Gray Line

Gray Line operates buses to and from the following stations:

• Christchurch
• Wanaka
• Greymouth
• Tekapo
• Te Anau
• Twizel
• Fox Glacier
• Queenstown Athol St
• Franz Josef
• Mount Cook

The most popular destinations of Gray Line are:

• Te Anau - Queenstown NZ
• Queenstown NZ - West Coast
• Christchurch - Lake Tekapo
• Queenstown NZ - Te Anau
• Lake Tekapo - Christchurch
• West Coast - Greymouth
• West Coast - Queenstown NZ
• Queenstown NZ - Lake Tekapo
• Waimate - Christchurch
• Christchurch - Waimate
• West Coast - Lake Tekapo
• Greymouth - Hokitika
• Lake Tekapo - Queenstown NZ
• Lake Tekapo - West Coast
• Greymouth - West Coast
• Waimate - West Coast

The price of your bus trip will depend both on the destination and the class of your ticket. Note that not all ticket classes are available on certain routes yet for longer trips there is almost always a good choice of options. Opt for a sleeper coach for the most convenient overnight trip. Sleeper buses are usually equipped with berths or soft reclining seats, feature an onboard toilet and your ticket may also include other perks like snacks or even a lunch. Taking a night bus is also a good idea if you want to save on your hotel room. During the day an express service is often the best value for money as it makes less stops than an ordinary or standard class bus and travels faster. On some routes it may be crucial to choose the right class as, say, an ordinary or second class bus may need some 6 hours to cover the distance the first class or express bus travels in two hours!

Pros of Bus Travel

• Buses usually boast the widest network of destinations covered. They travel to the places you cannot get to by plane or even by train

• Travelling by bus is easy – there is no need to arrive to the bus terminal much in advance, and the check-in is usually a very fast formality opposite to air travel

• Bus tickets are very affordable. Yes, there are costly first class or VIP options but is you are on a budget, bus is the first means of transportation you have to think about

• At the same time, there are different classes of service to suit any budget. If you are after a higher level of comfort, buses get you covered, too.

Cons of Bus Travel

• Intercity bus terminals can be located outside the city centre in the outskirts. It means you will need to calculate extra time and money to get there. In certain destinations getting from the bus terminal can cost you more than you would expect because only a limited number of transportation companies is allowed to serve the route – and prices may be inflated.

• During busy weekends or high season buses serving some tourist destinations may run out of schedule and require advanced booking.

• While buses are not as weather dependent as ferries, bus trips can also be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather or road conditions – keep it in mind if travelling during certain seasons or to certain destinations.