New Zealand visitor information
New Zealand information supplied by our colleagues at Experience New Zealand, experts in personalised New Zealand itinerary planning.
New Zealand currency and banking
The currency of New Zealand is the New Zealand dollar, which comprises 100 cents.
All major credit cards are recognised and New Zealand has an almost universal EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale) system and an extensive 24-hour cash machine (ATM) network. Travellers cheques are also widely accepted.
Trading banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 9.00am-4.30pm.
New Zealand dollar exchange rate
The New Zealand dollar is relatively weak in comparison to major currencies such as British Sterling, the Euro, the Yen, or the US dollar. This makes New Zealand a particularly affordable destination for many travellers. The New Zealand dollar is currently (as at 28 August 2009) worth approximately USD 0.66, GBP 0.39, and Euro 0.46.
New Zealand shopping
Shopping hours in New Zealand vary a great deal but are generally 9.00am-5.30pm, Monday-Saturday. Most stores in towns and cities are open Sundays for slightly limited hours (usually around 10.00am-4.30pm). Stores catering to tourists are usually open every day, often with extended hours.
New Zealand has a goods and services tax (GST) of 12.5% which is charged on almost all goods and services and is typically included in the displayed price.
Please be aware that unlike many other countries, you cannot claim back tax on any purchases made in New Zealand. The only solution is to make your large purchases at duty free stores. To make a purchase you will need your passport and airline ticket or boarding pass.
New Zealand duty-free shopping
New Zealand has some of the cheapest duty and tax free shopping in the world. There are duty and tax free stores at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch international airports, as well as in many city and tourist centres.
You can purchase your duty free goods online before you arrive and save at Duty Free Stores New Zealand.
New Zealand public holidays
New Zealand public holidays till the end of next year are as follows.
| School holidays | 26 September 2009 - 11 October 2009 |
| Labour Day | Monday 26 October 2009 |
| School holidays | 11 December 2009 - 1 February 2010 |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December 2009 |
| Boxing Day holiday | Monday 28 December 2009 |
| New Year's Day | Friday 1 January 2010 |
| New Year's holiday | Monday 4 January 2010 |
| Waitangi Day | Saturday 6 February 2010 |
| Good Friday (Easter) | Friday 2 April 2010 |
| School holidays | 2 April 2009 - 18 April 2010 |
| Easter Monday | Monday 5 April 2010 |
| Queen's Birthday | Monday 7 June 2010 |
| School holidays | 3 July 2010 - 18 July 2010 |
| School holidays | 25 September 2010 - 10 October 2010 |
| Labour Day | Monday 25 October 2009 |
| School holidays | 15 December 2010 - 31 December 2010 |
| Christmas Day | Saturday 25 December 2010 |
| Christmas Day holiday | Monday 27 December 2010 |
| Boxing Day holiday | Tuesday 28 December 2010 |
New Zealand school holidays
Click here to view the dates of all New Zealand school holidays for 2009 (the web page includes a link for 2010 dates). This information is provided by the Ministry of Education.
New Zealand daylight saving dates
Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in April (3am - 5 April 2009), when the clocks are put back one hour. Daylight saving time starts on the last Sunday in September (2am - 27 September 2009), when the clocks are put forward by one hour.
Telephony services
New Zealand enjoys a very high standard of telephony services including extensive coverage for both analogue and digital mobile phones. Additionally, there is an extensive network of public telephones which operate with coins, credit cards, or prepaid phone cards.
- In an emergency dial 111
Mobile phones
If your mobile phone has roaming capability, you will be able to use this in New Zealand. Please check with you mobile phone company that it is activated. You can also hire mobile phones from all international airports on arrival.
Phone numbers
New Zealand's telephone numbers comply with the international format of country code, area code, telephone number. All phone numbers listed in this web site are displayed +64 9 123 4567, where +64 denotes the country code, 9 the area code, and 123 4567 the telephone number.
New Zealand telephone dialling guide
Calling New Zealand from overseas
| New Zealand country code | 64 |
| International calls to New Zealand | To make a call to Auckland from overseas you need to dial your local international access code (typically 00) followed by the New Zealand country code (64) followed by the area code for Auckland (9) followed by the seven-digit telephone number. For example, 00 64 9 123 4567. |
Calling within New Zealand
| National access code | 0 |
| Area codes | 9 - Northland, the Bay of Islands, Auckland 7 - Coromandel, Bay of Plenty (Tauranga), Waikato (Hamilton) 6 - Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Wairarapa 4 - Wellington 3 - The South Island (Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Invercargill) |
| National calls within New Zealand | To make a call to Auckland from anywhere within New Zealand (but outside of Auckland itself) you need to dial our national access code (0) followed by the area code for Auckland (9) followed by the seven-digit telephone number. For example, 09 123 4567. |
| Local calls within New Zealand | To make a local call (to a number located in the same town or city that you are in) you just need to dial the seven-digit telephone number. For example, 123 4567. |
Calling overseas from New Zealand
| International access code | 00 |
| International calls to New Zealand | To call home to, say, New York in the United States from anywhere in New Zealand you need to dial our international access code (00) followed by the country code for the United States (1) followed by the area code for New York (212) followed by the seven-digit telephone number. For example, 00 1 212 123 4567. |
