Length:

2014 km (Cape Rēinga to Miramar: 1078 km) (Picton to Bluff: 936 km)

Termini:

Northern:
(North Island) Cape Rēinga Rd (unnumbered), Cape Rēinga
(South Island) Stirling Point car park, Ward Parade (SH1), Bluff

Southern:
(North Island) Broadway (unnumbered) and Stewart Duff Dr (unnumbered), Miramar
(South Island) Auckland St (unnumbered) and London Quay (unnumbered), Picton

Miscellaneous:

Route includes: (North Island) Cape Rēinga Road, Far North Road, North Road, Matthews Avenue, South Road, Main Road, Gillies Street, Queen Street, Waro Drive, Great North Road, Te Rauponga (Kamo Bypass), Western Hills Drive, Ōtaika Road, Waipū Bypass, Rodney Street, Northern Gateway Toll Road, Auckland-Waiwera Motorway, Northern Motorway, Southern Motorway, Waikato Expressway, Tīrau Road, Main Road, Tīrau Street, Taupō Street, Main Road, Eastern Taupō Arterial (Taupō Bypass), Desert Road, Mataroa Road, Hautapu Street, Mangawharariki Road, Pōurewa Road, Milne Street, High Street, Bridge Street, Dundas Road, Wellington Road, Russell Street, Johnston Street, Levin Road, The Avenue, Oxford Street, Main South Road, Kāpiti Expressway, Te Ara Nui o Rangihaeata (Transmission Gully Motorway), Johnsonville-Porirua Motorway, Centennial Highway, Wellington Urban Motorway, Vivian Street, Karo Drive, Arthur Street, Buckle Street, Kent Terrace, Dufferin Street, Rugby Street, Sussex Street, Paterson Street, Mount Victoria Tunnel, Taurima Street, Ruahine Street, Wellington Road, Cobham Drive and Calabar Road

Route includes: (South Island) Auckland Street, Wairau Road, Nelson Square, Grove Road, Sinclair Street, Main Street, Mills Street, Kēkerengū Road, Kincaid Road, Athelney Road, Beach Road, Churchill Street, Kaikōura South Road, Hundālee Road, Parnassus Road, Hall Street, Domett Road, Greta Road, Ōmihi Road, Glasnevin Road, Carters Road, Ashworths Road, Main North Road, Christchurch Northern Motorway, Johns Road, Russley Road, Masham Road, Carmen Road, Main South Road, Bridge Street, Rakaia Highway, West Street, Archibald Street, Hinds Highway, Peters Street, Rangitata Highway, Ōrari-Rangitata Highway, Temuka-Ōrari Highway, King Street, Vine Street, Timaru-Temuka Highway, Hilton Highway, Evans Street, Theodosia Street, Craigie Avenue, King Street, Timaru-Pareora Highway, Waimate Highway, Glenavy-Hilderthorpe Road, Hilderthorpe-Pukeuri Road, Pukeuri-Ōamaru Road, Thames Highway, Thames Street, Severn Street, Wansbeck Street, Ōamaru-Alma Road, Alma-Maheno Road, Main Road, Maheno-Herbert Road, Ōtepopo Street, Herbert-Hampden Road, London Street, Liverpool Street, Hampden-Palmerston Road, Ronaldsay Street, Palmerston-Waikouaiti Road, Main Road, Waikouaiti-Waitati Road, Dunedin-Waitati Highway (Dunedin Northern Motorway), Pine Hill Road, Cumberland Street North, Great King Street North, Gowland Street, Malcolm Street, Castle Street, Cumberland Street, Crawford Street, Queens Garden, Andersons Bay Road, Caversham Bypass, Dunedin Southern Motorway, Main South Road, East Taieri-Allanton Road (Taieri Plains Highway), Allanton-Waihola Road, Greenwich Street, Waihola Highway, Union Street, Milton Highway, Essex Street, Clyde Street, Clinton Highway, Main Road, Waipahi Highway, Railway Esplanade, Medway Street, Main Street, Gore-Mataura Highway, Main Street, Pioneer Highway, Edendale-Woodlands Highway, Invercargill-Woodlands Highway, East Road, Tay Street, Clyde Street, Bluff Highway, Ocean Beach Road, Blackwater Street, Gore Street, Marine Parade and Ward Parade

