December is the start of summer, the end of the school year and the busiest month for group travel. Work Christmas parties, school end-of-year trips and New Year festivals all compete for the same coaches.
The events below happen every December. Confirm dates before you book, and book transport as early as you can.
Annual December events
Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, Auckland
A free Christmas concert with fireworks at the Auckland Domain, held in mid December. Crowds are huge, so pre-arranged drop-off and pick-up points save a lot of walking.
TSB Festival of Lights, New Plymouth
Pukekura Park lights up from mid December until late January.
Rhythm and Vines
New Zealand's best-known New Year's Eve festival runs from 28 to 31 December. After 24 years at Waiohika Estate in Gisborne, the festival is moving to a new location after the 2026 edition.
Rhythm and Alps, Cardrona Valley
The South Island's biggest New Year festival is held in the Cardrona Valley between Wānaka and Queenstown on 30 and 31 December.
Northern Bass and AUM
Northland's Northern Bass and Auckland's AUM festival both run over New Year's Eve.
New Year's Eve in the cities
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown all hold free waterfront or city-centre celebrations with fireworks at midnight.
December sport
- International cricket: the summer of cricket is in full swing, with home tests and white-ball games around the country.
- Summer triathlon and multisport series: regional series get under way, building up to the big February and March races.
Christmas functions
Work Christmas parties fill most weekends from late November. If you are booking a coach to a winery, restaurant or venue, lock in your transport at the same time as your venue. Ask us about return trips with multiple drop-off points so everyone gets home safely.
Getting your group there
Big December events bring road closures, limited parking and long taxi queues at the end of the night. A private minibus or coach keeps your group together, gets you to the official drop-off zone and takes everyone home at a set time.
- Book early for long weekends and the biggest festivals, as coaches in the host town are often fully booked weeks ahead.
- Check the event's transport page for the bus drop-off point before you confirm pick-up times.
- Allow extra time after the last act or final whistle for crowds to clear.
- For multi-day festivals, ask about a return trip on each day or a single drop-off and pick-up.
Frequently asked questions
When should we book a bus for a work Christmas party?
As soon as you have a venue and date. Late November and December Fridays are the busiest days of the year for group transport.
Can you provide transport to New Year festivals?
Yes. We can arrange festival drop-offs and pick-ups, including multi-day festivals. Let us know the festival, dates and group size.
Book group transport for December events
Bus Hire NZ arranges minibuses and coaches for groups of all sizes, from 11-seat minibuses to 53-seat coaches, with professional drivers who know the venues, the drop-off points and the event traffic plans.
Tell us your event, date and group size through our quick quote form, and we will come back with options.