Tours and Tickets
Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour
3.5

Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour

By Auckland Explorer Bus
About
An Auckland hop-on hop-off bus tour provides all the benefits of a guided tour—including hassle-free transport and on-board audio commentary—with the flexibility of independent travel. Tickets are valid for 24 or 48 hours, the bus route covers top attractions such as Sky Tower, Princes Wharf, Bastion Point, and Parnell Village.
Read more
from
$30.97
per adult

Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 5-99
Duration: 24h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English

Highlights
  • Convenient hop-on hop-off Auckland transport by double-decker bus
  • On-board audio commentary ensures you don’t miss anything
  • Buses depart regularly throughout the day: less time waiting means more sightseeing

  • Hop-on hop-off tour
  • Informative commentary
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
What's not included
  • Food and drinks

Join one of the best sightseeing buses in New Zealand complete with air-conditioning, a modern glass roof and complimentary return ferry ride from downtown Auckland. The circuit takes around one hour, and you can jump on and off as many times as you like. Perhaps visit the Auckland Museum, Auckland Zoo, or SEA LIFE Aquarium; admire the views from Bastion Point Lookout, Sky Tower, or take a stroll around Parnell Rose Park Gardens or the Winter Gardens. While on the bus, plug in your headphones and listen to the on-board audio commentary, which points out the main attractions along the way and offers background history and fun facts to help you learn more about the city.

  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3237EXBUS

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • A child fares apply for ages 5 to 14 years (children aged 0-4 travel free
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

A note from Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour
  • We are following the guidelines and precautions set by the New Zealand Government.
What you can expect during your visit
  • Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
  • Contactless payment for gratuities and add-ons
  • Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.

Which attractions will I visit with Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour?
How much is Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour?
Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour price starts from $31.54. Discover and book Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour on Tripadvisor
What is the Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour cancellation policy?
Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour on Tripadvisor
Which company provides Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour?
Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour is hosted by Auckland Explorer Bus. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Auckland Explorer Bus on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour on Tripadvisor

