South Island - Travel time, Dunedin-Picton?

**Eric** · 17th August 2007, 17:28

Hi all

Wellington being the end destination (home)
Taking 2 days off from work. Day one Dunedin to Christchurch, stay one night.
Day two Christchurch to Picton.

Can anyone give me some idea what travel times are between:

Dunedin - Christchurch
Christchurch - Picton

Need to make a Ferry booking to sail back in the afternoon. Just not sure about timing to get to ferry in time for a 1.15pm sailing leaving Christchurch.
Don't wanna rush on the way home. Not knowing the road etc.

Flying to Dunedin to pick up new bike in a weeks time. So advice is greatly appreciated.

Cheers Eric

**MaxB** · 17th August 2007, 19:01

Hi Eric

When I did it in April, Picton to Dunedin (just over 700km) took 10 hours. The Picton to Christchurch run took 4 and a bit hours but that included a hour in Kaikoura and hitting ChCh bang in the schools kicking out time.

This was SH1 all the way.

I stopped for a feed in Kaikoura. Rakaia and Timaru. The last 5 hours were in the pissing rain and in the dark.

If you left the Garden City before 8.00 am you should be at the 1.15 Ferry in plenty of time.

Hope this helps.

**Bullitt** · 17th August 2007, 19:21

Ive never done it on a bike but car times at 100-110.

Dunedin to Christchurch is 360ks. Looking about:
Dunedin - Oamaru 1.30
Oamaru - Timaru 1
Timaru Ashburton 1
Ashburton Christchurch 1
Total 4.30 (Though its pretty easy to do it significantly quicker than this)

Never driven Christchurch to Picton but Christchurch to Nelson via Blenheim is about 4.30 so less 115ks to Nelson plus 30 odd ks to Picton your probably looking around 4 hours.

Im planning on doing Wellington to Dunedin at xmas time on bike. Planning one day each way

**5cotty** · 17th August 2007, 20:01

Dunedin to Christchurch is 4 1/2 hours and from Oamaru to ChCh it's flat, straight and boring.

Watch the cops and the camera's "There everywhere" and it's bloody easy for the speedo to "creep up" when the roads are so straight.

Christchurch to Picton is a reasonable ride with some really good bits over the hundalees. It's a comfortable 4 hours but I would give it 4 1/4 and stop at the pub at the base of the peir in Kaikoura for a 20 min bar meal and a handle

, they are friendly folk and the view from the porch is great as you look out over the bay to the snow capped inland Kaikouras.

The hundalees has a couple of patches of road works at the moment with small shingle ridges built up at the edges of the road on some of the corners, they shouldnt be a problem but it pays to know

**Jantar** · 17th August 2007, 20:08

Dunedin to Christurch is around 4.5 hours straight riding if you stick to SH1. But that is boring.

Take the Mt Cargill road out of Dunedin to Waitati, 3 kms north turn right into the Karitane road and rejoin SH1 at Cherry Farm. Turn left at the northern end of Palmerston and take the Trotters Gorge route to rejoin SH1 near Moeraki. Turn Right at Wainakarua and follow the coast all the way north until you can't follow it any further, and you'll enter Oamaru through the historic precinct.

Then its SH1 to Winchester where you turn left and take the Inland Scenic Route to Christchurch.

Allow 6.5 hours but most of the extra time is to allow stops for photos.

Christchurch to Picton is around 4 hours. Watch for those long 80 kmh areas south of Kaikoura.

I might add that those riders who stick to SH1 only have themselves to blame for making it boring.

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 17th August 2007, 20:29

Originally Posted by Eric

Need to make a Ferry booking to sail back in the afternoon. Just not sure about timing to get to ferry in time for a 1.15pm sailing leaving Christchurch.
Don't wanna rush on the way home. Not knowing the road etc.

