Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - ROT-AKL...Air, Bus or Bus and Air?

I have a similar question to a previous thread,
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=713114&highlight=buses
about Buses verse NZ Flights to Auckland, but this time from ROT.

I'm arriving in ROT by NZ flight at 14:35 on the 19th May.
I have one whole day in Rotoura, then
on Wednesday the 21st May I have to be back at AKL for my international flight at 23:55.

I therefore have a choice regarding my return journey options:
1) Spend the morning in Rotoura, then catch the NZ2354 13:35 ROT -> AKL 14:14 flight at $120.

Although this earns me 600 miles I can't see this option as giving me much extra time in ROT and I expect I'll have far too much time to pass at AKL.

2)Take the 8:30am bus to Hamilton ($24, Arrives 10:00) then catch a NZ2204 HLZ 13:05 -> AKL 13:35 at $97

Still earning me 600 miles and some time to kill a lounge, but still far too much time to pass at AKL.


3) Take the 8:50am tourist bus to 'The Big Apple'? stopping at the Ruakuri/Waitomo Caves for 1 hour then carry on to Auckland ($26.00 + £35.00) Arriving 17:00.
Then catch another bus to AKL airport.

Waitomo Caves don't sound that interesting and teh journey seems quite a pain.

This gives me three questions:
Is there much to see from the window on the roads between Rotoura & Hamilton/Auckland and how does this compare to the views from the air?
Are the Waitomo caves worth stopping at?
Are there more interesting things to within easy reach of Auckland Airport?

Can you rent a car one-way and drive to AKL at your own pace? Is that an option?

Unfortunatly the quotes I'm getting more than double the cost and that's before adding on the fuel.

Unfortunatly the quotes I'm getting more than double the cost and that's before adding on the fuel.

You might want to call the local car rental place (Avis, Hertz or any )
Most of them have one way deals called "fleet relocation" and you can
get a very good deal for one to two day. They need to send a car back
and you need a car.. works out great.

You will not have any choice, but to pick what they have for your route.

Just call them up and ask them for this deal and put your name on the
waiting list.

I know Avis and Hertz did this.. and I think rest of them do this too.

You are aware that there is a train from Hamilton to Auckland, right? Just doing a google search, I find there is one train that leaves Hamilton at 5pm, arriving in Auckland at 7:20pm, fare $49. The same train stops at 6:45pm at Middlemore, which apparently is the stop for transfer to the airport.

http://www.travelink.co.nz/nz/trainHamilton.html

Edited to add that there also appear to be more bus services from Rotorua to Auckland and/or Hamilton than you noted on the random day I picked. Work your way down the page.

Thank you.
I knew about the train but I didn't realise there was an easier connection than going all the way into Auckland City and back out again. I'll explore that.

It's a shame, at least for my purposes, that the Rotoura branch line discontinued some years ago.

Not sure I can call any rental companies but I'll have a search for some email addresses. A bit difficult to get much information at the moment as I've got so much on. Hopefully when I've got more spare time I'll get somewhere.
Thanks for your suggestions. I'll take a look

have you checked www.nakedbus.com ? they're the NZ low cost bus company. We've used them quite a lot and they're perfectly fine and no need to go naked either :)
anyway, a quick look on their site has a 4.10pm departure arriving 7.50pm at $16.50!

Personally I have an aversion to chopping and changing modes of transport on the same day as there is a risk of things going badly wrong.

Your cost savings for some options could be wiped out by need for additional transfers.

Eg bus or train to Manukau/Middlemore will then require a taxi to airport, say $30.
Eg bus to Hamilton will then require taxi (or local bus if they have a service) out to HLZ airport, say $20.

I would say the train is fair to risky as i take it into the city everyweek day and at least one day there will delays due to track problems.

I'd buy the one-way NZ ticket. If there's a flight cancellation/trouble then there's a 1500 and 1750 flight as alternatives.


Are the Waitomo caves worth stopping at?

I think I enjoyed the drive more than the caves. They're ok, but not worth going out of your way.

...Are there more interesting things to within easy reach of Auckland Airport?Nobody has answered this part of your question -- which I suppose is an answer of sorts. Best I have been able to tell in several visits to AKL there is nothing interesting within easy reach of AKL (or within the airport for that matter, aside from the excellent duty free shopping). The area around the airport is a remarkably desert in terms of amenities. There is a golf driving range walking distance from the terminal, but that is about it. Not even good restaurants (or a better hotel) by the airport, fwiw.

Many thanks all.
Just to summarise whilst I'm waiting in the lounge (SQ LHR).

Gone for the rental car option. Couldn't get any fleet relocation offers for that route so I've stuck to convinence.
Will explore the route to Auckland slowly. ^