Getting around · Wellington · New Zealand
Getting around Wellington
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jacques Marier, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Central Wellington is compact and walkable: Parliament to Te Papa is about 20 minutes along the waterfront. Metlink buses, suburban trains, the Cable Car and harbour ferries cover the rest, and the airport is only about 8 km from the centre. No for the city, where walking, buses and the cable car work well.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- WLG
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Snapper card
Ways to get around
Walking
Most central sights are within a 20–25 minute walk; expect steep climbs to Mount Victoria, Kelburn and Thorndon.
Bus
Metlink buses run frequently across the city and suburbs, including to Zealandia, the zoo, Miramar and the south coast.
A Snapper card gives cheaper fares than cash on buses.
Train
Metlink suburban trains from Wellington Station serve the Hutt Valley, Johnsonville, the Kāpiti Coast and the Wairarapa.
Cable car
The Cable Car runs from Lambton Quay to Kelburn every few minutes, connecting the CBD with the Botanic Garden and Victoria University.
Ferry
Harbour ferries from Queens Wharf sail to Days Bay and Matiu/Somes Island, while the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries cross Cook Strait to Picton in about 3.5 hours.
Cook Strait crossings can be rough and are sometimes cancelled in strong winds; check before you travel.
Ride-hailing
Uber and local taxi companies are widely available and useful late at night or for the airport.
Tickets and passes
Snapper card
A stored-value card for Metlink buses with lower fares than cash; top up at convenience stores.
From the airport
Wellington Airport is in Rongotai, about 8 km south-east of the centre. The Metlink Airport Express bus runs to the railway station via Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay in about 20–30 minutes, and a taxi takes about 15–20 minutes.
Do you need a car?
No for the city, where walking, buses and the cable car work well. A car helps for Martinborough, Cape Palliser and the Kāpiti Coast, or for continuing to the South Island on the car ferry.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Martinborough | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car, wine tour, or train and bus via Featherston |
| Cape Palliser and Putangirua Pinnacles | About 2 hours by car | Car |
| Kāpiti Island | About 1 hour by car or train, then a short boat crossing | Train or car to Paraparaumu, then a licensed boat operator |
| Days Bay and Eastbourne | About 25 minutes by ferry | Harbour ferry from Queens Wharf |
| Picton and the Marlborough Sounds | About 3 hours 30 minutes each way by ferry | Interislander or Bluebridge ferry |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Wellington?
No for the city, where walking, buses and the cable car work well. A car helps for Martinborough, Cape Palliser and the Kāpiti Coast, or for continuing to the South Island on the car ferry.
+How do you get from the airport to Wellington?
Wellington Airport is in Rongotai, about 8 km south-east of the centre. The Metlink Airport Express bus runs to the railway station via Courtenay Place and Lambton Quay in about 20–30 minutes, and a taxi takes about 15–20 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Wellington?
Walking: Most central sights are within a 20–25 minute walk; expect steep climbs to Mount Victoria, Kelburn and Thorndon.