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Driving in New Zealand

Driving around New Zealand will allow you to see those parts of this wonderfully scenic country that tourist operators haven't discovered yet.

Understand
Owing to its sparse population, New Zealand is a very car dependent country, with 92% of New Zealand households owning at least one car. While public transport is usable in the cities of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and there is a network of long distance coach services and backpacker buses, a car is often preferred to get around anywhere else.

Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is the government agency responsible for road transport and driving in New Zealand, such as motor vehicle registration, driver licensing, road rules, etc. Some older publications may refer its predecessors, the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) or Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ).

The New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) is the main motoring group in New Zealand. Travellers on an extended road trip might want to consider obtaining a membership with them, as their roadside assistance is often valuable in case you get stranded. The AA also has reciprocal agreements with many foreign motoring groups, and may provide some services to foreigners who are members of their local motoring group.

The New Zealand Road Code and self-test questions are available online from the NZTA, or can be purchased from any AA office and from most book stores. On-line lessons and resources for people intending to drive in New Zealand (especially oriented towards rental cars or rental campervans or RVs) are available free from DrivingTests.co.nz.

Speed and distance in New Zealand are shown in metric units. For those used to imperial units, it is easy to miscalculate the time needed for travel.

Travel times
As New Zealand roads are narrower than many foreigners are used to and covered with hilly (and highly scenic) terrain, journey times are often longer than expected. Therefore there are more chances of a crash when you are tired. Take plenty of rest before a long drive and take a break after every two hours of driving as well.

The following distances and travel times listed below are the absolute minimum required, using the most direct route with typical traffic and only technical stops (fuel, food, toilets, etc.) Add extra time for detours, stopping to look at the view or sightseeing - if there's a parking place along a country road, there is usually something worth seeing near by - and when driving campervans:

 * Wellington – Picton via Cook Strait Ferry – 100 km, 3 hr 30 min plus check-in time

Vehicles
As New Zealand drives on the left, all vehicles are right-hand drive. Most rental cars have automatic transmissions but not all; if you can't drive a manual (stick-shift), make sure to request an automatic vehicle when booking a rental car.

In (very common) Japanese cars, the indicator lever is on the right-hand side of the steering wheel and the wiper lever on the left-hand side, unlike in the UK and Ireland. In European cars, they are typically the other way around.

Fuel
The majority of petrol (gasoline) cars in New Zealand use "regular" 91 octane (green nozzle). Some European and high-end models use "premium" 95 octane (red nozzle, except at BP stations where they are yellow). Petrol stations (service stations) in major towns and cities may offer 98 octane or E10 fuel instead of 95 octane. Diesel fuel has a black nozzle. Petrol prices vary by region. You can often find discounts of 6¢/L and sometimes up to 10¢/L, e.g. you get a voucher for Z petrol stations by buying anything at Pakn'Save supermarkets, or at Mobil stations by getting a Smiles rewards card.

Electric vehicles
New Zealand has a rapidly growing fleet of electric vehicles; as of June 2023, there were 61,200 pure electric and 24,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles registered in New Zealand. Fast DC chargers (50kW+) are available at least every 75km on State Highways (with some gaps in low-traffic and hard-to-reticulate places), although most can only charge one or two cars at a time leading to queues during long weekends. ChargeNet is by far the largest charger network; others major charging networks include Zero (Meridian Energy), OpenLoop, BP and Z Energy, and the ever-present Tesla supercharger.

Driver licence
The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle driving licence in New Zealand is 16 years, although it takes a minimum of 18 months and two practical driving tests before someone can drive unrestricted. You can legally drive for up to 12 months if you have a current driving licence from your home country provided it is in English, or you have an approved English translation such as an International Driving Permit (IDP) to accompany it. All conditions on your overseas licence apply in New Zealand, e.g. automatic transmission only or needing to wear corrective lenses. If your licence has been suspended in your home country, you cannot drive in New Zealand until the suspension ends. You must carry your licence at all times when driving.

There are six classes of driver licence in New Zealand, although only two classes matter to most visitors: Classes 2 through 5 are for varying degrees of heavy vehicles. There are also licence endorsements to drive specific vehicles or in specific roles; for example, an F endorsement allows you to drive a forklift on public roads, while a P endorsement allows you to carry passengers for hire or reward (public bus, taxi, shuttle, Uber, etc.).
 * A Class 1 "car" licence, which allows you to drive a car or light vehicle and tow a light trailer as long as the combined weight of the vehicle and any trailer is less than 6 tonnes. You can ride a moped on a Class 1 licence, but not a motorcycle.
 * A Class 6 "motorcycle" licence, which allows you to ride a motorcycle or moped. You can't drive a car or other vehicle on a Class 6 licence.

Foreigners in New Zealand for more than a year are required to obtain a New Zealand driver licence from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). Foreigners from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States may convert their car and motorcycle licence to a New Zealand one after paying an administrative fee. All other foreigners are required to sit for and pass theory and practical tests before they are granted a New Zealand licence.

A New Zealand driver licence is one of the three acceptable forms of identification when buying age-restricted items (e.g. alcohol and tobacco); the other two being a passport and a Hospitality New Zealand-issued ID card (18+ card or Kiwi Access Card). If you planning to stay in New Zealand longer than one year, it may therefore be advantageous to convert to a New Zealand driver licence earlier rather than later.

Keep left
Due to its British colonial history, like their Australian neighbours, New Zealanders drive on the left side of the road in right-hand drive cars. If you are used to driving on the right, you need to concentrate at all times. Take particular care when pulling out from lay-bys and driveways or when you are tired. It is very easy to have a lapse of concentration and to revert to habit. Such lapses have caused a number of fatal head-on accidents in New Zealand. Many inter-city roads lack median barriers, so there is nothing to force the driver to stay on the correct side of the road.

Speed

The usual highway speed limit for cars and light vehicles in New Zealand is 100 km/h. Towing vehicles and heavy vehicles (over 3.5 tonnes) are limited to 90 km/h and school buses are limited to 80 km/h, even if the posted speed limit is higher. Signage follows the European model of a number inside a red ring.

A small allowance is made for inaccurate speedometers, so many drivers travel at 100–104 km/h on the open road. Officially though, the police have a no-tolerance policy and can issue tickets for any speed over the limit. Police will fine you for only going 5 km/h over the speed limit if you are caught speeding near a school, and during holiday periods and long weekends. Further, police occasionally issue fines (infringement notices) for driving at or below the sign-posted speed limits when there is no need to and also where a vehicle's speed is excessive for the driving conditions (e.g. in crowded streets in town centres or on icy roads). If you are driving a vehicle subject to a lower maximum speed limit, the penalty scale starts at that limit and not the speed limit; being caught for travelling at 110 km/h in a 100 km/h zone towing a trailer (max. 90 km/h), the penalty will be for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h (a $120 fine), not 10 km/h (a $30 fine).

Travelling more than 40 km/h over a posted speed limit is considered careless driving and will result in arrest, suspension of driver's licence and possible impounding of the vehicle if caught by police. Failing to stop for police when directed (e.g. flashing red and blue lights/siren) may also result in an arrest, as Police will pursue a fleeing vehicle unless doing so would endanger other road users.

The police operate a dedicated Highway Patrol who have the responsibility of enforcing traffic laws and assist at accidents. Unmarked (or mufti) patrol vehicles are also used. However, all Police officers are expected to stop offending motorists if traffic offending is observed. However, it is rare for (non-Highway Patrol) Police officers to concentrate on offences other than speeding. Police officers are required to ensure a steady flow of traffic by ensuring overly slow drivers pull over and let traffic past; however, this behaviour is rarely observed.

Speed cameras operate from the back of unmarked cars and vans and from camera boxes in fixed positions. Police also use hand-held laser speed guns and may operate hidden speed cameras. An innocent looking parked van or car or that cream or silver box on a pole at the side of the road may or may not contain a camera – best to assume that it does. The official policy is to target those areas with disproportionately high accident statistics.

Take extra care at observing speed limits as you pass through small towns. There are often speed cameras just past where the speed limit drops to 50 km/h, such as the fixed speed cameras entering Bulls from the south as with Palmerston North.

Also be sure to obey temporary speed restrictions put in place for road works and special events, even when there is no evidence of work actually in progress. When resealing has taken place, the limit is often left in place for a couple of weeks until loose stones have disappeared or been swept. Being caught driving at more than 80 km/h in a temporary 30 km/h zone will lead to automatic loss of driving licence plus a heavy fine. Do not be surprised if long lengths of highway have 30 km/h restrictions despite there not being any sign of road works or workmen; this is notoriously commonplace to drivers' frustration.

The speed limit passing a school bus that has stopped for passengers is 20 km/h from either direction. This means you must slow to 20 km/h even if the school bus is on the opposite side of the road. Most school buses have a yellow and black sign saying "SCHOOL" on the front and back, but there are no other warning signs or marking different from any other bus on the road; school buses lack distinctive colouring and are never painted yellow (unless that's the colour scheme of the bus company). There are a lot of school buses on rural roads 7-9AM and 3-5PM on any school day so it pays to take care.

Traffic lights
Visitors from the United States and Canada should be aware that left turns on red are illegal throughout New Zealand.

Drinking and driving
New Zealand Police strictly enforce alcohol limits for drivers: 0.05 BAC (i.e. 50mg per 100mL of blood) for drivers 20yr and over, and 0.00 BAC (zero) for drivers under 20. Police often set up checkpoints, sometimes around a whole city centre, and even on motorway on-ramps. Police also station an officer or two on adjacent side roads to catch any driver trying to avoid the checkpoint.

Any and every traffic stop is also an opportunity for testing for drink-driving. Police use breath screening devices in which the driver talks or blows into to detect drivers who have been drinking. Drivers who fail or refuse these roadside screening tests will be asked to accompany the officer to a police station or a nearby "booze bus" to undertake an evidential breath and/or blood alcohol test. Refusal to accompany a police officer will result in arrest.

If you are caught over the limit but under 0.08 BAC for drivers 20 and over, or 0.03 BAC for drivers under 20, you will receive an on-the-spot $200 fine and 50 points on your licence (gaining 100 points within two years will result in a 3-month loss of licence). If you are caught over 0.08/0.03 BAC, you will be required to go to court, where you will receive a minimum 6 months loss of licence and likely a hefty fine. If you cause an accident while drink-driving and injure or kill someone, it will be treated as dangerous driving, which carries a minimum 12 months loss of licence and potentially up to 10 years in prison.