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3237EXBUS

Reserve your spot

Similar experiences

About the operator
Auckland Explorer Bus
710
New Zealand
Joined in October 2012

#55 of 194 Tours & Activities in Auckland Central
  • Heddy_13
    Heddy_13
    0
    0
    Great Tour With Interesting Stops
    We joined the tour at 10am and took the last bus back at 4pm. Did the full circle first up then got off at the museum and didn’t leave until the last bus was due. A comprehensive tour with a number of options.
  • Oldie1958
    Oldie1958
    0
    0
    Good value way to see many key sites
    We only had time for a 1-day pass (I would recommend getting a 2-day ticket but enjoyed the knowledgeable commentary and very friendly, helpful staff and drivers.
  • Wilyfox68
    Wilyfox68
    0
    0
    Covers the highlights
    If you're only in a city for one day these sort of buses are a great way to see the highlights and this didn't disappoint. Covers the highlights and if you start early enough plenty of time to hop off and do the sights.
  • timholiday50
    timholiday50
    0
    0
    Auckland Explorer plus Waiheke Island
    This is one of the best hop - on hop - off buses that I have ever used. For an small fee I was able to add Waiheke Island which included the ferry return admission as well as the Waiheke Explorer hop - o hop - off buss as well. It was an incredable value. It made for three days because you could use the add on following your 48 hour pass. It was lovely to get out of the busy city to enjoy wineries, and/ or walks on this beautiful Island. Highly recommended.
  • colleenr845
    colleenr845
    0
    0
    Comfortable bus to See more of Auckland
    The bus was comfortable and the staff were great. The only trouble we had was when the bus changed from the Blue line to the red line, it was a bit confusing, however the staff did try to let people know and there were information sheets on where you stopped and when you changed over. In a short time we were able to see more of Auckland in a short time.
  • CazCD
    CazCD
    0
    0
    Perfect inexpensive way to get around Auckland
    We decided to use a hop on hop off bus to maximise what we could see in a day visit to Auckland. And it worked great, buses had some taped commentary giving useful information about the area as we went along. Unlimited stops and there seemed to be plenty of the yellow buses. Recommended.
  • Kristarth
    Kristarth
    0
    0
    Well organised and comfortable ride
    We were a bit nervous after reading some of the reviews but this was all unfounded as we thoroughly enjoyed this trip. It was a very hot day and the bus was comfortably air conditioned. Huge windows upstairs and even windows along the ceiling meant we missed nothing. We could not have ridden an open topped bus in the heat. The buses ran every 20 minutes and were spot on time. There were two routes, blue and red, and they changed automatically without you having to get off. The driver came upstairs twice to clearly explain how it worked. The commentary was clear and informative. The free ferry across to Devonport was a plus. A beautiful place to wander the shops or walk along the tree lined beach with dramatic volcanic rocks strewn about. Plenty of place to eat or get a drink and the people were incredibly friendly. A fabulous day.
  • DJNKSingapore
    DJNKSingapore
    0
    0
    24 hour??
    It's a convenient way to see parts of the city but we were amazed/puzzled that the service ended at 4.30pm - so where's the 24-hour service? The people are very friendly, especially the wonderful sales team outside the Sky Tower. The buses are clean and the commentary more than adequate.
  • travelingauntie70
    travelingauntie70
    0
    0
    around Auckland
    Auckland is very hilly, tuff walking around, this was perfect to give an overview of the city, and where to go after.
  • Jimlanman
    Jimlanman
    0
    0
    Can be very good for seeing the city
    We went there first thing when they start - 9 am – to have enough time. The site says it takes an hour to do each line. This seemed like a good value with a ferry cross to Devonport. With buses every 20 minutes, we could stop to take photos and admire scenery and then be ready to board the next one 20 minutes later to continue. Not quite that easy. Mt. Eden did take an hour, but other stops didn’t, and buses either arrived a few minutes early so I could watch them speed away or blow the 20-minute schedule to shreds as we waited 40 minutes at one point. When the bus finally came I asked the driver about the time between buses. She said 20 minutes, to which I replied "not even close from what I see" and she agreed and blamed city traffic. Wouldn't they know and deal with city traffic every day? Sounded like a weak excuse to me. So, things took longer and we decided not to chance taking the ferry though we had wanted to. SO, in summary, if your hotel gives out $5 off vouchers, consider taking the bus. If you have time limits you may have to skip some things. Consider doing the 48 hour instead of 24 hour pass - not much more money and you can do more leisurely. Oh yes, the website was of little use in finding the first stop - lots of construction going on in Auckland at the moment, so they moved the stop a few blocks. The only way we found it was that one of the hotel staff knew where the new pick-up location was and gave us directions. Otherwise, we'd have never found it.
  • CLCCalifornia
    CLCCalifornia
    0
    0
    Worth doing to catch the sights
    Auckland is a spead out city. The explorer bus is a convenient way to visit the different neighborhoods and experience various attractions in one day. Very friendly drivers, good recorded commentary, and clean buses.
  • Linda T
    Linda T
    0
    0
    Auckland hop on & off
    We enjoyed our trip...weather was hot..views absolutely stupendous around the bay. Because of road works,we weren't able to all tourist spots on the route. IF this had been explained before, would have chosen a different tour. Roadworks are going to be a constant problem in Auckland for many many months.
  • V4273OHdavidl
    V4273OHdavidl
    0
    0
    Good way to see city
    We appreciated the organized, efficient way to see the city in a relatively short time. It’s a fun city to visit. Staff and drivers were very helpful and friendly. Our primary negative experience was the lengthy delays at a couple stops, especially the one common stop with the red and blue routes at the Auckland Museum.
  • paulrU3860WQ
    paulrU3860WQ
    0
    0
    Not the best Bus tour!
    The disparity between the Viator instructions and the Explorer instructions were significant. Only book with Viator if you are planning to use immediately and have a printer close by! Do not accept the Viator instructions always check the Explorer website. We booked for Wednesday on Viator but when we went to redeem our vouchers we were told that they would start immediately. The Explorer buses do not use headphones but rely on speakers on some buses these are of poor quality so unless you seated under the speaker forget about the commentary. The quality of the bus staff leaves a lot to be desired only one driver actually provided help and assistance.
  • Franziska J
    Franziska J
    0
    0
    Desaster
    I had to wait for ages and the reviews for this company were so much better than for the other hip on hop off bus so I expected more and a better timetable. I sat in the bus for 20min before it would even leave and other people told me that the bus sometimes didn’t even stop and they had to wait for An hour to get a ride! 🙄
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

