Wellington Hop on Hop off Bus - Everyday AND Wellington Shore Excursion

Tours depart and finish from the city i-SITE Visitor Centre bus stop at 145 Wakefield St opposite the Amora Hotel, starting at 9.30am, with the last Tour leaving at 2.30pm.

A great guided tour and Wellington’s 10 best hop-off stops

Hop on board one of our minibuses and traverse Wellington’s winding streets on our intimate and informative 1½ hour guided Tour.

Take in stunning views, cool architecture, eclectic suburbs and beautiful coastal scenery while our local guides tell you all about Wellington’s unique culture, history and city life.

Enjoy our Mt Victoria photo stop where you can get off and shoot pics, and then get back on the same minibus 5 minutes later.

We have handpicked the best hop off and hop on stops in Wellington.

How to get to us:

Tours start and finish at the bus stop at 145 Wakefield St opposite the Amora Hotel, next to the i-SITE Visitor Centre in the city (see map below).

If travelling on a Cruise Ship:

• Taxi (about 5 minutes and $15 each way)
• Shuttle Bus – operated by your cruise ship

Cruise Ship shuttle buses are free and drop off at the Wellington i-SITE Visitor Centre, where our tours depart from.

Whilst every effort will be made to deliver the Tour as listed, we reserve the right to alter timetables, routes, pick ups or alternative transport.

Other important information

Passes are valid for one day – hop off as many times as you like.

Whilst every effort will be made to deliver the Tour as listed, we reserve the right to alter timetables, routes, pick ups or alternative transport.

Due to driving laws in New Zealand, when we operate with either 45min or 90min departures, there will be a 30min break before the last departure at 2:30pm.

Summer Operating hours

Tours depart the i-SITE from 9:30am, and run every 45minutes. So 9:30am, 10:15am, 11am, 11:45am, 12:30pm, 1:15pm and 2:30pm.

On Cruise Ship Days we run every 30mins. So 9:30am, 10am, 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am, 12pm, 12:30pm, 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm.

Summer hours will be in operation between October and late April.

Bookings through this website are only available for 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm. If you would like another departure time from the lists above, please select an available departure and make a note on your booking. We will then change it to your desired time.

The other times listed above are not available to be booked as they change depending on which day you travel.

Winter Operating hours

Tours depart the i-SITE from 9:30am, and run every 90minutes. So 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm.

Winter hours will be in operation between late April and September.

Final departure from the i-Site will be at 2:30pm every day.

We operate seven days per week, except Christmas day.

Closed Christmas Day (25th December)

 iSITE Visitor Centre
(Tour Bus Stop) / City GalleryThe i-SITE is the awesome tourist information hub of our city. Book our Tour (and other attractions) and get great advice from one of the i-SITE consultants. Open 8.30am–5pm.The City Gallery show-cases national and international artists, with month-long exhibitions, this Gallery is a great visit for art lovers.

First Bus: 9.30am
Last Bus: 2.30pm

Mt Victoria Lookout
(5 minute Photo Stop)This is the only scheduled 5 minute Photo Stop where you can Hop Off the bus, grab some photos and appreciate the 360° vistas from the top of Mt Victoria in the heart of Wellington’s Town Reserve, before getting back on the same bus to continue the loop.

Wellington Zoo *
Enjoy a lovely stroll through Wellington Zoo, a delightful setting to get up close and personal with over 500 New Zealand native and endangered exotic animals. Entry is $24 per adult.*Entry not included.

First Bus: 10.05am
Last Bus: 3.05pm

Cuba Quarter / Ghuznee Street
The heart of Bohemian Wellington. The Cuba Quarter is filled with cafes, bakeries, boutique shops, quirky characters, craft beer breweries, and even a chocolate factory. There’s something for everyone’s taste.

First Bus: 10.15am
Last Bus: 3.15pm

Cable Car *Take in the stunning view from the lookout and be sure to visit the Cable Car Museum. Cable cars run every 10 minutes, and our stop is at the top. To ride the Cable Car and continue the loop, you’ll have to go down and back up again. A return ticket is $7.50 per adult.*Entry not included.

First Bus: 10.25am
Last Bus: 3.25pm

Zealandia **
A must see eco-attraction, Zealandia is a 225 hectare sanctuary, home to some of the world’s rarest and most extraordinary native birds, reptiles and insects and set in wonderfully lush native New Zealand forest. Entry is $17.50 per adult.**Entry not included but 10% discount applies on any Zealandia by Day tour.

First Bus: 10.35am
Last Bus: 3.35pm

Botanic Garden / Lady Norwood Rose GardenExplore 24 hectares of beautiful gardens, native bush, exotic forests and colourful floral displays. It is a lovely stroll from our Cable Car Stop down through the Botanic Garden to this stop.

First Bus: 10.40am
Last Bus: 3.40pm

Parliament / Old St Pauls Cathedral New Zealand’s Parliament buildings, with our unique Beehive (home of the Prime Minister
and Cabinet) and Edwardian Parliament House (home of the Ministers of Parliament).
Free hourly tours are available between 10-4 and depart on the hour.A 2 minute walk from the Parliament stop brings you to Old St Paul’s Cathedral. Our warm and wonderful gothic style, native timber cathedral pays homage to the early settlers of New Zealand and their religion. One of New Zealand’s great heritage sights.Open 9:30-5, entry is by donation. Guided tours are available for $7.50 per adult, but must be booked in advance.To visit Old St Paul’s and continue the loop, you must walk back to the Parliament bus stop. 

First Bus: 10.45am
Last Bus: 3.45pm

Wellington MuseumVoted one of the world’s top 50 museums, our own local museum charts the life of our city, our triumphs, disasters and local growth. This is a fantastic museum. Entry is free, but Guided Tours are available. Please call to inquire. The museum is open 10-5 every day. 

First Bus: 10.55am
Last Bus: 3.55pm

Te Papa / Oriental Bay
New Zealand’s world-famous interactive national museum. Entry into Te Papa is free for all to explore the History and Culture of Aotearoa New Zealand. The museum is open 10-6 every day.Wander dreamily along Oriental Parade – take your shoes off on Wellington’s golden sand beach (yep, truly golden!). Enjoy a great coffee, lunch or good old Kiwi ice cream from the local dairy; all the while savouring the stunning views across the harbour. 

First Bus: 10.55am
Last Bus: 3.55pm

BOOK YOUR TOUR

Because seats are limited on our smaller minibuses booking in advance is a must. On our website simply select the day you would like to join us and you’ll be taken to our secure on-line booking agent. Tours depart and finish from the city i-SITE Visitor Centre bus stop at 145 Wakefield St, starting at 9.30am, with the last Tour leaving at 2.30pm