Fast facts about hiring a car from Auckland Airport

Auckland Airport (AKL) is just a 20- to 25-minute drive from the city centre, and car rental is offered by most of the major international car hire companies here, including Avis, Budget, Europcar and Thrifty.

Driving to Auckland from the airport is fairly straightforward – take State Highway 20A north from the airport, which merges into State Highway 20 to continue northwest across the Mangare Bridge; a right turn (northeast) on to Dominion Road will then take you all the way to the centre.

The car hire desks at Auckland Airport are in the arrivals area on the ground floor of the international terminal. If you are arriving into the domestic terminal, you’ll find the car rental firms on the ground floor of the car park, which is opposite the terminal entrance.

Car rental companies that have desks at Auckland Airport include:

• Hertz (Tel: 09 256 8692)
• Europcar (Tel: 09 275 0066)
• Avis (Tel: 09 256 8366)
• Budget (Tel: 09 256 8448)
• Thrifty (Tel: 03 359 2721)

Driving in Auckland city centre

The best locations for hiring a car in the centre of Auckland are on Victoria Street, where you’ll find Avis and Budget, and around Beach Road, where you’ll find the likes of Omega, Bargain and Ace, alongside other local and international firms.

Driving in Auckland is relatively straightforward, with well-signposted roads in an easy-to-follow layout. Two major motorways skirt the edges of the city centre: state highways 1 and 16. Driving can get a little confusing where the two motorways cross, so it’s worth bringing a satnav or a GPS-enabled phone with you to help with navigation. Queen Street runs the whole length of the city centre, from Karangahape Road in the south to the wharves in the north.

Traffic in the centre can be fairly heavy throughout the day, though Auckland’s relatively small size means that if you’re used to driving in bigger cities elsewhere you’ll probably find congestion on the mild side. Other drivers are generally fairly courteous and patient.

There are no time limits for on-street parking in Auckland city centre. There are two zones of charges for on-street parking: zone 1, roughly from Aotea Square to the wharves, is more expensive than zone 2, which covers the rest of the centre. There’s also a good number of public car parks in the centre, which offer a cheaper alternative to on-street parking. In addition, a number of park and ride services operate from bus and train stations on the outskirts of the city.

Recommended day trips from Auckland

Waiheke Island

Driving time: 20 minutes (1 hour 50 minutes including ferry)

This surprisingly large island has long been a popular escape for Aucklanders. Take the ferry across from Half Moon Bay to make the most of its sandy beaches, boutique wineries and nature reserves.

Waitakere Ranges Regional Park

Driving time: 35 minutes

This pristine natural park is home to giant kauri trees (though sadly still dwindling in numbers), as well as pristine rainforest and black-sand beaches. Activities range from waterfall hikes to surfing.

Puhoi

Driving time: 30 minutes

This historic town was originally established by settlers from Bohemia, which explains its distinctly European air. Its scenic position on the Puhoi River makes this a great place to head to for a spot of canoeing – and there’s a well-regarded pub here to rest up at after your exertions.