Dunedin to ChCh is about 4 1/2 hours... (and as stated from Oamaru to ChCh is just plain stupidily boringly straight so watch that speed. But agree with Jantars route). ChCh to Kaikoura is couple hours and from around Goose Bay to Kiakoura Airstrip (just out south of Kaikoura) is only 80kph so allow for that. Up to Picton couple more hours

Dunedin to ChCh 362km
ChCh to Picton 340km
Dunedin to Picton is 702Km

**Krusti** · 17th August 2007, 21:02

Took me 5 hours from Hinds to Picton on Wednesday. Two lots of road works governed by lights south of Kaikoura and a cop in the 80 kph area!

**mbazza** · 17th August 2007, 21:36

KnighthawkNZ has it right. Need music, brain and a sense of humour to do it in one day. Cheers.

**Eric** · 18th August 2007, 08:33

Thanks guys for all your input and wisdom.

Since i want to get back to Wellington ASAP I would probably take the boring road. But will stop of for some refreshments in Kaikoura

I will get my riding in later this year in November. 6 of us are doing the Burt Munro (again) and am really looking forward to getting into the scenic and twisted roads down there.

One question:
Biking gear on the plane to Dunedin. Can the helmet be carried on board?
I'd hate to get it knocked around some where in the cargo area

A for the others stuff sleepeing bag and clothing should be no problem.

cheers Eric

**Krusti** · 18th August 2007, 12:36

My son just flew up from CHCH to Rotorua and took his helmet on as hand luggage.

**sunhuntin** · 18th August 2007, 18:00

ive taken mine from wangas to auckland and back.

enjoy the ride. ive done picton to chch in one day, but it took me all day due to the fact i was crawling [roughly 80k due to campervans and a desire to take my time] and i stopped everywhere to rest, lol.
actually, thinking back, it might have only taken half the day, allowing for ferry times and rest stops.

**Highlander** · 25th August 2007, 08:32

Left Dunedin at 08:30 arrived in Picton bang on 17:00 which I make 8 1/2 hrs.

Rained from fairly heavily all the way apart from about Palmerston to just north of Oamaru.

Stopped only for fuel and a Pie at Palmerston. More fuel at Christchurch.

Was ready for a break and hot shower by the time I got to Picton.

Edit: When heading the other way it was hosing down from Kaikoura South, and Dark from Christchurch, I think we got off the ferry at 11:30 (my Diary says petrol stop at Blenheim at 12:00) then we stopped for lunch at Kaikoura I think we spent about an hour there. then fuel at ChCh and Oamaru, and arrived at my sisters place in Dunedin at 21:30 so 10 hrs including stops.

**shafty** · 25th August 2007, 13:07

Originally Posted by Highlander

Left Dunedin at 08:30 arrived in Picton bang on 17:00 which I make 8 1/2 hrs.

Rained from fairly heavily all the way apart from about Palmerston to just north of Oamaru.

Stopped only for fuel and a Pie at Palmerston. More fuel at Christchurch.

Was ready for a break and hot shower by the time I got to Picton.

Edit: When heading the other way it was hosing down from Kaikoura South, and Dark from Christchurch, I think we got off the ferry at 11:30 (my Diary says petrol stop at Blenheim at 12:00) then we stopped for lunch at Kaikoura I think we spent about an hour there. then fuel at ChCh and Oamaru, and arrived at my sisters place in Dunedin at 21:30 so 10 hrs including stops.

11.30 it was!

**scumdog** · 25th August 2007, 13:15

Before speed limits one could go from Dunedin to Christchurch in 3 hours 3 minutes.

Apparently

Then about the same to Picton if you didn't know the road.

**Swoop** · 25th August 2007, 15:37

IF you are picking up a Honda, book a fairy for the following week.

IF you ar picking up a gixxer, book a ferry for a departure 3hrs after you leave Dunedin and request a wheelbarrow to carry your testicles in. Since SH1 is being ridden, there are no corners and the gixxer will not crash unexpectedly.