take lunch and watch the boats go by.

The loading process is incredibly complex. Therefore, you must arrive at the terminal considerably in advance of your loading time. Our pre-dawn departure from Picton seemed like the middle of the night. For many of the truck transports, they use a really neat low-slung and powerful little tractor to load the transport trailers, leaving the large trucks behind on either side and making efficient use of the amount of ferry space available. The Lynx carries cars and smaller campervans. The Arahura and the Aratere also carry a lot of large truck and rail cargo.

mini-truck loading trailers aboard Aratere

If you choose not to take your vehicle across, secure car storage is available in Wellington. We sipped away an afternoon with a number of travellers from Wellington who were in Picton just for the day, taking a Blenheim/Marlborough wineries bus tour and returning the same day. This is especially popular during the early February wine festival season.

Travelers from British Columbia may see a lot of similarities between the Lynx fast cat and British Columbia's virtually identical-in-appearance, politically-challenged fast cat ferry. Similar operating criticisms (wash, noise), high costs; even the hardwood floor pattern in the the coffee bar appeared identical.

Tranzrail appears to be the only show in town, but we were advised that alternative passenger service is also available on a poorly publicized freight service. Information on this alternative should be available from Wellington or Picton hostel operators.

Of course, you can also fly between Wellington and Picton (or neighbouring Blenheim), or between Wellington and Christchurch. We did not fly, but were told that the Wellington/Picton flight gives great views crossing the Marlborough Sounds archipelago.