InterCity NZ Reviews 6

Last minute cancellation of bus with Gold Class left me with $ I cant get refunded - credit for whenever I come back to NZ isnt helpful. Still have GOld Class available for night bus but apparently day bus could possibly need a repair or isnt available or one of many other excuses used. So why not swap the buses around?
Ridiculous there are no toilets on the bus as stops are rare and bus drivers get angry if you need to use one. Incredibly stupid when rammed into tiny seats for hours especially as some buses actually have them but they cant be used.
I would recommend flying if you have to go longer distances, the prices are quite competitive if you get in early and you get a full refund to be able to use

I recently made three trips with InterCity NZ, the first 1) Whangarei to Auckland, 2) Wellington-Auckland. 3) Auckland to Whangarei ( 14/2/26 ).
================================
UPDATE MARCH 12;
I emailed intercity. They not only replied, they refunded IN FULL for the trip which arrived 75minutes + late.

Not only is it unusual for a company to reply to legit complaints, it's even more rare to compensate.

I've updated my previous rating accordingly.

Thank you!
==============================
Trip 1 was fine.

Trip 2( WGTN-AKL ) service arrived 75 minutes late! There were roadworks, but there were ALSO THREE driver swaps along the way, each taking time.

People have connecting trips / hotel bookings / meetings to make. If a company sells a ticket with an advertised arrival, maybe a few minutes late is ok. But 75 minutes late?

The WiFi barely works ( as one driver admitted ).

Trip 34 driver warning us against sexual harrassment on the bus was just odd. Must be rife out there.

One the upside, the long-haul ( AKL-WGTN ) bus seating is pretty comfortable.

Review: InterCity Christchurch to Lake Tekapo – February 2026
​Rating: 2/5 stars
​I recently traveled on the InterCity service from Christchurch to Lake Tekapo (7:30 AM – 11:30 AM) with Stewart. While the route is beautiful, the experience was overshadowed by the driver's relentless commentary.
​For the full four hours, Stewart talked without pause. Much of the narration was unnecessary, often stating the obvious, such as pointing out "characteristic vegetation" that was clearly visible to everyone. As passengers on a bus, we are a captive audience; there is no way to "change the channel" or opt out of the constant noise.
​It would be a significant improvement if InterCity provided headphones, giving passengers the choice to listen to the guide or enjoy the scenery in peace. Having no option but to endure a four-hour monologue was exhausting and unprofessional.

Yeah it was pretty good and got me from a to b. Bus driver was helpful in directing me on where to go. I'm going to use them again.

Great bus company but always freezing cold air-conditioning that makes you sick. Bus driver sits in cosy cabin with no cold air yet passengers sit inches from freezing cold units. Very unthoughtful. This spoils the whole trip and is very inconsiderate.

behaves in a misleading fashion -- this service thinks it is OK to charge customer 5.50 booking fee, when there is no alternative to buy the ticket. The price should include such nonsense. Often the buses USB is not working and no leather seats (gold payment).