Getting around · Queenstown · New Zealand
Getting around Queenstown
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: André Richard Chalmers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The town centre is compact and walkable, and Orbus public buses link it with Frankton, the airport, Arrowtown and Arthurs Point. Most adventure activities include pick-ups from town, but a car opens up Glenorchy, Wānaka and the wider region. Not for the town itself or most tours, which include transfers.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Bus
- Airports
- ZQN
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Bee Card
Ways to get around
Bus
Orbus buses connect the town centre, Fernhill, Frankton Road, the airport, Arrowtown, Arthurs Point and Kelvin Heights at a flat fare.
A Bee Card gives lower fares than cash.
Walking
Everything in the town centre — the gondola, wharf, gardens and restaurants — is within about ten minutes' walk.
Cycling
The Queenstown Trail network links Frankton, Arrowtown, Lake Hayes and the Gibbston wineries on gentle cycle paths; e-bike hire is widely available.
Boat
Water taxis and ferries cross Lake Wakatipu between the town centre, Frankton and Kelvin Heights, avoiding Frankton Road traffic.
Car
A car is the easiest way to reach Glenorchy, Wānaka and Milford Sound and to move between ski fields. Driving is on the left.
In winter, carry snow chains for ski-field roads and the Crown Range; many rental contracts exclude Skippers Road.
Tickets and passes
Bee Card
Prepaid smartcard used on Orbus buses in Queenstown, giving lower fares than paying cash.
From the airport
Queenstown Airport is in Frankton, about 8 km from the town centre: roughly 15–25 minutes by car or taxi, or a little longer by Orbus bus. Frankton Road can be congested at peak times.
Do you need a car?
Not for the town itself or most tours, which include transfers. Rent one for Glenorchy, Wānaka, Te Anau or wine touring at your own pace, and consider winter driving conditions carefully.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Milford Sound | About 4 hours each way by road | Coach tour with cruise, self-drive via Te Anau, or scenic flight |
| Glenorchy | About 45 minutes by car | Car along the Glenorchy–Queenstown Road |
| Wānaka | About 1 hour by car via the Crown Range | Car or shuttle bus |
| Te Anau | About 2 hours by car | Car or coach |
| Cromwell and Bannockburn | About 50 minutes by car | Car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Queenstown?
Not for the town itself or most tours, which include transfers. Rent one for Glenorchy, Wānaka, Te Anau or wine touring at your own pace, and consider winter driving conditions carefully.
+How do you get from the airport to Queenstown?
Queenstown Airport is in Frankton, about 8 km from the town centre: roughly 15–25 minutes by car or taxi, or a little longer by Orbus bus. Frankton Road can be congested at peak times.
+What is the best way to get around Queenstown?
Bus: Orbus buses connect the town centre, Fernhill, Frankton Road, the airport, Arrowtown, Arthurs Point and Kelvin Heights at a flat fare.