Rent a Car from Auckland to Wellington

Auckland and Wellington are among the top cities of New Zealand. Wellington is the capital city of the country while Auckland is the largest city with the highest population. Both the cities are located on the North Island of NZ and the road trip joining them is quite popular due to the naturally beautiful scenic route.

Cheapest One Way Car Rental For Auckland to Wellington Road Trip

If you are planning to take this breathtaking road trip from Auckland to Wellington then book a car rental through our website and get the most affordable deals on one-way hire from the leading suppliers in New Zealand.

Fill in your trip details in our search box and compare all the rental deals. There are several pick-up and drop-off locations in Auckland and Wellington which you can select while filling in the details. Airports are the most preferred locations to pick and drop car rentals but if you wish to hire from the city then downtown locations are available for both cities.

Car Categories to Rent for Auckland to Wellington One-Way Trip

  • If you are travelling as a couple or a group of 3-4 persons then you can rent an economy or compact car which will be a budget-friendly option for this trip.
  • A minivan or a van can be an ideal choice if there is a large group of 6-12 passengers. A good range of vans is available to rent for unlimited kilometres from our website, at the cheapest prices.
  • SUVs are the most preferred category as they are spacious and powerful. You can get ample leg room with 4-5 passengers seated inside and a decent room for luggage.

Auckland to Wellington – Drive Time & Distance

The best route from Auckland to Wellington is via State Highway 1 (SH 1). On the route, you can witness some of the most scenic sites of New Zealand so renting a car will be the best choice to explore at your own pace.

Popular Pick-up Location (Auckland)Popular Drop-off Location (Wellington)DistanceTime (approx.)
Auckland Airport (AKL)Wellington Airport (WLG)Approx. 640 kms7-8 hours

Auckland to Wellington Road Trip Itinerary

NZ’s North Island is full of picturesque spots and you can experience many of them on this route from Auckland to Wellington. To make things easier for your itinerary, we have narrowed down the top places that you can visit while driving on this must-have road trip in New Zealand.

Auckland to Wellington Road Trip PlannerDistanceTime (approx.)
Auckland to Coromandel Peninsula189 km2 hr 45 min
Coromandel Peninsula to Hamilton181 km2 hr 45 min
Hamilton to Rotorua108 km1 hr 30 min
Rotorua to Lake Taupo80 km1 hr
Lake Taupo to Tongariro National Park92 km1 hr 30 min
Tongariro National Park to Hawkes Bay164 km2 hr 30 min
Hawkes Bay to Wellington326 km4 hr 15 min

Tips to Rent a Car for Auckland to Wellington One-Way Trip

  • An International Driving Permit (IDP) will be required if the Driver’s Licence from the home country is not in the Roman Alphabet.
  • Book your car rental well in advance to get the best deals and more variety of vehicles.
  • With us, you can choose a drop-off from a list of locations such as downtown, train stations, and ferry stations. Click on the ‘Different Drop-off Location?’ button in the search box.
  • While renting a car for a road trip, you should go for an unlimited mileage benefit, which is offered by various suppliers on our website.
  • The majority of car rental companies allow a minimum of 21 years to rent a car while a few companies like BRC, Thrifty, Dollar, and Ace also allow a minimum of 18 years. A Young Driver Surcharge may apply for drivers up to 25 years. Check Rental Terms carefully for age restrictions and surcharge details.
  • For Extras like winter tyres, infant seats, toddler seats, etc. you can avail while reserving your car rental. Check the prices carefully on the booking page.
  • You can filter out the search results to show only automatic or manual transmission cars or petrol/diesel/hybrid/electric cars.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements to rent a one-way car from Auckland to Wellington?

To rent a car for one-way trip from Auckland to Wellington, you need to have:

  • Valid Driver’s Licence
  • Credit Card in the name of the Driver
  • National ID proof and Passport
  • International Driving Permit (depending on the supplier)
  • Age above restriction limit

You can enter the trip details in the search box and check the prices for all deals. The total cost of renting a car for a one-way trip depends upon various factors like time of the year, rental duration, car category, rental company, pick up and drop off location.

Yes, the majority of car rental suppliers like Dollar, Thrifty, and Europcar have their rental desks at the AKL Airport terminal. Other suppliers like Ace, Alamo, National, Enterprise, Sixt, BRC, and Go Rentals are located off-airport at AKL and they offer free shuttle service for their customers from the airport to their pick-up/drop-off location.

You can simply fill in your trip details in the search box and then filter your results to display only minivans/vans. Select your preferred deal then proceed ahead to reserve. Vans are quite popular among the renters for the Auckland to Wellington road trip. We offer a fleet of vans with 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 seater options.

We have a wide fleet of vans on offer for the one-way hire from Auckland to Wellington. The cost of hiring a 12-seater van depends upon the rental company and the time and duration of the rental. There are several pick-up and drop-off locations in Auckland and Wellington. The locations you choose will also vary the cost of rental.

The approx. time to reach Wellington to Auckland 8 hours, without any pit stops. But suppose you are looking to have an epic road trip. In that case, making stops in between and experiencing naturally picturesque places like the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Mount Cook, and Hawkes Bay is recommended. These halts are between the route and are quite popular tourist destinations.

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