Seatbelts
Wearing seatbelts in cars and vans is compulsory where one is provided. There are very limited exceptions: for medical reasons (with a medical certificate), taxi drivers plying for hire, and courier/postal drivers and meter readers (as long as their vehicle stays under 50 km/h). All passengers aged 14 years old or older are responsible for wearing their own seatbelts, but the driver is responsible for ensuring children are restrained. Children aged 6 and under must be restrained in an approved child safety seat; children aged 7 must use an approved child safety seat if one is provided. If you are in a car, even a taxi, buckle up. You could be fined $150 if you are not wearing your seatbelt, even as a passenger.

Overtaking

Most of New Zealand's roads are single carriageways with only one lane in each direction, and few median barriers. Passing lanes exist, but are mainly on major routes only and are often fairly short (rarely over 1.5 km long).

As you will be driving on the left, passing is usually done on the right. When there are two or more lanes on your side of the centre line, you may pass on the left if it is safe. You can also pass on the left if the vehicle in front is turning right. Slower vehicles are expected to travel in the left lanes when multiple lanes travel in the same direction, but might not do so, for example in heavy traffic, or for the convenience of not switching lanes. Also a driver is legally obligated, where possible, to drive in the left hand lane, however this is rarely enforced.

Overtaking may mean crossing the centre line and driving in a lane used by oncoming vehicles. If you choose to overtake then make sure you spend as little time as possible on the opposite side of the road and only overtake when you can maintain at least 100 m of clear road until you finish the manoeuvre. Don't exceed the speed limit, as speeding to minimise the time spent on the wrong side of the road will still be viewed by the police as dangerous.

If the road is painted with a solid yellow line on the immediate left of the white dotted centre line, you must not cross the yellow line. You can only overtake here if you can do so without crossing the yellow line, such as when there are two lanes going your way. A yellow line means there could be oncoming traffic that is hidden by a dip, hill or curve in the road.

Passing lanes may sometimes be legally used by vehicles overtaking in the opposite direction too (but only when the lane is clear – traffic on the same side of the centre line as the passing lane has right of way). This depends on whether the centre line markings have double yellow lines (no crossing) or a single yellow line with a white broken line (crossing permitted from the white line side only), so keep to the left whilst driving in a passing lane except when overtaking.

If you are travelling below the speed limit on two-lane roads and holding up other traffic, you must pull over to the left to allow them to pass, or increase your speed to the posted speed limit, conditions allowing. You might pull to the left edge of the road and indicate a left signal briefly.

Accidents
If you are involved in an accident, the first thing to do is to stop your vehicle in a safe place and check on all the other people involved. If anyone is injured or trapped, immediately call emergency services on 111. If police do not attend the accident, the accident must be reported to them within 24 hours. Fleeing the scene (hit-and-run), even if the accident was not your fault, will be treated as dangerous driving and will be punished severely in court.

If the accident is minor and nobody is injured, exchange your name, address, contact details, vehicle details (registration plate, make, model) and insurance details with all affected parties. Do not admit liability - leave that for the insurance companies to sort out. If you damage a parked car, another person's property or hit an animal, you must try to locate the owner; if after 48 hours you cannot locate the owner, you must report the accident to Police within 12 hours (i.e. within 60 hours of the accident).

To prevent rubbernecking accidents, a speed limit of 20 km/h is enforced in both directions passing an accident scene.

The law
In New Zealand, the road rules are primarily enforced by the police. While there are dedicated Highway Patrol police, any on-duty police officer has the power to enforce the road rules. Plain-clothes officers are required to wear their police hat when pulling over a vehicle. Unlike in some other countries, Police in New Zealand don't have to have probable cause to pull over a vehicle or ask the driver to undergo a breath screening test. Failure to stop for police will result in arrest and an appearance in court. Enforcement of parking rules is usually the responsibility of local councils.

If you break the road rules, in most cases you will be given an infringement notice ("ticket"). The fine must be paid within 28 days; instructions on how to pay are on the notice. If you don't pay, you're likely to be summonsed to appear in court where you will face an even larger fine. For some offences, a police officer may give you compliance. If you complete the conditions of the compliance within 28 days, the infringement notice will be waived.

If you receive an infringement notice from a police officer, you will also receive demerit points. Typically these range from 10 to 50 points. if you accumulate more than 100 points within a two-year period, your licence will be suspended for 3 months. For some serious offences, such as exceeding the speed limit by 40 km/h or more, you will receive a 28-day roadside licence suspension. If your licence is suspended, you will not be allowed to drive your vehicle from where it is stopped, so you will need to arrange for someone to pick you and your car up. If you try to drive while suspended, you will have your car impounded and you will likely have to appear in court.

In serious cases, such as drunk driving or careless driving, you may be summonsed to appear in court. Traffic offences are dealt with in the first instance by the District Court. If you are summonsed to court and don't turn up, a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Sentences that can be given by the court for driving offences include long-term disqualification from driving, fines, paying reparation, community work, and in very severe cases (e.g. if you kill someone), imprisonment.

Road signs
New Zealand road signs follow a mixture of European and American conventions. The full range of signs is illustrated in the New Zealand Road Code. There are three types: Regulatory signs — those that must be obeyed by law— have a red border or background for prohibitory signs (something you mustn't do), or a blue background for mandatory signs (something you must do). Warning signs, which should be obeyed for safety reasons, have black borders and symbols with a yellow (permanent) or orange (temporary) background.
 * STOP signs require a vehicle be stopped at an intersection and not proceed until the way is clear. Stopping is mandatory, no matter what time of day or the traffic conditions.
 * GIVE WAY signs require a vehicle to give way or yield right of way to other vehicles (except those controlled by a stop sign). Stopping is not required.

Information signs, which give information, normally have white borders and symbols or text with either a blue, green, or brown background. This includes many parking signs, and fines may be imposed by the local council, rather than the police, if parking limits are exceeded. Rectangular blue signs with a white border that read Pxx (where xx is a number) indicate the maximum number of minutes that a vehicle may remain parked in that area (e.g. P60 indicates maximum 60 minutes).

Road markings
White lines are used to mark the roads; solid lines indicate road boundaries, parking spaces, stopping positions and centre lines at intersections. Broken or dotted lines indicate lanes and centre lines. As a general rule, it is permissible to cross a broken white line, while a solid white line indicates some road rule limits when that line should be crossed.

Yellow centre lines are used to indicate when passing or crossing the centre line is not permitted. Broken yellow lines on the side of the road are used to indicate No Stopping areas or parking spaces reserved for special vehicles.

Controlled intersections (traffic lights or signs) have limit lines that vehicles need to stop behind at these intersections (legally, you must stop with your front wheels behind the line - your front bumper is allowed over the line). These lines are often set back a few metres from the intersection, and if you cross the line, say at a right turn, your vehicle may not be detected by the traffic light sensors and you may not get the green light.

Diagonal, often yellow, cross hatchings in an intersection shows that the exit to the intersection often is blocked, and you must not obstruct the intersection by stopping in the (marked) area of the intersection, though this rule applies at every intersection, marked or not.

Large diagonal white lines in the centre of the road indicate a 'flush median'. This may be used only when turning right, never for overtaking.

Bus lanes are often, though not always, painted green. Cars should not be driven in bus lanes unless a sign indicates permission; some bus lanes may be open to cars that are carrying passengers or travelling at certain times of the day or week. You may travel for 50 m in a bus lane if you have just entered a road or are going to turn left within this distance.

Pedestrian crossings
At pedestrian crossings (zebra crossings), white parallel lines are painted across the road. A white diamond is usually painted on the road before pedestrian crossing, together with warning signs and amber flashing lights or round orange reflectors on black and white striped poles at the crossing.

Drivers must stop for pedestrians waiting at the crossing. This applies to the whole crossing and pedestrians on both sides of the road, even if the white centreline passes through the crossing or there is a painted centre median. Only when there is a raised traffic island may the crossings in either traffic direction be treated separately. Vehicles may proceed once the pedestrian has safely passed by the front of their vehicle.

If the word SCHOOL is painted by the diamond or on the warning sign, the crossing is controlled by a School Patrol with round STOP signs. Traffic must stop and stay stopped if even one school patrol stop sign is displayed on either side of school patrol crossings. Although these crossings are often operated by trained school children, there is generally a responsible adult supervising too. Crossing patrols operate about half an hour before and after school, typically 8:30-9AM and 2-3:30PM.

Traffic signals (traffic lights)
All New Zealand traffic signals are standardised with red on top, amber in the middle, and green at the bottom. Only one colour shows at a time; unlike the UK, there is no red and amber phase indicating the lights will shortly change to green.

The following lights occur:

 * Flashing red: stop and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing. Normally encountered only outside fire stations, ambulance stations, airport runways and at railway crossings.
 * Red: stop and stay stopped until the light goes out. Unlike in some other countries, you cannot turn left on the red signal.
 * Red arrow: stop for the direction of the arrow.
 * Flashing amber: a road hazard. If encountered at traffic lights, it means the lights are out of order; if there is no police officer on points duty, the give way rules apply.
 * Amber: stop unless you cannot safely do so.
 * Amber arrow: Stop for the direction of the arrow - unless you cannot safely do so.
 * Green: you may proceed if the way is clear - i.e., you still have to give way to other vehicles or pedestrians.
 * Green arrow: you may proceed in the direction of the arrow. All oncoming vehicles and pedestrians should have stopped.

Other symbols such as a bicycle or a letter mean the lights apply to the specific vehicle identified in the symbol.

 * Red and green person: used at pedestrian crossings beside the lights. A flashing red person means finish crossing but do not start crossing. If there are no pedestrian lights illuminated, push the crossing button to activate them. Watch out in central Wellington as some pedestrian crossings have unconventional green person figures.

Vehicle-mounted lights
Certain vehicles are fitted with flashing lights to warn road users.
 * Flashing red lights are found on emergency vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances. Pull over and let them pass.
 * Flashing red and blue lights are found on police cars; pull over and stop.
 * Flashing blue lights are used on customs officer, fishery officer and marine reserve officer vehicles; pull over and stop.
 * Flashing green lights may be used by doctors, nurses or midwives on urgent business. Pull over and let them pass.
 * Flashing amber lights are used on tow trucks and road maintenance vehicles. Slow down and prepare to stop.
 * Flashing amber and purple lights are used on vehicles piloting oversize loads. Slow down and prepare to stop.