3.5
162 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
55
Average
23
Poor
13
Terrible
16

Allison M
Bunbury, Australia54 contributions
Jan 2020
I have said in previous posts that I prefer to post positive reviews and if I have something negative to say that I take it direct to the company. Unfortunately our experience today was poor and I have Emailed the company but have not had a reply.
This is supposed to be a hop on hop off tour but clearly far too many tickets had been sold.
We spent the entire tour on a overcrowded bus which regularly was forced to leave passengers at stops as there was no room. At one stop passengers could not be collected which included a group and included 1 gent in a wheelchair who was left behind in the rain
We felt that we couldn’t “hop off” the bus because we didn’t feel that it was likely that there would be any room on buses later to take us home.
When I complained I was told that the company had 20 buses operating and had plenty of capacity and we should have got off the bus if we wanted to because another bus would come along later with more room but honestly that would have been a big risk based on what we saw.
I can see how difficult operating today would have been with 2 cruise liners in town an as well as roadworks to make things harder. My suggestion would have been to allocate tickets starting at different times ie 10.00 am, 11.00 etc so that the complete bottleneck which occurred could be controlled.
Lastly, whilst the staff were polite they were not prepared to acknowledge that a problem existed and gave me little confidence that the problem will be fixed.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora AllisonM717 I do apologise to hear that you felt as though you could not get off your bus due to the bus being overcrowded meaning you did not want to miss out on a bus returning back to the starting point, our buses do run every 20 minutes however as you said roadworks and traffic can cause minor delays. We currently have a high volume of emails in our inbox, which means that it can take some time to hear back from us, we will investigate this matter as soon as possible and get back to you. All the best for your future travels, Cheyenne and the team at Auckland Explorer
Written January 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Atravelfan
Atlanta250 contributions
Feb 2020
We typically like the hop on hop off bus system when visiting a new city as it helps to get a good overview. We boarded the 1 st bus of the day intending to ride the full circuit and then get off at those stops that we wished to explore further. We purchased the tickets for the Kelly Tarlton experience and the tower in combo ( which was at a reasonable price).
When the bus reached the War Museum, it changed from being a red line bus to a blue line bus and anyone wanting to stay on red line had to get off and get on another bus. We then had to wait for this bus to be cleared to go onward. We made the rest of the circuit uneventfully ( except for witnessing an argument between 2 of the company's bus drivers).
The narration documented that the buses were running every 15 minutes that day. We got off at the Kelly Tarleton Antarctic experience and toured that facility. We just missed the bus when exiting the facility (watched it drive off so know the timing) and waited literally 50 minutes before the next bus arrived. There was no explanation from the driver as to why the delay, even when questioned. ( he just waved us on) and this bus was not equipped with wifi.
This was an overall disappointing experience.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Atravelfan I'm really sorry to hear the service provided didn't meet your expectations and thank you for letting us know. I will forward this feedback to our operations team so it won't happen again. All the best for your future travels, Jerome and the team at Explorer Bus
Written March 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Linda C
Moorpark, CA1,068 contributions
Feb 2020
Well run buses of this type are always a great way to get an introduction to a city, especially when one has limited time. This was one of the better run Hop-ons. Unfortunately a situation beyond their control (major roadwork) made getting to the first stop challenging and a longer walk than we expected, but all of our interactions with the Explorer employees were positive. The bus was clean, ran on time, and was comfortable, so we were very pleased with our experience.
Written July 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Safari56899416608
Kia Ora Linda, We are glad you enjoyed your experience with us. The roadworks have been challenging but it is good to know that our staff still made your interactions with us positive ones! Anna and the Auckland Explorer Bus team
Written September 14, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

BruceSheree W
Brisbane, Australia180 contributions
Feb 2020
Hop on Hop off buses are a great way to see the highlights of a city and this was no different. Auckland is undergoing some major renovation/roadworks of the foreshore and so the bus could not go down to this area - but the renos will be great when completed. We had a very warm day and it was great to sit in the air con and listen to the commentary, get off when we wanted to and then back on again.
Great when you are too tired to walk.
Written March 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora sheree59, Thank you so much for choosing to hop on our bus to see the best that Auckland has to offer! We hope to see you onboard again soon. All the best for your future travels, Jerome and the team at Auckland Explorer Bus
Written April 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Katco
Edinburgh, UK1,616 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This is a good hop on hop off service spanning all the major sites within Auckland.

