Stray Travel Bus Tours
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Service Updates

New Zealand and Australia tours are running

Update: 22 August 2023

We are currently operating a range of New Zealand tours and Australia tours. These can all be booked with confidence and only a low deposit is required. Travel dates can be changed if needed, tours can be swapped and - as always - there are no booking fees. This is all part of our booking guarantees.

Southeast Asia Tours: coming soon!

These will be on our website soon. Stay tuned!

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +64 (0) 9 526 2140

Overview of our tours per region

New Zealand 

 

New Zealand Tours

 

All tours in New Zealand are
operating at the moment

Australia   

Australia Tours 

 

Our Australian tours are operating.

 

Asia 

 

Southeast Asia Tours

 

 All passes and tours are
currently paused.

 

 

 

Current Customers 

 Thank you for sticking with us. Here's what we promise you:

 

Stray offers flexible departure dates

Your Start Date is 100% Flexible

Send us an email when you've got a new start date in mind.  If you want to change the date after that - no problem! You can change the start date of your trip as many times as you like without any change fees, hassles or questions asked. You just need to give us notice.

 

 

Swap your tour
You can swap your tour for a different tour

If you would prefer to travel on a different tour, or even in a different country, you can! You can swap your original booking to any other Stray tour in New Zealand, Australia or Southeast Asia. If your new tour costs more, you'll just need to pay the difference. If it costs less, you can give the leftover credit to a lucky friend.

 

 

All bookings made beore 31 Oct are valid until 2021


Passes and Tours are now valid until March 2025

We have automatically extended the validity of your trip so you can start travelling with us any time before 31 March 2025.

 

 

Travel Credit is valid until 2023Credit is valid until 2025

If you started travelling with us and didn't get to finish your trip, you will have Stray credit. If you haven't started travelling you can also choose to swap your original booking for credit. Credit can be used to book any Stray tour, in any region that Stray operates in, that departs before 31 March 2025. If the new product costs more, you'll just need to pay the difference. Request Credit

 

Freestyle Passes (Hop-on Hop-off Bus Network Services) are paused

Our Freestyle Travel Network aka Hop-on/Hop-off remains paused. If you have a Freestyle Pass you can be assured that:


✅ Your pass is now valid until 2025! 

We've extended the validity of your pass for a further year so you can start travelling with us any time before 31 March 2025.

✅ Your Start Date is 100% Flexible 

Email us when you've got a new start date in mind. If you want to change it after that - no worries! You can change the start date of your trip as many times as you like without any change fees, hassles or questions asked. You'll just need to give us notice

✅ You can choose to swap your booking for credit 

You can swap your booking for travel credit.  With credit, you can rebook onto any product that Stray offers in any region we operate in that departs before 31 March 2025.

Which NZ and Au tours are running now?

See all NZ and AU tours that are running now.

Current NZ and Australian tours include bus and accommodation, making it an ever more relax NZ trip for you.

 


More Information: 

  

Customer First Policy

At Stray we’re all about putting our customers front and centre of everything we do. We want to ensure that you are safe, happy and having the time of your life. With this in mind, please review our Customer First Policy:

  1. In the spirit of putting customers first, our Guides will ensure that our coaches are cleaned and sanitised regularly. We’ll have a box of masks and a bottle of hand sanitiser on board the bus, however we strongly encourage you to bring your own reusable masks, which will help the environment and may afford you greater comfort. 

  2. If you test positive for COVID-19 within 7 days of your departure, or cannot meet your scheduled departure due to covid-related restrictions, then you’ll be able to choose a different departure date free of charge subject to providing evidence of a positive test or disruption. If the rate of your new departure is more than that original rate paid, you will be required to pay the difference. You’ll also be able to put the rate paid towards a different product. If the rate of the new product is less, any due rebate would be calculated as the difference less the applicable cancellation fee on the original booking. As part of our customer first policy, we’ll provide all the required information for an insurance claim should you be impacted by a positive COVID-19 test result within 7 days of your departure. 

  3. Travel Insurance is required when travelling with Stray. Your policy should cover you in case you get sick (COVID-19 or otherwise), lose an item(s) or miss your tour. We recommend reviewing your policy to make sure it has the applicable cover required including COVID-19 related claims.

  4. If you test positive for COVID-19 whilst on tour, Stray can support your isolation, onward travel and provide general support on your behalf. Stray can work with your insurance provider over any extra incurred costs in relation to your disruption. 

  5. While we fully respect your right to choose whether or not you are vaccinated, some of our accommodation or activity suppliers may require proof of vaccination on entry. If this is the case, we’ll be sure to let you know in advance and you may be required to source alternative options.

Find out full details of Stray's Cancellation Policy

 


STRAY'S SPECIAL AMENDMENT & CREDIT POLICY

Stray’s Special Amendment and Credit Policy were developed in response to COVID-19, to give customers the flexibility to change their trip to a later date, swap their tour, or receive travel credit. All customers who purchased a Stray pass or tour between 16 March 2019 and 31 October 2020, are eligible for these special terms.

