Please remember it's very easy to underestimate distance / average speed /
travelling times in New Zealand.
Although distances between destinations may seem short on road maps, New Zealand roads may be narrower than you are used to, have more bends, cover more hilly terrain and vary suddenly in standard from motorways to rural roads. Hence your average speed may be lower than you normally expect.
On most of New Zealand's main roads the speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour (31 miles per hour) and on highways & motorways the speed limit is 100 kilimetres per hour (62 miles per hour).
However, there are a few things that you may not be used to when driving
in New Zealand. For example:
Although distances between destinations may seem short on road maps, New Zealand roads may be narrower than you are used to, have more bends, cover more hilly terrain and vary suddenly in standard from motorways to rural roads. Hence your average speed may be lower than you normally expect.
On most of New Zealand's main roads the speed limit is 50 kilometres per hour (31 miles per hour) and on highways & motorways the speed limit is 100 kilimetres per hour (62 miles per hour).
- New Zealanders drive on the left hand side of the road
- New Zealand has a unique Give Way (yield) rule at intersections
- Hilly, narrow or winding roads means that your journey may take longer than you expect