City driving
In urban areas the speed limit is 50 km/h unless there are signs indicating otherwise.

Auckland is the largest city, and drivers will encounter some traffic congestion at peak times, which remains mild by international standards. Other major cities such as Wellington also have traffic jams around 8AM and 5PM on key roads in and out of the city. At off-peak times driving from the city to the airport can take 25 min. In peak times it can take up to an hour, but generally 40 min, to travel the same route. There are areas of extensive road building/improvements through the city and can cause delays where they meet the existing network. Note that particularly in Auckland but anywhere in the country, roads do not often follow a grid pattern and fog can be an early-morning obstacle. Remain alert.

While there are not a lot of one-way streets in New Zealand, Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch do have one-way systems or significant one-way streets in the cities' central business districts. Be particularly careful in Wellington where not only one-way streets but also bus-only streets exist. Also, be particularly careful of the unusually high kerbs in Wellington, which can cause a driver to scrape the paintwork or undercarriage of the car when normally they would expect only the tyres to hit the kerb.

Open road
Due to the low population density, New Zealand only has around of motorways (freeways) and expressways, and these are mainly concentrated around Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Waikato Expressway from Auckland to Hamilton is the only substantive inter-city expressway. Elsewhere, New Zealand highways are mainly two-lane undivided sealed roads.

The default speed limit on the main highways and motorways is 100 km/h (or the maximum permitted speed for your vehicle, whichever is lower). Some semi-rural roads have 70 km/h or 80 km/h limits, especially approaching and leaving urban areas. Some roads have variable speed limit signs which activate in certain conditions, such as bad weather or cars waiting to turn out of a side road.

Some road signs do not follow the international standard, and "open-road-signs" are still in use in less used roads. These are white signs with a black stripe across them which denote a 100 km/h zone. But drivers are expected to adjust their speed in bad conditions (it is unlikely that you will be fined for travelling at 100 km/h even in relatively bad conditions on the "open road"). However, caution is advised as many of these roads are in comparatively poor condition with potholes, etc., making some of them dangerous even at the best of times).

When overtaking slower traffic, you will have to pull over to the right into the lane used by oncoming traffic. This should only be done when there is no oncoming traffic and you have plenty of visibility, and you should complete it as quickly as possible. Overtaking is legal when the dividing line is a broken line, but illegal when the dividing line is a solid line. Do not ever overtake by pulling over to the left onto the shoulder, as New Zealand drivers will not anticipate this; it is also very dangerous and illegal.

Be careful when turning into side roads while in rural areas. Stopping in the middle of the road while waiting to turn often results in a rear collision. Drivers may wait to the left of the road instead of the middle.

Rural roads can vary dramatically. Most state highways and rural roads can be winding, fast, have one lane on each side of the road, and have tight corners. While the speed limit is motorway-like (100 km/h), the conditions are more dangerous than freeways as there is no barrier separating you from oncoming traffic. Modern sections of rural state highway (built or rebuilt since the mid-1980s) are usually built to a high standard with wide lanes and shoulders, and fast curves designed to be taken at 100 km/h, although they are still only one lane in each direction with no median barrier. Oblong black and yellow arrow signs with a number (e.g. "65") approximately indicate the tightness of an upcoming turn; the number indicates an appropriate speed (in km/h) to travel at through the corner. (Two separate signs showing the curve and its suggested speed are also commonly used.) In good conditions an experienced driver may be able to take the bend at up to 10–20 km/h more than the marked speed. However for signs reading 45 or less the speed advice should be taken literally as all 45 km/h turns are tight corners and it is hard to remain in your lane at above this speed. Also in bad weather it is often necessary to follow precisely the advice of all these signs.

Highway network
The main national highway network in New Zealand is the State Highway network, which connects major towns, cities and destinations in both main islands. State Highways are indicated by a number in a red shield, and directional signage on State Highways is green. State Highway 1 runs the length of both islands, State Highways 2-5 and 10-58 are in the North Island, and State Highways 6-8 and 60-99 are in the South Island. Highways are numbered roughly north to south, e.g. State Highway 20 is in southern Auckland, State Highway 58 is in Wellington, and State Highway 76 is in Christchurch. State highway spurs and bypasses have a letter suffix, e.g. State Highway 20A is the highway connecting State Highway 20 with Auckland Airport.

Due to New Zealand's sparse population, most intercity State Highways are undivided two-lane roads (one lane in each direction) with at-grade intersections. Multi-lane divided highways, termed motorways or expressways, are generally only found near major cities. Motorways are fully grade-separated and are reserved for motorised traffic only; expressways can be used by non-motorised traffic and may have the occasional at-grade intersection. On lesser trafficked State Highways, vehicles may encounter narrow roads with limited overtaking opportunities and single-lane bridges; one State Highway still even has unsealed sections!

There is no fixed road link connecting the North and South islands. The Cook Strait ferries between Wellington and Picton provide a regular roll-on-roll-off service to bridge this gap.

Toll roads
There are three toll roads in New Zealand, located near Auckland and Tauranga. All are electronic toll roads; there are no booths so you need to purchase the toll before or within three days after using the road. Tolls can be purchased online at tollroad.govt.nz, at selected BP and Caltex petrol stations (a $1.20 transaction fee applies), or by phoning 0800 40 20 20 (a $3.70 transaction fee applies). You will need your vehicle's registration number. Tolls effective 1 March 2019:

 * SH 1 Northern Gateway Toll Road, north of Auckland between Orewa interchange and Puhoi interchange. Light vehicles $2.49, heavy vehicles $4.80.
 * SH 2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road, east of Tauranga between Domain Road interchange and Paengaroa roundabout (SH 33). Light vehicles $2.10, heavy vehicles $5.20.
 * SH 29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road, south-western Tauranga between SH 2 interchange and SH 36 roundabout. Light vehicles $1.90, heavy vehicles $5.00.

A light vehicle is any car, motorcycle or other motor vehicle weighing under 3500 kg (7700 lb); a heavy vehicle is any motor vehicle weighing 3500 kg or over. There is no extra toll payable for trailers and caravans.

Hazards

 * Stock on roads - Flocks of sheep are often driven along roads if their journey is only a few kilometres. Slow right down to a crawl and enjoy the experience. Also, on many dairy farms, cattle have to cross a road to get to and from their milking shed twice a day. Most milking contracts start on 1 June, so pay extra attention in the week before and after as cows are moved between farms.
 * Stock trucks - Being an agricultural country, large numbers of animals are transported around the country by large trucks towing equally large trailers. Although these trucks have effluent tanks to capture animal droppings, there is still some spillage or spray drift occasionally. Avoid following these vehicles too closely and keep the windscreen washer bottle full so that any "spray" can be washed off.
 * One-lane bridges - Typically found on lesser travelled highways, but occasionally on more busy routes. They are marked so that traffic in one direction has right-of-way (blue informational sign) and the other direction must give way (red and white compulsory sign). Some longer bridges have a passing bay in the middle.
 * Railway crossings - there are still a number of level crossings on the main roads. Many of these crossings do not have barrier arms, but only warning lights and bells. Some mainline crossings only have a "Stop" sign or "Give Way" sign.  Railway crossings are usually well sign-posted but there are a number of fatal crashes on these each year. Watch out in areas where the railway line runs parallel to the road - if you are turning right over the railway line, it is easy to become distracted trying to navigate the intersection and not notice the level crossing alarms or an approaching train until it is too late to stop.
 * Roadworks - New Zealand roads are mostly "tar and gravel" surfaced. These need to be regularly resealed, often a few kilometres at a time. The normal speed limit through road works is 30 km/h, especially if there is loose gravel. Higher speeds may damage new seal and throw up stones to damage bodywork and smash glass. Watch out for temporary signs warning of New Seal. Motorcyclists should take extra care, as irregular and cursory sweeping of the newly-laid surfaces can result in extremely dangerous corners.
 * Loose gravel - On rural highways, often a layer of loose gravel or road grit left over from winter on the edges of the road. A bad line through a corner can easily result in a major crash if a wheel enters the gravel or grit at the wrong time.
 * Summer rainstorms - Many parts of New Zealand have long periods without rain during the summer, during which tyre rubber and engine oil accumulate on the road surface. This can lead to the road surface becoming surprisingly slippery when it does rain. Also be aware that some rainstorms - especially hailstorms - are caused by a cold front. The sudden drop in air temperature on a previously warm summers day with a closed car can - almost instantly - fog the windscreen - too fast for even air-conditioning to clear it. If you notice your windscreen starting to fog when encountering summer rain, start the demister immediately, or slow down and pull off the road as soon as you can.
 * Unsealed roads - there are a good number of unsealed roads (otherwise known as gravel roads, or "metal" roads) in New Zealand. They are usually marked on maps although seal is gradually being extended so older maps may not be up to date. If you do drive on them, don't drive too fast - 60 km/h is about the maximum speed for safe driving on such roads. Slow down when passing vehicles or people if there there are loose stones on the road as tyres can send these hurtling at high speeds.
 * Foreign drivers - Foreign drivers who are not acclimatised to New Zealand driving conditions or rules can behave unpredictably, a particular hazard is people forgetting that NZ drives on the left and wandering over the centre line. Foreign drivers were involved in 19 fatal car accidents in New Zealand in 2012 (out of 267 in total), and were at fault in all but one of them! Foreign drivers can also suffer from jet lag leading to tired driving.

