VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital. 

Last updated:
31 October 2024

Some visitor restrictions for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and we encourage all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people are advised to not visit our facilities if they are unwell. We advise that you do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are encouraged to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Please practice hand hygiene with provided alcohol-based hand rub/gel

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear a surgical mask as a minimum – please use surgical masks provided.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours.

All visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers can be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where visitor restrictions might apply.

Patients and visitors can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Christchurch Hospital

Details about free transport options for travel to hospital and other medical appointments are listed on our patient and visitors section transport and parking page. This includes information about free St John health shuttles from rural locations such as Timaru, Temuka, Geraldine, Amberley, Leithfield, Ashburton, Rakaia, Pegasus Town, Woodend, Rangiora, Kaiapoi as well as an urban health shuttle in Christchurch itself.

 NEW//  Tū Waka-Waipapa is a new 463-space car park, located at the corner of St Asaph Street and Hagley Avenue, a 4-5 minute (300 metre) walk from Christchurch Hospital. Find out more.

You should expect to pay for car parking as there are very few free car parks near the hospital.

Hospital shuttle bus

The popular Christchurch Hospital shuttle service runs every 15 minutes from the Deans Avenue Park and Ride Car Park. The car park is a 15-20 minute walk, or a 5-10 minute free shuttle bus ride from hospital.

Parking on-site

There is very limited premium metered car parking in front of the Emergency Department outside the Waipapa building. This is the only public car parking available on-site, and we encourage using this only for emergencies and patient drop-off and pick-up. We recommend that drivers use different nearby car parks or the Deans Avenue Park and Ride Car Park if they need to park longer than 30-60mins.

The first  30 minutes of parking is free (note: your license plate number must be entered into the parking meter to get 30 minutes free) . After 30 minutes the following charges will apply:

  • 30-60 minutes: $7.50
  • From 60 minutes onwards: additional $5 per half hour or part thereof ($80 maximum charge for a 24-hour period).

There are also a number of P180 mobility parks in this area. These parks are free for mobility permit holders.

 NEW//   Nearby car parking – Tū Waka-Waipapa Public Car park

Tū Waka-Waipapa is a new 463-space car park, located at the corner of St Asaph Street and Hagley Avenue, a 4-5 minute (300 metre) walk from Christchurch Hospital.

Parking charges:

From 13 May 2024 onwards – new Early Bird rate 

  • If you enter between 6am-9am and exit between 2.30pm-8pm – $15.00
  • 7 days a week

Casual Day rate

  • First 20 Minutes – Free
  • 21-60 Minutes – $6.00
  • Per half hour or Part Thereof/Thereafter – $3.00
  • Maximum daily charge – $24.00

New day starts at 5:00am. Monday – Sunday

Night rate

  • Entry after 4pm, valid until 8am the following morning – $10.00

About the Tū Waka-Waipapa car park:

  • 463 parking spaces including mobility parks.
  • Open 24/7 with no limits on parking times.
  • Car park users pay for parking at the lobby through pay stations using cash or eftpos.
  • There are bike racks on the ground floor for cyclists to use for free.

Tū Waka-Waipapa car park is managed by Wilson Parking on behalf of Ngāi Tahu Property. More information can be found at www.wilsonparking.co.nz

On-street parking and other car parks

There is limited car parking near Christchurch Hospital including on-street metered parking and paid parking lots in surrounding streets. You can check CCC Parking Map to view many parking options nearby the hospital.

Car parking advice

  • When travelling to hospital we recommend that you allow extra time to park and to get to an  appointment.
  • There is a recorded 0800 phone number for the very latest parking information, call 0800 555 300.
  • Other privately operated metered car parks are available within the vicinity of Christchurch Hospital.

  • If you are unwell, please don’t use the shuttle
  • Passengers are recommended to wear a medical face mask on the shuttle as we often have vulnerable passengers on board
  • Shuttle passengers are asked to use the hand sanitiser upon entry to the shuttle.

About the shuttle service

The hospital shuttle service runs from the Deans Avenue car park, stopping at Waipapa building Emergency Department entrance, Christchurch Outpatients Building, and the main entrance of Christchurch Hospital.

  • Monday to Friday: Shuttles run between 7.00am and 8.30pm. Drivers have a mandatory 30 minute lunch break around 1.00pm, so there may be some delay at this time.
  • Saturday and Sunday: Shuttles between 10.45am and 8.15pm. No shuttles operate between 2.30pm- 3.00pm on weekends, this is a mandatory break for shuttle drivers.

How to use the shuttle

  • The Deans Ave Car Park, near the Moorhouse Ave end of Deans Ave, is sealed, fenced and lit in the evenings.
  • Please take your ticket from the machine at the barrier arm as you enter the car park, and park anywhere there is a space. You can park for up to 24 hours.
  • As the shuttle service is only for users of the Deans Ave Car Park, please have your ticket ready to show the driver if requested.
  • Make your way to the covered waiting area in the middle of the car park with seating provided. The Hospital Shuttle will pick up from and return here.
  • Parents are responsible for bringing their children's car seats. The shuttle can accommodate prams.