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

(North Island) Cape Rēinga, Te Kāo, Ngātaki, Pukenui, Waiharara, Waipapakauri, Awanui, Kaitāia, Pāmāpūria, Victoria Valley, Māngamuka, Māngamuka Bridge, Rangiahua, Moerewa, Kawakawa, Ākerama, Waro, Whangārei, Ōtaika, Brynderwyn, Pukekaroro, Kaiwaka, Wellsford, Warkworth, Pohuehue, North Shore, Auckland, Manukau, Mercer, Meremere, Rangiriri, Hamilton, Tīrau, Pūtāruru, Tokoroa, Taupō, Waiōuru, Taihape, Bulls, Levin, Ōtaki, Paraparaumu, Porirua, Wellington and Miramar

(South Island) Picton, Blenheim, Kaikōura, Cheviot, Greta Valley, Amberley, Woodend, Christchurch, Templeton, Rolleston, Burnham, Rakaia, Ashburton, Tinwald, Temuka, Timaru, Ōamaru, Palmerston, Waikouaiti, Waitati, Dunedin, Milton, Balclutha, Gore, Mataura, Edendale, Invercargill and Bluff

Current:

1

Multiplexed with:

3

5

15

30

General Information:

State Highway 1 is the main route throughout New Zealand, covering both the north and south islands. It is the most important and also the longest numbered route in the country.

The route is a mix of 2-lane rural highway, multilane urban arterial road, expressway and motorway standards. It passes through rural, commercial and industrial zones as well as through forested areas. The route is paved the entire length. A 7 km section of the route is tolled (Northern Gateway Toll Road) ¹, between the areas of Silverdale and Johnstone Hills north of Auckland. ² The route also features the Auckland Harbour Bridge over Waitemata Harbour. SH1 is broken into two segments by the Cook Strait, which is serviced by the Interislander Ferry between Wellington and Picton.

State Highway 1 between Tūrangi and Waiōuru (the Desert Road) is the highest pass on the state highway network at about 1074 metres above sea level. ³

SH3, for 6 km, between Bulls and Sanson.

SH5, for 9 km, between Wairakei and Maunganamu.

SH15, for 21 km, between Otaika and Ruakaka.

SH30, for 5 km, Kinleith.

Twin Coast Discovery Highway, for 8 km, between Awanui and Kaitaia, and for 92 km, between Kawakawa and Waipu, and for 20 km, between Brynderwyn and Puhoi. ⁴

Thermal Explorer Highway, for 179 km, between Auckland and Tirau, and for 11 km, between Wairakei and Taupō. ⁴

Volcanic Loop Highway, for 112 km, between Taupō and Waiōuru. ⁴

Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, for 28 km, between Picton and Blenheim.

Alpine Pacific Triangle, for 128 km, between Kowhai and Amberley.

Southern Scenic Route, for 41 km, between Waihola and Balclutha, and for 1 km, in the Invercargill CBD.

North Island:

30 May 1959: After decades of debate and petitions, the Auckland Harbour Bridge across the Waitematā Harbour opened to traffic. Before it opened, the only way passenger vehicles could cross the harbour was by ferry. Cars and taxis were tolled 25¢, motorcycles 15¢, buses 50¢, and 40¢ for commercial vehicles. ⁵

1966–1969: Clip-on lanes were added to the Auckland Harbour Bridge at a cost of $7.4 million, doubling the number of lanes from four to eight to increase capacity and ease congestion. ⁵

31 March 1984: Tolls were officially abolished on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. ⁵

1990: A moveable lane barrier system that includes a barrier and two machines is installed on the Auckland Harbour Bridge to prevent head-on collisions and manage traffic flows in the 'tidal' morning and evening peak system. ⁵

August 2008: A two-and-a-half-year project to strengthen the Auckland Harbour Bridge's clip-on lanes started. ⁵

