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Explore the West Coast with a car hire from Greymouth Railway Station

Greymouth is the “Big Smoke” of the South Island’s wild west coast region. The unassuming town is a welcoming refuge amidst the vastness of the windswept coast and towering mountains. It has distinct and fascinating histories of Māori settlement and then colonial gold mining, and is home to some talented artisans working with a beautiful natural resource from the area—New Zealand jade, also known locally as greenstone or pounamu.

Car rental locations in Greymouth

Greymouth Railway Station has several car rental companies in the direct vicinity, including Ace, Thrifty, Dollar, Hertz, Avis, and Budget. They are easily accessible on Mackay Street, not far from the Visitor Information Centre (i-Site) and close to the Grey River.

Need-to-know information for your Greymouth car rental adventure

With a car rental from Greymouth Railway Station, you can explore a part of the world that’s simply incomparable. The west coast of New Zealand’s South Island is relatively untouched, friendly, stunningly scenic, and home to some amazing landscape features. The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are a few hours’ drive south from the town. Head east through Arthur’s Pass to take your rental car to Christchurch or go north to reach Picton, the docking point for the Interislander ferry.

Driving tips for your Greymouth hire car

A safe and incident-free journey is one that can be memorable and exciting for all the right reasons! New Zealand’s roads have their own quirks, so take a look at our tips below to arm yourself with some local knowledge of rules and customs.

• Always drive on the left! If you are coming from a country with the opposite arrangement, you may need to take some time to become accustomed.

• Roads on the West Coast, and especially those that run from there to the other coast, have sections that are windy and steep. Always drive with care (particularly in wet, snowy, or icy conditions), brake before corners, and stay in your lane around blind corners.

• Distances are posted in kilometres and speed in kilometres per hour.

• State highways and main routes in New Zealand tend to go through small towns rather than bypass them. Be prepared for variation in speed limits according to the setting.

• If a particularly stunning vista catches your eye, pull over to enjoy it rather than trying to gaze and drive at the same time.

• The blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers over 20 years of age in New Zealand is 0.05%, or 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. For drivers under the age of 20, the limit is 0.

• The default speed limit in built-up areas is 50 kilometres per hour. For open roads and highways, the most common limit is 100 kph.

Destination ideas for an unforgettable Greymouth rental car adventure

Picking up a hire car in Greymouth with plans to explore is the start of something amazing. The South Island is a natural wonderland, packed with fantastic places to see.

You’ll find plenty to do and see even within a few hours’ drive of Greymouth. We’ve put together some of the highlight destinations nearby.

• Fox and Franz Josef glaciers - Drive your rental car a few hours south down the coast to explore these incredible natural features and the nearby towns. You can hike up the valleys to see these immense frozen rivers in person or take helicopter tours to enjoy them from the air. If you have more time for a bike adventure, you can cycle the West Coast Wilderness Trail, as this retraces old packhorse tracks, tramlines, railways.

• Hokitika Gorge - It’s less than an hour from Greymouth to The Hokitika Gorge, via the bustling tourist town of Hokitika. The vivid turquoise colour of the water in the gorge is incredibly beautiful, caused by powdered rock ground by glaciers in the mountains above.

• Pancake rocks, Punakaiki - This spectacular rock formation is around 40 minutes’ drive north from Greymouth. Here the limestone pillars have been naturally formed and eroded to look like stacked pancakes.

• Nelson Lakes National Park - Head northeast and into the mountains to visit St Arnaud and this spectacular national park made up of snowy peaks, glacial lakes, rugged ridges, and verdant valleys. It’s best explored on foot, so bring your hiking boots and be prepared to hit the trails.