The shuttle is not suitable for wheelchairs. There is mobility car parking on site and near Christchurch Hospital.

Paying for your parking

  • Pay for your parking at one of the pay machines before you return to your car.
  • Payment is available via cash (coins and notes), credit card and eftpos $0.60 transaction fee applies.

Parking costs and time limits

  • Monday to Friday (Day): $5.00 for first four hours parking. $1.50 per 1 hour thereafter or part thereof to a maximum of $15.00
  • Monday to Friday (Nights – Entry after 6pm): Max charge $10.00. Valid until 9am the following morning
  • Weekends: $5.00 for first four hours parking. All day (Valid until 6am the following morning) $10.00.

Shuttle route and car park

The shuttle journey takes around 8-10 minutes depending on traffic.

The car park is a clear walk through Hagley Park to the hospital. This walk takes around 15-20 minutes and there is a sealed footpath all the way.

Our shuttles are clearly marked with the Deans Ave Car Park destination, so please make sure that you get on the correct shuttle.

This is the only shuttle service run by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury.

Hospital Shuttle Bus Route from Deans Ave Car Park

If you are a patient; you can be taken by car to be dropped off and picked at the hospital main entrance:

  • There is a car DROP-OFF ZONE for patients outside Christchurch Hospital main entrance and entrance to the Waipapa building.
  • Volunteers are on hand at the car DROP-OFF ZONE during the day to help people to find their way to appointments.
  • There are way finding maps at all lifts, and staff at hospital main reception inside the hospital entrance can help you with directions to your destination.
  • Your driver can make use of the free shuttle bus service to come back to the hospital, or arrange to come back to the DROP-OFF ZONE later to collect you at an agreed time. 
  • Please remember there is no waiting allowed in the DROP-OFF ZONE.
Christchurch Hospital drop off zones.

Christchurch Hospital drop off zones.

If you are a mobility parking permit holder you can park in one of the designated mobility car parking spaces (indicated by a wheelchair icon on the map below).

There are 17 mobility parking spaces outside the front of Christchurch Hospital, plus 5 directly outside the rear entrance of Christchurch Outpatients on Antigua Street, and 3 near the main entrance on Oxford Terrace. Another 9 mobility parking spaces are available near the Boatshed Café on the Cambridge Terrace/ Rolleston Avenue corner – very close to Christchurch Outpatients and the Emergency Department.

 LocationNumber of mobility spacesParking durationGoogle map directions
Christchurch Hospital Waipapa building car park10 spaces180 minutes maximumGet directions
Christchurch Hospital, near Otago School of Medicine13 spaces180 minutes maximumGet directions
Oxford Terrace in-front of entrance to Christchurch Outpatients building
(Note: This part of Oxford Tce has one way access from Riccarton Ave/Hagley Ave)
3 spaces30 minutes maximumGet directions
Antigua St, next to Christchurch Outpatients building3 spaces120 minutes maximumGet directions
Cambridge Terrace, near Boatshed Cafe3 spaces180 minutes maximumGet directions
Rolleston Avenue, between Cashel St and Hereford St, near the Curators House Restaurant6 spaces120 minutes maximumGet directions

Get Directions

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Many buses stop right outside Christchurch Hospital in both directions – towards and away from the city centre.

Check www.metroinfo.co.nz for more details of bus routes and timetables. The metro website also has a useful page about Getting to the hospital.

Get Directions

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There is a free to use taxi phone directly inside the Christchurch Hospital main entrance and in the Christchurch Women's Hospital main foyer.

Taxis pick up from the main entrance when called.

There is bike parking outside main hospital entrances for staff and public use, bike park locations are listed on the map below.

Security note: Bike parking is at the owner’s own risk, please lock your bike securely to a bike rack with a D-lock, not a thin loop of wire / combination lock.

Get Directions

If the map above does not display: Google maps only display if you are using up-to-date web browser software such as ChromeFireFoxEdge and Safari. If you are using an out-of-date browser such as Internet Explorer please upgrade, or use a different browser.

Lower cost parking for patients

If you are staying in hospital for several days you may be eligible for a cheaper parking rate, please speak to the nurse in charge of your care about parking options.

Parking fines

If you receive a Christchurch City Council parking ticket after being unavoidably detained at a hospital appointment you may be able to have the fine cancelled.

To obtain a patient parking fine waiver form; ask at the hospital main reception, or phone 03 378 6398 to request a form by post. Note: We cannot guarantee the parking fine will be waived.

Page last updated: 19 December 2024

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  • Please note: Information submitted from this form is only used for the purpose of improving this website, the form is not regularly monitored. For all enquiries and feedback (including complaints, suggestions and compliments) about Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha Canterbury health services, please use the Enquiries and Feedback Form We cannot respond to requests for medical advice, please contact your family doctor, specialist medical professional, or call healthline on 0800 611 116.

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