Car hire and driving in Dunedin
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In New Zealand traffic drives on the left. Picking up at DUD means 24 km (15 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4547309.
Drives from Dunedin
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunedin to Christchurch | New Zealand | 310 km (193 mi) | about 4 h 44 min |
| Dunedin to Wellington | New Zealand | 615 km (382 mi) | about 9 h 23 min |
| Dunedin to Lower Hutt | New Zealand | 628 km (390 mi) | about 9 h 35 min |
| Dunedin to Hamilton | New Zealand | 982 km (610 mi) | about 14 h 59 min |
| Dunedin to Tauranga | New Zealand | 1,024 km (636 mi) | about 15 h 37 min |
| Dunedin to Manukau City | New Zealand | 1,052 km (654 mi) | about 16 h 3 min |
| Dunedin to Auckland | New Zealand | 1,064 km (661 mi) | about 16 h 14 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Dunedin?
The left, as everywhere in New Zealand.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.