Car Rental in Dunedin

Why rent a car in Dunedin?

Considered remote even by New Zealand’s standards, the capital of the Otago region is often called the southernmost city in the world. Located on the eastern coast of South Island, the city is quite small and accessible but offers a wealth of interesting things to see and do at the same time. Even better, New Zealand’s majestic nature is also only a short drive away with a rental car.

Top ways to enter Dunedin

• Dunedin Airport. With about one million travelers served every year, this relatively small airport offers connections with other large cities in New Zealand, as well as Brisbane in Australia. Located about 25 km (16 miles) west of the city center, the airport can be reached in 25 minutes by car.
• Queenstown Airport. Serving the adventure tourism capital of New Zealand, Queenstown Airport has flights to many domestic destinations, as well as Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia. Located 270 km (168 miles) northwest of Dunedin, the trip to or from Queenstown takes about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
• Christchurch Airport. By far the busiest airport on the South Island, it handles about seven million passengers every year. In addition to flights to domestic and Australian destinations, this airport also offers connections with Fiji, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and the United Arab Emirates. Located some 360 km (224 miles) north of Dunedin, Christchurch Airport can be reached in about 4 hours and 30 minutes, with most of the road taking you right along the coast.

Top sights and activities

• Baldwin Street. Recognized as the steepest street in the world by the Guinness World Records, Baldwin Street is also one of Dunedin’s main attractions. Whether you choose to comfortably ascend this anomaly in a rental car or go for a seriously taxing climb, this is the quintessential travel experience of Dunedin. You’ll feel like you’ve joined a club once you’re up there.
• Dunedin Public Art Gallery: Boasting a truly impressive collection, Dunedin’s main art museum displays the works of many important New Zealandic artists and internationally renowned masters like Turner and Monet. Celebrating its 140th birthday in 2024, it is the oldest art gallery in all of the country.
• Otago Museum. Named after the wider region in which Dunedin is located, this museum is dedicated to the topics of biology, natural history, and ethnography. In addition to countless artifacts relating to the local nature and culture, there is also a wide and fascinating collection of butterfly species from around the world.
• Tunnel Beach. Tunnel Beach Walk provides spectacular coastal views, including a natural archway bridge. Check out the historic 1870s tunnel to a small but beautiful beach surrounded by towering cliffs. The walk takes about two hours, and the beach is located around a ten-minute drive away from the center of Dunedin.

Toll roads

All of the toll roads in New Zealand are in the northern part of the North Island, so there are none in or around Dunedin.

The toll roads on the North Island all serve as short bypasses of congested areas. The tolls are therefore quite low. The toll roads use a license plate capturing system with no physical booths. Payment can be made either by having a setup account, by paying online before or within five days of using a toll road, or with cash in some BP and Caltex petrol stations (though a small fee will be added). 

Many rental companies offer some system, with a fee, to pass on toll payments to you without you having to do anything. Of course, it may be better just to pay the toll yourself and save on paying that fee. The toll roads can all be avoided quite easily by avoiding the bypass roads and transiting through the towns (in addition to being able to see more). 

Ideas for day trips

• Orokonui Eco Sanctuary. Located just half an hour’s drive north of Dunedin center, Orokonui is one of the nicest nature areas in Otago. With a network of paths winding through the region’s famous cloud forest, the center is home to unique native species such as takahē or notornis birds, lizard-like tuataras, and the flightless-but-famous kiwis. You can learn about the Orokonui’s preservation and education projects at the visitor’s center or by joining a tour. 
• The Catlins. Collectively known as the Catlins, this is the remote, scenic southern part of Otago. Made up of wild beaches and forested hills, it has a large number of walking trails and is also known as the location of a fossilized Jurassic-era forest that’s over 180 million years old. The drive from Dunedin takes slightly over two hours.

Car rental prices in Dunedin

• SUVs - from $26 per day
• Medium cars - from $25 per day
• Small cars - from $30 per day
• Vans - from $126 per day
• Premium cars - from $78 per day
• Large cars - from $73 per day