North Island
The main hazards are:

 * Logging trucks - in the centre of the island there are major forests with lots of trucks transporting logs to the pulp mills or to the ports of Tauranga and Wellington.
 * Snow and ice - this is a winter hazard on State Highway 1 on the Desert Road: the section between Waiouru and Turangi. As this section of the road passes the main volcanic peaks and is on the main north–south road it is well travelled. Check on the status of the road in winter. The other main route which is subject to this hazard is the Napier–Taupo road. Grit is often spread on icy roads, but salt is never used.
 * Slips - after heavy rain many roads become subject to slips (small avalanches) and it is as well to drive more carefully on winding roads through valleys or cuttings.
 * Drainage ditches - some roads, especially in the Waikato, have deep water-carrying ditches on one or both sides of the road. These are often obscured by long grass and are easy to fall into if you leave the tarseal.
 * High-risk roads - the following roads have a high rate of serious and fatal crashes, either in total or in respect to the amount of traffic, they handle, so take extra care:
 * SH 1, sections between Kaitaia and Ohaeawai (SH 12 junction), Whangarei and Ruakaka (SH 15 Marsden Point turnoff), Warkworth and Puhoi (start of Auckland Northern Motorway), Auckland Central and Takanini, and Levin and Peka Peka
 * SH 2, sections between Katikati and Tauranga, and Bay View (SH 5 junction) and Napier
 * SH 12, section between Ohaeawai and Dargaville
 * SH 16, section between Wellsford and Helensville, and Westgate (SH 18 interchange) and Auckland Central
 * SH 22, entire length
 * SH 31, entire length
 * SH 37, entire length (Waitomo access road)
 * SH 41, entire length
 * SH 43, entire length (Forgotton World Highway)
 * SH 46, entire length
 * SH 47, entire length
 * SH 48, entire length
 * SH 58, entire length
 * State Highway 2 between the start at Pokeno and Mangatarata (SH 25 junction) is a stretch of road with many fatal head-on traffic crashes. This is a section of winding 2-lane road with a few short passing places and heavy traffic flows (especially over holidays and weekends during summer). Much of this stretch of road has had the speed limit reduced to 90 km/h with the exception of two straighter passing areas. A bypass of Maungatawhiri was completed to remove one of the most winding sections.
 * The Desert Road, State Highway 1 between Waiouru and Turangi - as mentioned above, this well-travelled road is subject to snow and ice in winter. Watch your speed on the long straight sections, as it is very easy to put your foot down and the local police like to frequent this section, especially in unmarked cars. The last 22 km approaching Waiouru runs through an army training area, so do not stray from the road.
 * The Centennial Highway, which is part of State Highway 59, between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay has gained a reputation as a fatal head-on traffic crash black spot (especially before March 2022 when this was part of State Highway 1). This is a 10 km section of narrow, 2-lane road with no passing places, heavy traffic flows and no room for driver error. Watch your speed, following distance, lane position and above all be patient. Crashes in this area will often close the road for several hours. A median barrier has been installed along this highway to eliminate head-on collisions. Since March 2022, this is far less of a problem, as most of the traffic now heads along the new Transmission Gully Motorway (State Highway 1) and the Centennial Highway is consequently far quieter than it was previously. If you want a scenic but slow option, there's also the Paekakariki Hill Road, which gives spectacular views of the Kapiti Coast and Tasman Sea.
 * As for the Centennial Highway's replacement, the Transmission Gully Motorway has a long, straight and steep descent (12% downhill grade) into the Kapiti Coast District if you're heading north. There's a well engineered gravel trap near the bottom if your brakes fail.

South Island
The South Island used to be home to a number of combined road-rail bridges, particularly on State Highway 6 on the West Coast. The last of these bridges was bypassed on 22 July 2018, so you no longer have to worry about the scary thought of meeting a train head-on halfway across the bridge.

The main hazards are:

 * Snow and ice – some roads in the South Island, particularly the mountain passes, are occasionally closed by snow and ice, or passable with the use of snow chains in winter. The main ski fields are in the South Island and travellers to these should ensure they have chains for their vehicles. Grit, rather than salt, is spread to provide grip on icy roads.
 * Roundabouts with railways – There are some roundabouts in the South Island which are bisected by railway lines, so make sure you check for trains before entering the roundabout. While most are relatively mundane, there is a monster of one in Blenheim: State Highway 1 meets two of the town's main streets meets another minor street meets the main Picton-Christchurch railway!
 * Kea – the world's only alpine parrot is found near many mountain passes and they are notorious for causing damage to vehicles by pulling out antennas, rubber window trims and windscreen wipers, and stealing the odd wallet. To try to prevent damage, don't leave your windows or doors open, do not leave food, food packaging or scraps where they can get to it, and do not feed them.
 * High-risk roads – the following roads have a high rate of serious and fatal crashes, either in total or in respect of the amount of traffic they handle, so take extra care:
 * SH 7, section between Hanmer Springs and Reefton (over the Lewis Pass)
 * SH 71, full length
 * SH 82, full length
 * SH 87, full length
 * SH 94, section between Te Anau and Milford Sound
 * SH 96, full length

title: Driving in New Zealand


text:
Driving in Sweden

In Sweden, driving is the most practical way to get around outside the big cities. While most roads are good, and traffic jams are rare, winter driving and animal collisions are major concerns.

Understand
In large parts of Sweden it is essential to have a car, mainly due to the long distances, but also because public transport is scarce outside populated areas. Some lines only run on weekdays, with no or few departures on weekends and public holidays. You will encounter people of all ages and experience behind the wheel, which means some of them will drive excessively slow, well below speed limits, lowering their speed well in advance of a turn, and perhaps even driving insecurely.

Legal requirements

All motor vehicles in Sweden must have their headlights on, even at daytime. Modern Swedish-sold cars always have the lights turned on automatically (unless you actively turn it off), so if you rent a car in Sweden you won't have to worry about it. If you drive without lights you may find other drivers flashing their headlights at you to inform you. If your car is fitted with daytime running lights these are sufficient in daytime.

Driver and passengers must use seat belts, when the car is equipped with them (antique cars are exempt). Crash helmets are mandatory for drivers and passengers of motorcycles. Motorcycle passengers under the age of seven may use any appropriate helmet — a riding helmet, skiing helmet or bicycle helmet.

In winter conditions from 1 December to 31 March all cars used in Sweden are required by law to have either studded tires or un-studded winter friction tires (or equivalent measures like snow chains). The tyres must be marked, M+S, M-s, M.S, M&S, MS or Mud and Snow. "Winter conditions" are to be expected in this period. Studded winter tires are allowed 1 October to 15 April. See the Transport Ministry info (in English)

There are streets in Stockholm, Uppsala and Gothenburg where studded tyres are banned. There is a road sign for this.

If parking a German vehicle, and using SMS or a phone app to pay, do not add a hyphen to the vehicle number, even if this is commonly done in Germany. If parking a Belgian, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian, Irish or Latvian vehicle, do add the hyphens, if possible (apps might not allow them). The police are extremely strict about the precise content of the plate to be used, even if these faults can not point to a different vehicle. The supreme court ruled that doing your best is enough (see article in Swedish), but it might still pay to be careful.

Roads
The European road network goes through Sweden, and mostly have higher standard than national or local roads. Some important roads are:
 * E4 – from Helsingborg via Jönköping to Stockholm and all the way north to Haparanda at the Finnish border; see E4 through Sweden.
 * E6 – from Trelleborg via Malmö to Gothenburg and Oslo, Norway; see E6 through Sweden and Norway.
 * E10 – from Luleå to Riksgränsen, onwards to Narvik; see E10 through Sweden and Norway.
 * E18 – from border of Norway at Årjäng to Norrtälje, with ferry connections to Finland; see E18
 * E20 – from Malmö via E6 to Gothenburg, then to Stockholm, where it ends at the harbour with ferry connections to Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Russia.
 * E22 – from Trelleborg via Malmö, Karlskrona to Norrköping, where it ends as an onramp to E4.
 * E45 – from Gothenburg through inland Sweden to Karesuando; see E45 through Europe.

Most of the European roads outside Norrland are highways.

Second in the hierarchy are national roads (riksvägar) with two digit numbers.

Roads with more than two digits are called regional roads (länsvägar) and come in two flavors. Major ones are numbered 100–400 and are signposted. Minor ones with higher numbers do not have signposted numbers, although some GPS maps have those numbers.

Finding directions

 * The best markings are made with big blue signs with the name of the upcoming towns.
 * If the road leading there is a freeway, the signs are green instead of blue.
 * Unless you are going on a very big road, make your directions based on what towns or villages you are passing and keep an eye out for these signs instead of the road numbers.

Speed limits
The current speed limit is very well marked by signs. The speed limit signs are in km/h. Speed signs on each side of the road mean from this point this is the new speed. A sign on the right only indicates the speed limit has not changed.

The speed limit for roads outside built-up areas is always 70 km/h unless otherwise indicated.

Some signs also indicate the speed limit. These are:
 * The freeway (motorväg) sign also means 110 km/h.
 * The highspeed road (motortrafikled) sign indicates 90 km/h (100 km/h on roads with cable fence between the lanes.
 * The start of village sign means 50 km/h.
 * The end of village sign means 70 km/h.

 * The freeway (motorväg) sign is always posted together with a sign indicating the speed limit for this road.
 * The "start of village" sign is also always posted together with a speed limit sign.

The respect for the speed limit is rather poor. Often, when you are driving at the correct speed on a 70 or 90 km/h road, you will constantly get passed by other cars or be urged to get out of the way to let them pass. On the other hand, speeding on 30 km/h roads is not accepted. If caught, speeding will cost you from 1500 kr, for 1–10 km/h too fast, to 4000 kr, for 36–40 km/h too fast on 70 km/h or faster roads. Speeding on slower roads is more expensive.

Road signs
Sweden follows the convention regarding road signs, so they are more or less the same as in the rest of Europe – but they differ substantially from those in for example the Americas and parts of Oceania and Asia. The warning signs are triangular but have symbols that should be understandable.

These are some signs that could need explanation for foreign visitors.

Drunk driving
Do not even think about driving after you have drunk alcohol. The legal limit is 0.02 per cent, only a quarter of that in the United States, Canada, or Britain. This limit means that you cannot drink one beer before driving. Police, at any time, can take blood by force, and if you are over the limit, you may lose your driving license and may even get jail time.

Lorries
Lorries (trucks) with trailers are often longer than in other European countries. Maximum length is instead of  in continental Europe. This is the standard and does not have signs indicating a long vehicle. These vehicles are allowed on all roads unless there's a local weight or length restriction. Keep this in mind when trying to overtake. It's not uncommon to meet these lorries fully loaded with timber on narrow, curvy rural roads. If so, slow down, keep out or find a wide place to meet.

Super-long vehicles at are allowed on main highways, and carry an indication sign. Only overtake them when there is plenty of space.