We were on a cruise around New Zealand and this service was significantly cheaper than the cruise ship offering.

The only confusing point was when you arrived at the war memorial which is the stop to change from the red bus to the blue bus all that happened was the driver changed a sign from red to blue, on 2 occasions we got off the bus just to board the same bus again. However, this was no great issue just a bit strange.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora Katco! Thank you for taking the time to write us a review and for choosing to see the best of Auckland with us. We're glad you enjoyed it and we hope to see you on board again soon! All the best for your future travels, Jerome and the team at Auckland Explorer Bus
Written February 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

srjh
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida199 contributions
Mar 2020
To be fair, we took this bus just as COVID 19 restrictions were going into place. Buses weren't running nearly as often as advertised, which we totally understood. It just would have been helpful if they had updated their website and/or phone information line. The bus went everywhere we wanted to go and we were able to get out and see the city for a reasonable price. Sit on the upper level if you want to hear the automated commentary. The engine noise on the lower level made it extremely hard to hear, even when sitting directly under a speaker.
Written April 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora srjh, Thank you for sharing your experience on our Explorer Bus. I will forward your review to our operations team so they can check the website. All the best for your future travel plans, Jerome and the team at Auckland Explorer Bus
Written April 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mark h
19 contributions
We use the busses to get a feel of the city and then as transport to the areas we want to spend time in. Due to the recent flooding part of the route was unavailable.
One great plus, if you buy your entrance passes to attractions from Hop on Hop off they are discounted. Ask the rep on the sidewalk!
Written February 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cris L
Hi there. It is really nice to hear that you had great experience with us, regardless the flood issue that made the company reroute the tour.
Written March 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

zigzagMandurah
Mandurah and Peel Region, Australia232 contributions
The roadworks and building in Auckland near the wharf are a complete mess for tourism. We went to catch the hop on hop off bus and trying to find it was a joke. When we got on the driver apologised for the lack of aircon. It was a lovely sunny day. It was ok at first but by the time we reached stop 1 we were much too warm, so we got off and waited for the next bus which arrived pretty quickly. The bus driver on the next bus also apologised for lack of aircon. WHAT THE! After another 30 minute wait the 3rd bus arrived. Guess what.. yep no aircon. The large Maori bus driver wasn’t happy either. He turned off the engine and after 10 or 15 minutes started it up and EUREKA! We had aircon. So we were finally able to complete our journey. No time left for the ferry though. Absolute waste of time and money.
Written March 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kia Ora zigzagMandurah, Thank you for taking the time to write us a review. Can you please email us at info@explorerbus.co.nz so we can investigate? We look forward to hearing from you. All the best for your future travels, Jerome and the team at Auckland Explorer Bus
Written March 16, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AlexTheJock
Wigston, UK2,052 contributions
Four long time friends, all of us senior citizens, walked for ten minutes from the cruise terminal to stop number 1 to catch the first bus of the day leaving at 9 a.m. We arrived at about twenty past eight and booked tickets on the website on our mobiles which cost us one hundred New Zealand dollars for two adults. We soon received emails with QR codes, then shortly after a member of staff arrived to scan the codes and issue tickets. The bus arrived and set off bang on nine. The first bus of the day was an open decked double decker, but we had various different types of buses as we got off and on during the day. One thing we were left wondering about was the supply of earphones, but they are not needed as the commentary comes out of speakers and was only in English. The service wasn't bad at all, and we did not have long to wait for another bus when we got off to explore. We really do think we got good value for money and would use this service again.
Written April 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cris L
Kia Ora Alex! Thank you for taking time to review our service. Great to hear we helped you to enjoy the city :)
Written June 10, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David
Madrid, Spain9 contributions
Jan 2023
Of all the buses we took, none of them included headphones. Other tourists were talking the entire time so it was difficult to hear the tour. The lag time between buses was between 45 minutes to an hour when we were told it would be every 10-15 minutes.
Written January 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour provided by Auckland Explorer Bus

Product Overview: Auckland Explorer: Hop-on Hop-off Tour

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