Hamilton (New Zealand)

Hamilton is a town in the North Island of New Zealand.

==Towards Tauranga, Rotorua, Taupo, Cambridge ==

There is a very good spot on SH1 just after the intersection with McKracken Ave. Wait on Cambridge Rd on the other side of the road from the Mobil petrol station. The road goes from two to one lane there is a bus stop where cars can pull in and you easily get a lift South. Don't accept rides to Tamahere.

To get to that spot you should use Cambridge Road. If you go from the center of the city, don't try to go Grey Street and then along the SH1, there's no access for pedestrians on part of that way.

==North towards Auckland take a number 21 bus from the transport centre to Huntly for $6.30 and hitch from there. Or you can go directly to the Auckland Airport on the Intercity bus from the Hamilton Transport for $20. (2018 prices).

In other directions it's a really tough place to hitch from - semi suburban road for about 5km from one side of town to the other. Same advice as above, get a bus to the edge.

To Taupo

If you find yourself in the middle of Hamilton (by the bus/freight yard), you will find that it is pretty hard to hitch from here. Without much shoulders or stoppage because of all the round-a-bouts, you will need to walk several kilometers to Morrinsville Road or continue on the highway of SH 1 (which is illegal as there is no pedestrian access), but that is where I got a hitch, at the only pull-off just before the long stretch of highway. There are good spots right after Howell Avenue also if cars are not parked along the shoulder there, so keep that in mind also.