Animal collisions
Many countryside accidents are animal collisions. The biggest roads normally have fences against wild animals, but the smaller roads do not. You need to look out for deer and moose unless you want a 500 kg animal coming through the windscreen. Steer to the rear of the animal, as it might run forward when scared. In the north you will also have to watch out for reindeer. They usually travel in herds. Always slow down until all of them have passed. Reindeer are not that agile and unwilling to jump into a ditch. They will follow the road to the next level place at the roadside and then disappear into the wilderness.

Be extra careful to wild animals on the roads under these circumstances:
 * Sunrise/sunset.
 * Springtime (as moose reject last year's calves and give birth to new ones).
 * Moose hunting season in early October.
 * Edge of forests.
 * Bridges across streams.

In some cases there are fences along part of the road and then the fences stop for the purpose of letting the animals pass. In such cases and in other places where wild animals are often seen there are normally warning signs.

These animals are mostly moving at dusk and dawn. While driving along lakes be especially observant as animals go for drinks at the lakes. Also, if driving in the hunting season, the wild animals might be scared by hunting parties and move around more than usual. It is normal for an ongoing hunting party to place temporary triangular traffic warning signs at the edge of roads with the text: "Jakt pågår" (ongoing hunt).

In the northern parts of Sweden, the reindeer owners move their reindeers. They mark that they are moving their reindeers with black garbage bags hanging from the “plogkäppar” (markers for the plough drivers to see the road). So if you are in the northern parts of Sweden and see garbage bags on the roadside, drive carefully.

If you hit an animal and it wanders off into the woods wounded, don't forget to mark the spot where it wandered into the forest and call the police. Hitting an animal is not a crime, but not reporting it is. Your car must be fitted with a special paper ribbon (viltolycksremsa) for this purpose. The purpose for this is to be able to use dogs to hunt down the wounded animal – viltolycka.se (in Swedish only). "According to section 26 of the Hunting Act and section 40 of the Hunting Regulation, a collision between motor vehicles and bear (björn), wolf (varg), wolverine (järv), lynx (lodjur), elk (älg), red deer (kronhjort), fallow deer (dovhjort), roe deer (rådjur), otter (utter), wild boar (vildsvin), mouflon (mufflonfår) and eagle (örn) must be reported to the police even if the animal is not clearly damaged. The site of the collision must also be highlighted. Not to report a collision is punishable and fined."

- viltolycka.se

A-traktor
An a-traktor (also known as epatraktor) is a rebuilt (old) car where the transmission is locked, so the maximum speed is 30 km/h (though many vehicles can illegally unlock higher speeds). An A-traktor can be legally driven from the age of 15. The vehicle has a large red triangular warning sign on the rear end, and must give way to other traffic by driving on the shoulder of the road when necessary. The A-traktor is common in the countryside. They have been involved in some serious incidents, and drivers in Sweden should learn how to interact with them.

Crime
While Sweden has a low to moderate crime rate, car burglaries are not unheard of. Use common sense, especially in cities, and avoid leaving valuables in the car.

Fuel
Standard fuel (drivmedel) in Sweden are 95 octane petrol (gasoline; Swedish: bensin), diesel and E85, an ethanol (etanol) fuel blend of 85% ethanol fuel and 15% petrol. Prices for petrol and diesel are high due to taxation, but usally on par with other western european countries. Diesel is generally more expensive than petrol. 98 octane petrol is also available on some filling stations.

Fuel gas (fordonsgas) is available at 180 stations, and there are more than 2,000 public charging stations (laddstation) for electric cars — most of them in the southern parts of Sweden.

Electric cars have become very popular in Sweden, and the charging network is constantly being expanded. The guide chargefinder shows all charging sites.

Discount filling stations like din-X, Ingo, st1, Tanka and Qstar usually have the lowest prices, but most of them are without staff and cashless. Domestic cards and credit cards like VISA and Mastercard are accepted. Premium filling stations like Circle K, Gulf, OKQ8, Preem and Shell mostly have a convenience store, a car wash and perhaps cars and trailers for rent. Those along the E4, E6, E20 and E18 European routes might also have rooms or cottages for rent. Premium filling stations that are open 24 hours daily have a sign with the text "Nattöppet" (open at night), but at night they may only have a window hatch open for business (to avoid robberies).

Parking
Large cities have parking fees basically everywhere, except for suburban shopping centres. Parking fees are in general paid with card in a machine on location, or through a phone app. Coins are being phased out. Many small cities and some shopping areas have no fee, but have a time limit and require a parking disc which show the arrival time. If you don't have a disc you can write a note saying the arrival time.

Tolls
A few bridges have tolls in Sweden, 4-10 kronor. Payment is always done afterwards monthly, based on an invoice sent to the owner, also for cars from other countries. For rental cars, the rental company will claim the toll plus a fee on the credit card.

A different case is the Oresund bridge, which has around 500 kr toll (large discounts for frequent users), where payment is done on location. International ferries have also a fairly large fee, often paid when booking. Booking in advance is recommended at popular travel seasons. Short domestic ferries are usually free of charge, although some have a fee. Ferries to Gotland cost like international ferries.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Driving in Sweden


text:
Driving tour of Scotland

The Driving tour of Scotland is in the United Kingdom. It would take about two days to drive this route non-stop, but it would be best to allow 7 - 10 days to have a relaxed tour, seeing the sights on the way.

Understand
One way of looking at Scotland is to think of it as divided in two parts: the first is the Highlands whereas the second is known as the Lowlands and contains the industrial heartland. Traditionally the Highlanders spoke Gaelic while the Lowlanders spoke Scots. The "central belt" cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh house the vast majority of Scotland's population. They're worth a visit for their culture, architecture and history. Heading up into the Highlands there are relatively few people, small villages, just the occasional town, and great sights to enjoy.

General
Rainy days and midges are the main threats to your visit. Both are annoying rather than dangerous - the small flies don't carry diseases but will bite you leaving an itchy spot for a few days. The rain is what makes the landscape so lush and green, so try to be philosophical about it!

It is best to plan your stops in advance, as there are limited places to sleep in some locations, and it would be best to book accommodation a month or two in advance.

Roads and Bridges
Most arterial roads in Scotland are bidirectional. However, many country roads remain to be narrow, single-track roads. It is highly advisable that people not used to driving on single-track roads do not learn to do so on dangerous roads in busy tourist hotspots. Single-track roads have many "passing-places" where you can wait for oncoming traffic to pass, or they can wait for you to pass. Be considerate to other drivers, and decide whether it will be easier for you to move into a passing-place or for them to do so.

Many of the bridges on the A82 around Rannoch Moor are narrow. The road is mostly 7 metres wide but the bridges tend to be a fraction of this. Many drivers lose wing-mirrors from minor collisions of the wing-mirrors of adjacent cars. Therefore, when crossing the bridges don't move too far into the middle or you will lose your expensive wing-mirror.

The A82 becomes quite frightening between Tarbet and Ardlui, so be cautious and be comforted that this is one of the worst parts of the journey - you won't encounter anything as bad as this again as long as you stay on the main road.

Hillwalking
When walking in the Highlands, be vigilant as there are many bogs and marshes which you may accidentally step in and get stuck in. Wear wellies and preferably carry a hiking pole. Don't stray from the road too far, and never stray from the main path unless there is a bog in your way.

Get in
This itinerary starts in Glasgow, so the directions below are for this city, however, you could start anywhere along the journey, so see the individual Wikivoyage guides for these places for information on how to get there.

By car
From England, take the M6, then the A74(M) and M74 (from Birmingham) or the A1/A1(M), then the M8 and A8 (from London) to get into the Glasgow.

By plane
There are airports throughout Scotland, and  has regular international flights. However, nearby  is the busiest in Scotland, again with regular international flights.

There are also other airports in Scotland, with services from international destinations or England:

By train

 * Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain

The East Coast Mainline comes from London King's Cross to, with trains running throughout the day. Getting from Edinburgh to Glasgow is easy, as there are many trains running regularly. There are also trains which run from London Euston to.

Drive

 * From head north-west up the A82 towards Fort William, along the side of . At the visitor centre at  admire the view down the loch. Stop at, a small honeypot village with a pleasant pier you can walk out over.
 * At Tarbet, slow down and take the sharp right-hand turn to continue North on the A82. If you continue round with the current road, you will be on the A83. The road from here to Ardlui is extremely winding, narrow in places and often hangs out over the loch so be cautious.
 * At, just after the hydro-electric pipelines, park up for more loch views.

 * Just beyond, at stop and try your hand at gold panning. Tyndrum is an excellent place to stop off and get a coffee, something to eat and to go to the toilet.

 * After, the A82 heads out across , one of western Europe's largest remaining wilderness. Barren, spectacular landscapes!
 * Just before Glencoe, you can take a left into Glen Etive - famous for its portrayal in many films and TV series. This road is single-track, so continue on past to Glencoe if you don't feel comfortable with single-track road.

 * The road descends into . Admire the waterfalls at the Meeting of Three Waters. Admire the stone bridges on General Wade's military road. And more than all of these, admire the skyline above - a line of mountains to the left, and to the right the snaky spine of the Aonach Eagach ridge. Finally, at the bottom of the glen, stop and look out across the loch at mist-covered islets.

 * From you can climb, the highest peak in the UK.

 * Take the Road to the Isles, the A830, to the - an atmospheric spot at sunset. Optionally carry on to  (interesting museum), view the, or visit the port at , with options to continue on ferries to the islands, including the.

 * Backtrack to the A82 and take the A87 to . Cross the bridge to the for a tour of the island.

 * Head north to and walk some of the fine mountain paths here.

 * Head north via and, maybe stop off at Poolewe Gardens. This coast enjoys warms waters from the gulf stream, and on a sunny day the beaches seem tropical. Ullapool is a small pocket of civilisation in this wilderness.

 * Keeping on northwards along the coast there's a spectacular landscape of mountains rising from a rumpled blanket of ground - evocative names like Suilven and Stac Polly. See bananas growing in northern Scotland at the Hydroponicum at.

 * Return south and eastwards along the A835 toward the highland capital of Inverness. Perhaps stop in on the Victorian spa resort of for a break to enjoy the architecture.

 * , on the Black Isle (so named for its peaty soil) offers excellent (and free) distillery tours.

 * In, walk along the mighty river Ness, cross the pedestrian suspension bridges, stroll by the cathedral.

