Crashes mixed with the usual holiday traffic mean people travelling back to Wellington will be stuck in delays of at least 45 minutes.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said the delays were southbound through Ohau to Otaki, after a crash on State Highway 1 that blocked one lane.
The NZTA is also urging drivers to allow extra time travelling through Auckland as holiday traffic builds.
A crash on the northbound lanes of the Southern Motorway is currently slowing traffic just before Papakura.