25 January 2009: Northern Gateway Toll Road opened to traffic. The 7.5 km route extends the Northern Motorway from the Ōrewa turnoff to Pūhoi, bypassing the seaside townships of Ōrewa, Hatfield's Beach, Waiwera, and the Wenderholm Regional Park. The toll road features Johnstone's Hill Twin Tunnels, which are 15 metres apart, 380 metres long, 12 metres wide, and 9 metres high. They were built to carry two lanes each, plus a shoulder and an emergency pathway. ⁶

4 September 2011: The 1.3 km extension of Kamo Bypass in Whangārei was officially opened. ⁷

1 October 2012: Widening works commence on SH1 (also known as Western Hills Drive) in central Whangārei. ⁸

2015: Widening and realignment work begins on SH1 near Akerama Road, near Hūkerenui, 35 km north of Whangārei. ⁹

November 2014: Work starts on adding an additional northbound lane from Ellerslie-Panmure Highway on-ramp to after the main highway overbridge. ¹⁰

August 2015: Work commences on the 27 km Transmission Gully Motorway between the Kāpiti Coast and Wellington. ¹¹

28 August 2015: Work commenced on the Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway. ¹²

27 October 2015: Work on safety improvements on State Highway 1 on the Brynderwyn Hill south of Whangārei. It includes widening the road, removing tight corners, and installing a wire rope barrier to separate north and southbound traffic. ¹³

16 December 2015: Completion of the 16 km Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway, starting south of the Tamahere interchange and ending around 2.5 km south of Cambridge. ¹⁴

12 July 2022: Completion of the eastern bypass of Hamilton. ¹⁵ SH1 was later relocated onto the new alignment, and the old route renumbered to SH1C.

South Island:

1912: The Ōpaoa River Bridge, between Picton and Blenheim on the northern edge of Blenheim, was designed. ¹⁶

1917: The Ōpaoa River Bridge opened to traffic. The bridge is 170 m long. ¹⁶

1932: Construction of the Dashwood Overbridge between Blenheim and Seddon. ¹⁷

2013: Completion of widening to four lanes between Russley Road from Avonhead Road to Yaldhurst Road. ¹⁸

20 December 2013: Johns Road, from Sawyers Arms Road to Harewood Road, opened to four lanes of traffic. ¹⁹

2014: Completion of widening to four lanes of Māsham and Carmen Roads between Yaldhurst Road and Waterloo Road. ²⁰

March 2015: Work commenced on the upgrade of Johns Road (SH1), between The Groynes and Sawyers Arms Road. ²¹

13 May 2015: Work commences on the construction of the Western Belfast Bypass. ²²

Click or tap here for the former alignment on the north island

Bluff to Cape Rēinga

Intersection Direction Sign:

ID sign at the intersection with Shag Point Rd at Shag Point, January 2012.

Image © Chris Reardon

Advance Direction Sign:

AD sign on Waikato Expwy (SH1), approaching Cambridge Rd (SH1C), Tamahere, March 2025.

Image © Krysten Pratt

Cambridge Road Interchange:

Waikato Expwy (SH1) at the Cambridge Rd (SH1C) interchange, Tamahere, March 2025.

Image © Krysten Pratt

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign at Wellsford, April 2015.

Image © John Tokaji

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign at Wellsford, April 2015.

Image © John Tokaji

Intersection Direction Sign:

ID sign at the junction with Puna Rere Dr at Whāngārei, April 2015.

Image © John Tokaji

Cape Rēinga to Bluff

Advance Direction Sign:

AD sign at Epsom approaching Gillies Av (UR12), February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Advance Direction Signs:

AD signs at Epsom approaching Gillies Av (UR12), February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

State Highway Route Indicator:

SH1 trailblazer at Remuera, February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Advance Direction Sign:

AD sign at Remuera approaching Ōmahu Rd and Green Lane East (UR9), February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign for next 3 exits at Remuera, February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Advance Direction Sign:

AD sign on the Te Iririrangi Dr overpass for the Redoubt Rd interchange, February 2006. Since this photo was taken, SH20 has been shifted to a new alignment.

Image © Paul Mech

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign at Pāpākura, February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign at Ōhinewai, February 2006.

Image © Paul Mech

Confirmation Direction Sign:

Distance sign at Rāumati Beach, September 2016.

Image © Dean Sherry