 * Drive east along the A96 to visit Moray. The sheltered waters of the offer dolphin spotting boat trips, or visit the  - an eco-community complete with houses built from recycled whisky barrels and a hobbit-hole meditation room built into the ground. At the market town of  see the statue of the Wolf of Badenoch.

 * Head south along the route of the River Spey into the depths of . Stop at for a drink in the hotel's whisky room, then on to  for a free tour of the  or the.

 * Continuing south the placenames read like labels in a whisky cabinet -, , ,.

 * Down again from the hills and you're at near . Take a castle tour. Or time your visit right and visit the Braemar Highland Gathering in early September.

 * Optionally, head down the Glen Muick road from and take a walk through the Balmoral Estate to the summit of . (Remember Prince Charles' book "The Old Man of Lochnagar"?) Anyway, this is a fine Munro to climb - much more rewarding than nasty old Ben Nevis. An easy ascent via estate track and good path leads you to a dip in the C-shaped summit ridge, giving fine views across the Grampians.

 * Drive south through the pass, to.

 * Optionally detour to (pronounced "Glaams"), childhood home of the Queen Mother and a great castle to tour. Returning back onto the A93 you pass the, the tallest row of trees in Britain.

 * From continue down the A9 to  - turn off beforehand into  and visit the, a grand memorial to William Wallace. (And learn how inaccurate Braveheart really was!)

 * Visit, Scotland's capital. Take a walk up to view the city, see the  around the  (try the eerie pubs) and the  just to the north of  - together a World Heritage Site, or walk up  - an extinct volcano and now a public park.

 * Finally, an hour's drive back to, renowned as the second city of the British Empire, and use any spare time enjoying this city's architectural sights. See some Charles Rennie Mackintosh buildings - , , or the at  are a good starting place. For some Victorian splendour visit the free museum at the  at , or take in the free museums at.

Alternative tours

 * North Coast 500

Stay safe
Other than basic precautions like locking your car and not leaving items in view, the Scottish Highlands are safe and friendly.

title: Driving tour of Scotland


text:
Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Drobeta-Turnu Severin is a cute small town on the banks of the Danube in the Oltenia region of Romania.

Get in
There are 11 trains daily from Timișoara and eight from Bucharest.

See
The historic remains of the bridge over the Danube built by Appollodor, in about 100 AD, can be found in the historic park of the local museum.

Drink
Hotel Continental overlooking the Danube offers reasonable, clean accommodation. Lots of fish on the menu. Friendly and helpful staff

title: Drobeta-Turnu Severin


text:
Drogheda

Drogheda is an industrial town in County Louth, astride the River Boyne on the east coast of Ireland. Its turbulent history is reflected in its medieval fortifications, while nearby are ruined monasteries and the must-see Neolithic complex of Brú na Bóinne.

Understand
The fertile Boyne valley has been settled since prehistory, with nearby Brú na Bóinne the best known Neolithic site. The town developed from Norman times as two towns either side of a ford, then from 1412 as a single town with a bridge. Hence it became Droichead Átha, "bridge at the ford." The Normans made Drogheda a bastion of their rule in Leinster, with town walls and a castle, and the Irish parliament met there. In 1498 this passed the infamous Poyning's Law, that no legislation could be passed in Ireland, indeed the Irish parliament couldn't even meet, unless the English crown and parliament first approved it; the law wasn't repealed until 1878.

The town walls withstood a siege by the rebels of 1641, but in Sep 1649 Oliver Cromwell arrived. Drogheda was held by the Royalists, who reckoned to hold out until the onset of winter forced Cromwell to withdraw. He knew he had to seize a port for supply, and quickly, so he blasted two breaches in the walls and called on the Royalists to surrender. They refused so the breaches were stormed, Drogheda was taken, and a massacre followed. Casualties may have been 2800 Royalist defenders, though there's no reliable account. It was intended to send a chilling message to anyone in Ireland minded to resist Cromwell, and it succeeded.

The town was undamaged in the Battle of the Boyne: James' forces moved up the valley to check the advance of William, and after their retreat William moved unopposed to take Dublin. There was then a long period of relative peace, and Drogheda grew into an industrial town and port. Much of its medieval heritage was lost to 19th- and 20th-century development, but the greater problem was the loss of traditional industries and economic slump, and hollowing out of the town centre.

Drogheda today has become a commuter town for Dublin, with a population in 2022 of about 44,000. Its problem is that it has two major visitor attractions on its doorstep, the Boyne battlefield and Brú na Bóinne Neolithic complex, but people day-trip there from the city and little of the tourist spend finds its way to the town.

The Tourist Office is in the Tholsel on West St, open M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM.

By train
Commuter trains run every 30 min from Dublin (Pearse, Tara St and Connolly), taking an hour to Drogheda via Malahide, Skerries, Balbriggan, Gormanston and Laytown. Every couple of hours, the Enterprise Train runs non-stop from Dublin Connolly to Drogheda and continues to Dundalk, Newry, Portadown and Belfast Lanyon Place. A walk-up single from Dublin in 2021 is €12, see Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

is south side of town on the Dublin Road, just before the line sweeps across the valley on the impressive 18-arch Boyne Viaduct. It has a staffed ticket office, machines and toilets. It's named after John MacBride (Seán Mac Giolla Bhríde, 1868-1916), executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He stumbled into this almost by accident but the British owed him a reckoning for fighting for the Boers. He features in Yeats' poem about the Rising where "a terrible beauty is born" but MacBride's ex-wife Maud Gonne (unsuccessfully courted by Yeats) declared that it was just the poem that was terrible.

By bus
Expressway Bus 100X runs hourly, daily from Dublin (with several city stops but not Busáras) via Dublin Airport to Drogheda, taking 80 min, and continuing to Dundalk. The Aircoach and Ulsterbus to Belfast don't stop in Drogheda. See below for the slower buses 100 and 168 from Dundalk, which you'd probably only use for points along that road.

The is in town centre on the south river bank, near Haymarket Bridge.

By road
From north or south follow the M1. Normally you exit before the toll on the bypass between exits 7 and 8. In 2021 it costs €1 for a motorbike and €1.90 for a car. You can pay by cash, 20-trip card (valid for this toll only) or electronic tag (for all Irish tolls including the M50).

Drogheda is 34 km from Dundalk, 50 km from Dublin and 120 km from Belfast

Get around

 * Walk for all the sights within town.
 * Taxis: the town has several firms, look for them by the bus or railway stations. Fares are nationally regulated and taxis must use the meter. As of March 2021, fares M-Sa 08:00 to 20:00 are €3.80 flagfall then €1.14-1.50 per km, 20:00 to 08:00 and Sunday €4.20 flagfall then €1.45-1.80 per km. In slow traffic or if asked to wait they charge by the minute, 40-50 cents.

By bus
In town Bus Éireann operates the D1, D2 and 173:
 * Buses D1 and D2 run daily between Drogheda, Bettystown and Laytown: D1 (every 30 min) via Mornington and Donacarney, D2 (also every 30 min) via Golf Links Road.
 * Bus 173 loops town from West St, M-Sa hourly: north via M1 Retail Park, Termonabbey and back, and south via Meadowview, Rowan Heights and back.

The fare in town (as of Jan 2021) by cash is €2 adult, €1.20 child, and by TFI Leap Card is €1.40 adult and 84c child. To Bettystown and Laytown by cash is €2.40 adult, €1.40 child, by TFI Leap Card is €1.68 adult, 98c child.

Out of town: and see above for the 100X from Dublin city and airport:
 * Bus 100 runs hourly, daily north to Dunleer, Castlebellingham and Dundalk.
 * Bus 101 is a slower route from Dublin, taking 75 min from Talbot St (it doesn't use Busáras) via Drumcondra, Santry, the Airport, Swords, Balbriggan and Julianstown. It runs M-F every 20 min, Sa every 30 min, Su hourly.
 * Bus 105 runs hourly, daily southwest to Duleek, Tayto Park, Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunboyne and Blanchardstown.
 * Bus 163 runs twice daily west to the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre, Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre and Donore Village.
 * Bus 182 / 182A runs hourly, daily to Collon and Ardee. Bus 182 continues to Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Monaghan, every 2 hours M-F, with four Sa Su.
 * Bus 168 follows the coast north to Baltray, Termonfeckin, Clogher, Grangebellew, Castlebellingham, Dromiskin (for monastery) and Dundalk. It's every 2 hours M-Sa with four on Sunday.
 * Bus 190 runs hourly, daily west to Slane, Navan and Trim.

For route maps see the TFI website.

In town

 * St Peter's Church (Church of Ireland) is the Anglican version, a block north on Peter Street. There are traces of church buildings going back to the 13th century. In 1649 it was the scene of a massacre: Cromwell had breached the town walls and some 100 Royalist soldiers took refuge in the steeple. The Parliamentarians set fire to it and 30 died in the blaze, while another 50 were slain as they tried to flee. A new church was needed, and this opened in 1753. It was re-modelled in the 19th century, suffered an arson attack in 1999 but was restored.
 * Our Lady of Lourdes Church, north by the hospital, is modern but charming.
 * is a 14th-century belfry, all that remains of a Dominican friary. It's a striking structure, with two storeys teetering above a gothic arch, on the top of the rise north of town centre. Here was the north entrance to the walled town, St Sunday's Gate, which has disappeared.
 * is a 13th-century Barbican: two towers and a walled thoroughfare. It stood outside the town's east gate, which has disappeared. It's occasionally possible to climb the tower interior.
 * Buttergate is on the west flank of Millmount opposite the bus station. When a town councillor declared that they "couldn’t be preserving all the old dumps all over the place" he especially had in mind this crumbling stretch of medieval masonry. The puzzle is, no historic town street ever led to it, so it can't have been a gate in the town walls. The western entrance was nearby St John's Gate, so probably this wall was "the buttress to the gate". It's been tidied up a bit, giving the brambles the Cromwell treatment, but "old dump" is still a fair description.
 * is a 13th-century Barbican: two towers and a walled thoroughfare. It stood outside the town's east gate, which has disappeared. It's occasionally possible to climb the tower interior.
 * Buttergate is on the west flank of Millmount opposite the bus station. When a town councillor declared that they "couldn’t be preserving all the old dumps all over the place" he especially had in mind this crumbling stretch of medieval masonry. The puzzle is, no historic town street ever led to it, so it can't have been a gate in the town walls. The western entrance was nearby St John's Gate, so probably this wall was "the buttress to the gate". It's been tidied up a bit, giving the brambles the Cromwell treatment, but "old dump" is still a fair description.
 * Buttergate is on the west flank of Millmount opposite the bus station. When a town councillor declared that they "couldn’t be preserving all the old dumps all over the place" he especially had in mind this crumbling stretch of medieval masonry. The puzzle is, no historic town street ever led to it, so it can't have been a gate in the town walls. The western entrance was nearby St John's Gate, so probably this wall was "the buttress to the gate". It's been tidied up a bit, giving the brambles the Cromwell treatment, but "old dump" is still a fair description.

