The quickest way of getting around the South Island is by air , with Air New Zealand and Ansett New Zealand operating direct daily flights to Dunedin, Hokitika, Invercargill, Mount Cook, Nelson, Queenstown and Timaru, with other destinations reached via Wellington.

By comparison, trains (tel 0800/692 378) represent a much cheaper but relatively time-consuming way of getting around, with only one passenger train daily heading south from Christchurch towards Dunedin and Invercargill, calling in at Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru on the way. Services are equally sparse to Picton at the northern end of the South Island. By far the most popular train journey from Christchurch is the TranzAlpine to Greymouth , a Kiwi classic which crosses the Canterbury Plains then climbs the Southern Alps to Arthur's Pass before descending to the West Coast. So spectacular is this journey that many people treat it as a day out from Christchurch .

Most inter-city journeys are best attempted by bus or shuttle bus which are reasonably frequent to major destinations, though it is worth bearing in mind that journeys from, say, Christchurch to Nelson or Queenstown are likely to take up most of the day. Almost all companies now operate a door-to-door policy picking up and dropping off at the visitor centres, main hostels, some hotels and airports where applicable. Usually there's no additional cost, though there is sometimes a charge if you are being picked up outside Christchurch's central Four Avenues area. The main exception to this rule is the nationwide InterCity/Newmans, whose services currently depart from the junction of Gloucester and Manchester streets. These companies run the following services:

Akaroa Shuttles (tel 0800/500 929): to Akaroa.

Alpine Coaches (tel 0800/274 888): to Greymouth and Hokitika via Arthur's Pass.

Atomic Shuttles (tel 03/322 8883): north to Kaikoura, Blenheim, and Picton; south to Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Dunedin; west to Greymouth, then down the West Coast to Queenstown; and inland through Geraldine and Twizel to Wanaka and Queenstown.

Catch-a-bus (tel 03/471 4103): south to Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Dunedin then inland to Wanaka and Te Anau.

Coast to Coast (tel 0800/800 847): to Greymouth and Hokitika via Arthur's Pass.

EastWest (tel 0800/500 251): to Westport via Hanmer Springs and Reefton.

InterCity/Newmans (tel 03/379 9020): north to Kaikoura, Blenheim, Picton and Nelson; south to Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill; west to Arthur's Pass and Greymouth with connections to Westport, Hokitika and the Glaciers; and inland to Methven, Mount Cook, Wanaka and Queenstown.

Lazerline (tel 0800/220 001): to Nelson via Hanmer Springs and Murchison.

Methven Travel (tel 03/302 8106): to Methven.

South Island Connections (tel 03/366 6633): south to Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Dunedin; and north to Kaikoura, Blenheim, and Picton.

Southern Link Shuttles (tel 03/358 8355): north to Kaikoura, Blenheim and Picton; and inland to Wanaka and Queenstown via Geraldine and Twizel.

Supa Kut Price Shuttles (tel 0800/662 722): to Dunedin via Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru.

White Star (tel 03/323 6156): to Nelson via Hanmer Springs and Murchison.