Summer means road trips, parties, BBQs, and festival season. With plenty of people on the road to Rhythm & Vines, it’s important to look after yourself and your mates so everyone can get to and from Gisborne safely.
If you’re driving, plan your trip before you leave, allow extra travel time, and make sure you have a safe way home.
Drive sober and rested
If you and your mates plan on drinking or taking drugs, plan not to drive. Use public transport, call a taxi, camp, or make sure one of your mates is the sober driver on the way there and back.
There are legal limits for blood-alcohol levels when driving depending on your age, but the safest option is to drive sober. If you’ve been drinking the night before, you may still be affected by alcohol the next morning.
If you’re unsure whether you’re still affected by alcohol or drugs, rest before driving, share the driving with someone else, or arrange another way home. It’s always better to wait than risk hurting yourself or others.
Before getting behind the wheel, make sure you’re well rested and alert. If you’re on a long roadie, plan rest breaks every couple of hours and share the driving where possible.
Buckle up
Seatbelts save lives. They support you in a crash or when a vehicle stops suddenly.
Make sure everyone in the vehicle buckles up before you start your journey.
Put the phone away
Driving requires your full attention. If you’re on a roadie with your mates, put someone else in charge of music, maps, and directions so you don’t need to reach for your phone.
Take your time
Travel at a safe speed whenever you drive. Follow the speed limit and adjust your speed to the road, traffic, and weather conditions.
In summer, there can be more roadworks, traffic, detours, and temporary speed limits. Plan ahead, allow extra time, and be patient.
Getting to and from Gisborne
InterCity runs special bus services to and from Rhythm & Vines, with services travelling between Gisborne and selected cities including Auckland, Napier, and Wellington.
Book your Intercity bus
If you’re driving, make sure you know where you’re going before you leave. Check the journey planner for up-to-date travel information and journey times.
Journey Planner
You can also keep up to date with state highway conditions by following official NZTA regional updates, including:
NZTA Hawke’s Bay & Gisborne
NZTA Waikato & Bay of Plenty
Important information
- Do not drive tired, distracted, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- If you’ve been drinking, you may still be affected the next morning.
- Plan for roadworks, temporary speed limits, detours, and extra traffic.
- Use official parking, pick-up, and drop-off areas.
- Do not stop on roads, accessways, private property, or unsafe areas.
- Follow all directions from traffic, parking, security, festival staff, and road crews.
- Road workers are helping keep everyone safe, so please be patient and respectful.
Before you travel
Check the road conditions, and local travel updates before leaving. Make sure everyone in your group knows how they are getting to and from the festival safely.