Further out

 * is a small fishing village and resort, with a rocky headland and sandy beaches, see separate page.
 * is an extensive Neolithic complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site, older than the Celts, Stonehenge and the pyramids. It's very much on the tourist circuit, numbers are tightly restricted, and you can only access via the Visitor Centre: see separate page for details. Bus 163 runs there from Drogheda.
 * is in the village of Collon. It was founded in 1938 by Trappists from Mount Melleray Abbey above Cappoquin in County Waterford. The gardens are open to stroll around.
 * has fragmentary remains of a monastery founded in the 5th century but abandoned once Mellifont was established nearby in the 12th. The best of it is the 10th-century Round Tower and High Crosses, and there are two later medieval churches.
 * is in the village of Collon. It was founded in 1938 by Trappists from Mount Melleray Abbey above Cappoquin in County Waterford. The gardens are open to stroll around.
 * has fragmentary remains of a monastery founded in the 5th century but abandoned once Mellifont was established nearby in the 12th. The best of it is the 10th-century Round Tower and High Crosses, and there are two later medieval churches.
 * has fragmentary remains of a monastery founded in the 5th century but abandoned once Mellifont was established nearby in the 12th. The best of it is the 10th-century Round Tower and High Crosses, and there are two later medieval churches.
 * has fragmentary remains of a monastery founded in the 5th century but abandoned once Mellifont was established nearby in the 12th. The best of it is the 10th-century Round Tower and High Crosses, and there are two later medieval churches.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to LMFM on 95.8 FM or read Drogheda Independent, Drogheda Leader or Drogheda Life.
 * Watch Gaelic games: the County GAA play Gaelic football and hurling at Drogheda Park (capacity 7,000) just north of town centre.
 * Droichead Arts Centre have a gallery and theatre on Stockwell St. Their grand Barlow House on West St holds offices, rehearsal space and studios.
 * Cinema: The Arc is on West St in town centre, and Omniplex is in Boyne Shopping Centre on Bolton St.
 * Aura Leisure Centre is off Rathmullan Rd 1 km west of town centre. It has a pool, gym and fitness classes, and you can pay-as-you-go without membership.
 * Beaches: long sandy beaches line the coast both sides of the Boyne estuary. To the south, Bettystown hosts the National Sandcastle and Sand-Sculpting Competition in late June. Beaches north start at Baltray and continue to Clogherhead and all the way to Dundalk.
 * Yachts and other small craft are welcome to moor at Fiddle Case Quay. It's on the north bank near town centre, 400 m upstream from the railway viaduct. Commercial shipping uses the port downstream.
 * is on Matthew's Lane on the retail park by Junction 9 of M1.
 * Golf: several courses are within 5-10 km of town. Boyne Valley CC is southeast, Laytown and Bettytown is on the coast, Bellewstown GC is near the racecourse, and County Louth GC is at Baltray on the north bank of the Boyne estuary. There are also a few driving ranges and Pitch and Putts.
 * Golf: several courses are within 5-10 km of town. Boyne Valley CC is southeast, Laytown and Bettytown is on the coast, Bellewstown GC is near the racecourse, and County Louth GC is at Baltray on the north bank of the Boyne estuary. There are also a few driving ranges and Pitch and Putts.
 * Golf: several courses are within 5-10 km of town. Boyne Valley CC is southeast, Laytown and Bettytown is on the coast, Bellewstown GC is near the racecourse, and County Louth GC is at Baltray on the north bank of the Boyne estuary. There are also a few driving ranges and Pitch and Putts.

Buy

 * Scotch Hall is a shopping centre on the south river bank, with D Hotel, see Sleep.
 * Laurence Shopping Centre is north bank, 100 m up from the quay.

Eat

 * Kieran's Deli at 15 West St is open M-Sa 9:30AM-4PM.
 * Bare Food Company is a cafe serving healthy food on West St, open daily 9:30AM-5:30PM.
 * Shop Street leading into Peter St has a strip of pizzerias and fish & chips outlets.
 * Casanova is a friendly Italian on North Quay, BYOB. It's open daily noon-10PM.

Drink

 * Other town centre bars include Cagney's, D'Vine Bistro, Weavers and The Trinity Quarter.
 * Boann Distillery along with Boyne Brewhouse are by Junction 9 of M1, producing whiskey and beer. Tours available.
 * Drogheda once had many more. Crafted Spirits distills bulk spirits to supply other blends, it doesn't market under its own brand.
 * Listoke House 1 km north of Monasterboice distills gin and runs a gin school.
 * Drogheda once had many more. Crafted Spirits distills bulk spirits to supply other blends, it doesn't market under its own brand.
 * Listoke House 1 km north of Monasterboice distills gin and runs a gin school.

Sleep

 * Orley House is a B&B on Dublin Rd 300 m south of the railway station, gets mixed reviews.
 * CityNorth Hotel: see Balbriggan for this business hotel on the county boundary at M1 junction 7.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * CityNorth Hotel: see Balbriggan for this business hotel on the county boundary at M1 junction 7.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * CityNorth Hotel: see Balbriggan for this business hotel on the county boundary at M1 junction 7.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.
 * Dalys is a pub / restaurant with rooms at the junction of Donore Rd and Staleen Rd 2 km east of Brú Na Bóinne visitor centre.

Connect
As of Jan 2021, Drogheda has 5G from Eir and 4G from Three and Vodafone.

Go next

 * County Meath starts at the edge of town, with the Boyne battlefield and Brú Na Bóinne Neolithic complex. Continue further inland for Kells and the Hill of Tara.
 * The County Dublin coast is worth exploring on the way to the city, with small harbours and resorts at Balbriggan, Skerries and Rush, Malahide castle, and the headland of Howth.
 * Dublin only takes an hour to reach, it might take longer to tear yourself away.
 * North beyond Dundalk is the Cooley Peninsula, with the Mourne Mountains looming just across the border.

title: Drogheda


text:
Droitwich

Droitwich (or Droitwich Spa) is a spa town in Worcestershire.

By train
is situated on the Hereford/New Street line, and is half an hour from Birmingham New Street Station.

Go next
Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

title: Droitwich


text:
Dronninglund

Dronninglund is a minor town in Vendsyssel with 3,500 inhabitants (2022). The town is named after Queen Charlotte Amalie who got Dronninglund Slot in 1690.

By car
From Frederikshavn take the E45 motorway southwards and take exit 16, Hjallerup and turn left. At the following roundabout take the 2nd or 3rd exit, continue on one of these roads and you will get there.

From Hjørring, Hirtshals or Brønderlsev take the E39 motorway southwards and take exit 10, Høvejen and turn left, at the following roundabout take the 2nd exit, and turn left at the 2nd road to the left. Merge on to motorway E45 and take exit 16, Hjallerup and turn right. At the following roundabout take the 2nd or 3rd exit, continue on one of these roads and you will get there.

From Aalborg take the E45 motorway northwards and take exit 16, Hjallerup and turn right. At the following roundabout take the 2nd or 3rd exit, continue on one of these roads and you will get there.

By bus

 * From Brønderslev: Bus #212 goes between the towns of Brønderslev and Dronninglund
 * From the small towns around Dronninglund: Bus #689 goes between the small towns of Østerled, Rørholt and Try to Dronninglund
 * From Aalborg: Bus #74N, 74E, 74 and 75 goes from the towns of Aalborg, Hjallerup, Asaa and sometimes Sæby to Dronninglund
 * From Sæby: Bus #75, 215 and 216 goes from Sæby to Dronninglund.
 * From Hou: Bus #276 goes between the towns of Hou and Dronninglund.

Buy
There is a range of shops and supermarkets in town.

title: Dronninglund


text:
Dronten

Dronten is one of the six municipalities making up the province of Flevoland in the Netherlands. It encompasses the namesake town and two villages, Swifterbant and Biddinghuizen, as well as vast expanses of agricultural fields and plains left to nature.

Like much of the rest of Flevoland, Dronten does not have a reputation as a tourist destination, but still has quite a bit to offer to diverse groups of tourists. Families with children can have a good time at Walibi Holland in Biddinghuizen, while those interested in the history of mankind will surely want to learn more of the prehistoric Swifterbant culture.

Understand
The part of the Flevopolder that is now Dronten was the first to be reclaimed from IJsselmeer, back in late 1950s. Immediately, plans for the new municipality were laid out, which provided for loose population density. Drawing from the experiences of the Noordoostpolder, it was decided that there should be three population centres within the province: the larger town of Dronten and two villages, named after settlements from early Middle Ages that were roughly co-located - Swifterbant and Biddinghuizen.

As the Flevopolder was drained, important historic and archeological artifacts were unearthed from beneath what was once the bed of the lake, proving that the area that historically alternated between being land or water had settlements even much earlier than was originally thought. It was then established that those belong to what later became called the Swifterbant culture, which inhabited the territories of modern-day Netherlands between about 5300 and 3400 BC. Other artifacts of this culture were also found throughout neighbouring regions, but the name stuck.

In the west of Flevoland, which is closer to the populous Randstad, the cities of Lelystad and Almere were later founded to become the administrative and population centres of the province. Dronten thus remained a relatively less important and more rural province, with less hustle and bustle or striking architecture, but more local charm.

By rail
The town of Dronten has a namesake railway station on the Flevolijn/Hanzelijn railway corridor that runs through Flevoland. The only train service that stops in Dronten is, as of late 2012, the frequent (every 30 minutes) Sprinter train from Amsterdam (Centraal) through Almere and Lelystad to Zwolle. You can change at any of the beforementioned locations to a wide selection of trains that can take you pretty much all over the Netherlands.

By car
As the municipality of Dronten is relatively large with small population centres and relatively little few transportation options, arriving and exploring it by car is a sound option.