Travellers who have not yet started travelling can:  

  • Change their start date free of charge as many times as they need to
  • Book another start date to travel anytime before 31 March 2025.
  • Can swap their tour to travel any product that Stray offers in any region before 31 March 2025.
  • Can swap their booking for a credit of the price paid, to be used on any tour departing before 1 October 2024.
     

Travellers that had their trip cut short after starting:

  • Travellers who travelled less than 25% of their trip are eligible for 100% credit
  • Travellers who travelled more than 25% of their trip are eligible for a travel credit with Stray pro-rata for the unused portion of the trip. This credit can be used to travel on the same product or any other product that Stray offers in any region.  
  • Credit must be used to start a new trip before 31 March 2025.

The notice period required for changing your start date:

It is free to change your departure date. When you've got a new departure date in mind, send us an email us to book it in. If you want to change it after that - no problem! You can change the start date of your trip as many times as you like without any change fees, hassles or questions asked, you just need to give us notice: 

  • Stray Journeys Tours: 31 days before departure. Contact us.
  • Freestyle Passes: 72 hours before departure. Date changes can be made in Stray Mate. Contact us to swap to another tour.

  • Freestyle Tours: 7 days before departure. Contact us. 

  • Borneo Explorer:  30 days before departure. Contact us. 

  • Bhutan Explorer: 45 days before departure. Contact us. 

Please note: If the rate of the new departure is more than the original rate paid, you will be required to pay the difference.

 

To swap your current Stray trip for credit:

Use this form to let us know that you would like us to change your trip for credit. Credit allows you to hold the cost of your booking in our reservations system and use it in the future. You just need to ensure you have used it to book onto a Stray tour that departs before 31 March 2025. 

Activate my credit 

 

Credit Terms and Conditions: 

  1. Bookings will be credited with the amount paid at the time of booking (or pro-rata if a portion of the trip has been completed).
  2. Credit can be used for any Stray trip, in any region that Stray operates in.
  3. If the customer wants to travel in a different region, the credit will be converted to the relevant currency (NZD for New Zealand trips, AUD for Australian trips, USD for Asia trips) at the rate that was correct on the original date of purchase. 
  4. If the new trip costs more, you can pay the difference. If it costs less, leftover credit can be gifted to a friend.
  5. Credit cannot be refunded once it has been swapped for another tour. Once credit has been swapped for a new booking, that booking is subject to Stray's Cancellation Policy.
  6. Credit can be cancelled under Stray's Cancellation Policy, within 18 months of the original purchase date. 
  7. Customers who booked via an agent can apply directly to Stray for credit. Stray will validate this with the original booking agent. Once the credit is validated, the customer can rebook a trip with Stray directly. 

 


STRAY'S CANCELLATION POLICY

If you would rather cancel your Stray trip, Stray’s Cancellation Policy applies.

Cancellations must be made with your original booking agent who may charge an additional fee and/or have their own refund/credit policies. If you directly booked with Stray, please contact [email protected]

If you have paid the $200 deposit to secure your seat and departure date, or made full payment and you need to cancel your booking, we have a couple of options available. 

a) If you cancel your tour booking 31 days or more before your confirmed departure date:

  • If you've booked direct with Stray and made full payment, the cancellation is free of charge and you will be refunded in full (less any applicable credit card fees).
  • If you've booked direct with Stray and paid the $200 deposit, you will be refunded in full less the pre-paid deposit. 
  • If you've booked with an agent, you will need to go back to your agent to find out their cancellation terms.

b) If you cancel your tour booking 30 days or less before your confirmed departure date: 

  • If cancelled or you do not show up, 100% of the tour price (full payment) is non-refundable or transferable. 
  • If your cancellation relates to COVID-19 reasons within 7 days of your departure, a free date change for the tours/passes is possible (proof may be required).

Check out our Customer First Policy for more Covid-19 related information when you're travelling with Stray.

 


Documentation for Travel Insurance 

We can provide an official letter for your travel insurance provider should you require it.

Request an official letter

Service delivery time is 5 working days

 


FAQS

I had started travelling with Stray but only got a few days into my trip before needing to head home – have I forfeited my trip?

No, if you have completed less than 25% of your trip you are eligible for 100% credit to come and travel with us again. You can come back and travel the same trip, or if you want to swap it for a different trip, use the ‘Activate my credit’ option.

I had travelled over half of my trip before border restrictions meant we couldn’t travel any further. What happens now?

We’d love you back on the Stray bus and make it up to you so we are offering you pro-rata credit for the remainder of your trip so that you can use it towards any Stray trip in any region (New Zealand, Australia, or Asia). You can start travelling with us again at any time before 31 March 2025.

My 2020 departure was cancelled due to border restrictions. What are my options?

The validity of your trip has been extended until 31 March 2025. We are working on having all trips back up and running in all regions again soon, however, if you trip is not currently running and you'd like to swap to any other Stray trip, you can! Get in touch and let us know. 

I haven’t set a start travel date yet. When do I have to let you know? 

No rush! You can let us know at any time. You can start travelling with us any time before 31 March 2025.

If I don’t want to travel in the future and just want to cancel, what is Stray’s refund policy?

Stray's Cancellation Policy applies. If you have travel insurance, you may be able to claim on your insurance for expenses incurred.