The A6 motorway that traverses Flevoland passes Dronten via its northern coast. From the A6, you can take any of the local roads into the province. The A6 is perhaps the fastest way to get to Dronten from South Holland, North Holland, Utrecht or Friesland, as it connects directly to major thoroughfares in those provinces.

From Overijssel, you can go directly to Dronten via the bridge on road N307 that starts in Kampen. From Gelderland, you take bridges in Elburg (N309), Harderwijk (N302) and Nijkerk (N301). The latter two bridges will land you in the municipality of Zeewolde on the Flevopolder - from there, turn north into N305, which leads to Dronten.

By bus
There are two interregional bus lines that connect Dronten to other Dutch provinces:
 * line 143 to Kampen in Overijssel
 * line 147 to Harderwijk in Gelderland, via Biddinghuizen
 * line 247, the Walibi Express, goes from Harderwijk to Walibi Holland in Biddinghuizen (not reaching the town of Dronten)

Within Flevoland, lines 145 and 163 go from Dronten to Lelystad, via Swifterbant, while line 146 goes from Swifterbant to Nagele and Emmeloord in the Noordoostpolder.

Those buses run infrequently and are generally limited to peak periods. Unless you start your trip to Dronten from the said municipalities, you will probably be better off arriving by train.

By boat
Droten is surrounded by bodies of water, so if you have a boat, you can take the opportunity to sail into the marinas of Ketelhaven or Brembergse Hoek.

Get around
There town of Dronten has two bus lines, 21 and 22 which do not leave the town borders. The only public transportation option to travel between Dronten, Swifterbant and Biddinghuizen is using the abovementioned regional bus lines 145, 147 and 163.

If you like long-distance biking, pedalling across Dronten will be perfect for you.

See
The typical Dutch countryside in overdrive, but with the power-generating windmills rather than the traditional water-pumping ones.

Do

 * Play golf at Shortgolf Switerbant
 * Go ice skating at FlevOnice in Biddinghuizen
 * ... or inline skating over the tarmac track at Leisure World in Dronten
 * ... or inline skating over the tarmac track at Leisure World in Dronten

Buy
You may come across local farm produce sold in stores.

Eat and drink
For the size of the municipality, there are surprisingly many restaurants, bars and cafes in Dronten and in Biddinghuizen.

Sleep
Dronten is not big on traditional accommodation options such as hotels, but has plenty of camping grounds. You can also moor your boat at either marina.

Connect
You should have no problems with mobile phone coverage, both for making calls, sending text messages or connecting to the Internet.

Go next
If you are already in Flevoland, you may want to visit its other municipalities:
 * Lelystad offers more family-friendly attractions and can be reached easily by train
 * Noordoostpolder and Urk offer more rural landscapes and options to explore the historic heritage of the pre-reclamation period

The provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland are separated by only a thin body of water from Dronten, so you may want to cross the bridge to either and explore.

And, as in any place in the Netherlands, all the rest of the country is not really far away. Simply find your destination on the map and ask 9292.nl how to get there by public transportation.

title: Dronten


text:
Drugs

Drugs can be:
 * Cannabis
 * Coca
 * Medication

title: Drugs


text:
Drumheller

Drumheller is a town in the Southern Alberta region of Alberta, famous for the rich deposits of fossils found in the area. It is an important centre for Palaeontology in Canada. Set in a characteristic "badlands" valley carved in the plains by the Red Deer River, Drumheller rose through coal mines — now abandoned — early in the 20th century. Now this town of 8,000 (2016) gets hundreds of thousands of visitors between May and September, making it the hub for tourism in the area.

Understand
Drumheller's tourism is strongly seasonal. Many attractions are closed or open limited hours from October through April.

The town is nestled in the Red Deer River valley. Near the bridge where the highways cross the river stands an tall sculpture of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Visitor's information centre, so this makes a good reference point. Downtown Drumheller is just south and east of this bridge.

Drumheller tourist information is broadcast on FM 94.5.

The weather is usually very hot in the summer (above 30°C, 85°F). Remember to carry mosquito repellent — there are lots of mosquitoes around!

Get in
Drumheller is located at the convergence of provincial highways 9, 10, 56, 575, and 576.

Drumheller is northeast of Calgary, about 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Drive east along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) to Highway 9, which travels north and east to Drumheller. An alternate route is to drive north along Highway 2, then east along Highway 72 (exit 295), which connects with Highway 9 in the small town of Beiseker. Travelers can approach from the east by taking Highway 9 (Saskatchewan Highway 7) from Saskatoon or taking the Trans-Canada Highway from Regina and then go north on Highway 56.

Tour companies offer day trips to the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the Drumheller Valley. Call the Royal Tyrrell Museum for more information.

Independent travelers staying in Calgary, but wishing to see sights in the Drumheller area without renting a car, may wish to consider the Canadian Badlands Day Trip from Calgary. Sights include the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Horseshoe Canyon, the Atlas Coal Mine museum and the hoodoo rock formations. Serious dinosaur fans may find the visit to the Royal Tyrrell Museum somewhat hurried due to time constraints.

Get around
Drumheller is a small, rural town. The downtown is compact and easily walkable. Beyond that, you will need an automobile. A bicycle would also do, but during tourist season it is hot, and the roads don't have good bike lanes.

See
The badlands landscape is visible all around the town, as it is set in the valley. Although the Horseshoe and Horsethief canyons are good viewpoints to look over town, the best introduction to the landscape is probably on the trails leading from the Tyrrell Museum. The trails there have good views through the canyon, and information signs to give and introduction to the geology. They are all free to access, and it's probably around 2 hours to wander around outside there on clearly marked and graded trails. There are considerable steps, though - so access still requires some moderate fitness.
 * — a 500-m easy loop trail takes you out to see a collection of 10 fantastical stone columns with caprocks. It's 16 km SW of Drumheller; take Highway 56 to Highway 10 on the way to East Coulee, and look for the signs.
 * — a 500-m easy loop trail takes you out to see a collection of 10 fantastical stone columns with caprocks. It's 16 km SW of Drumheller; take Highway 56 to Highway 10 on the way to East Coulee, and look for the signs.
 * — a 500-m easy loop trail takes you out to see a collection of 10 fantastical stone columns with caprocks. It's 16 km SW of Drumheller; take Highway 56 to Highway 10 on the way to East Coulee, and look for the signs.

Rosebud
Rosebud (Alberta) is southwest of Drumheller. Drive south on Highway 9. After it turns west, drive more to get to the Rosebud crossing.

Go next

 * East Coulee is southeast on the Hoodoo Trail, a drive along Highway 10 through Rossdale and Cambria. Access to the Willow Creek Hoodoos interpretive trail is in Cambria,  southeast of Drumheller. The Atlas Coal Mine in East Coolee, a National Historic Site, features Canada's last wooden tipple (structure for emptying coal out of train cars).
 * Dinosaur Provincial Park near Brooks, 177 km to the southeast, is a and has fossil exhibits that complement the Royal Tyrrell Museum here. But allow at least three days to see them both. The drive takes about 2 hours 15 minutes by car. Take highway 56 southeast and south for 73 km to Highway 1, the Trans-Canada Highway. Go 56.1 km east to Brooks. Exit there, go 6 km north on Highway 36, and then east along Highway 54 to the park.

title: Drumheller


text:
Drummond Island

Drummond Island is an island in the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan and the seventh largest naturally occurring lake island in the world. It has parts of the Canadian border to both north and east.

By boat
Take a Car ferry or personal boat

title: Drummond Island


text:
Drummondville

Drummondville is a city of 68,000 people (2016) on the Saint-François River in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec.

Understand
Drummondville markets itself as Quebec's Capital of Expression and Traditions, with attractions focusing on culture, past and present. The city also presents itself as the capital of regional development.

History
Drummondville was founded in June 1815 by Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Heriot. The purpose of the town was to provide a home for British soldiers in the War of 1812, and to guard the Saint-François River against American attacks. The town was named after Sir Gordon Drummond, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada between 1813 and 1816.

The construction of the Hemmings Falls hydro-electric dam in 1920 brought a new wave of industrial growth to the Drummondville area.

By car
Drummondville is at the junction of Autoroutes 20 and 55. The city is about 100 km east of downtown Montreal, 150 km southwest of Quebec City and 70 km north of Sherbrooke. Autoroute 20 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway between Longueuil and Rivière-du-Loup.

By train

 * Routes operating to Drummondville:
 * Between Quebec City and Ottawa including stops in Drummondville, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Lambert, Montreal, Dorval, and Alexandria. Multiple trains per day travel the entire route and some additional trains travel between Montreal and Ottawa. Travel time to Drummondville from Quebec City is 2-2.25 hours, from Montreal is 1.25 hours, and from Ottawa is 3.75-4 hours.
 * Between Halifax and Montreal on The Ocean service, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates three trips per direction per week. Travel time to Drummondville from Halifax is 20.5 hours, from Moncton is 16 hours, and from Montreal is 1.5 hours. A shuttle between train stations in Sainte-Foy and in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance.
 * Between Halifax and Montreal on The Ocean service, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates three trips per direction per week. Travel time to Drummondville from Halifax is 20.5 hours, from Moncton is 16 hours, and from Montreal is 1.5 hours. A shuttle between train stations in Sainte-Foy and in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance.

By bus

 * Routes to Drummondville:
 * Operates a route daily between Montreal and Quebec City including a stop in Drummondville. Travel time to Drummondville from Montreal is 1.25 hours and from Quebec City is 2 hours.
 * Operates a route two days per week Montreal and Quebec City including a stops in Saint-Hyacinthe, Drummondville and Victoriaville. Travel time to Drummondville from Montreal is 1.5 hours and from Quebec City is 2.75 hours. For the Victoriaville stops, it is pick up only to Montreal and drop off only to Quebec City.
 * Operate the following routes to Drummondville:
 * Operates a bus route several days per week between Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke including at stop in Drummondville. Travel time to Drummondville from Trois-Rivières is 1-1.25 hours and from Sherbrooke is 1 hour.
 * Operates a bus route two days per week between Quebec City and Sherbrooke including a stop in Drummondville. Travel time to Drummondville from Quebec City is 2 hours and from Sherbrooke is 1 hour.

By plane
General aviation services are available at the Drummondville Airport and the Drummondville Water Aerodrome.

title: Drummondville