How to get there
Where is Queenstown?
Queenstown is in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. The town sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and is surrounded by nearby mountains.
Ski Resorts Nearby
Queenstown is within easy reach of
Coronet Peak (20 mins) and
The Remarkables (40 mins). You can also easily access resorts such as
Treble Cone (90 mins),
Cardrona (60 mins) and
Snowpark.
There are also various
heli skiing operators based in Queenstown including
Harris Mountains Heli Ski,
Alpine Heliski and
Southern Lakes Heli Ski.
Flights to Queenstown
One of the advantages of skiing and staying in Queenstown is that it is relatively easy to get to considering it has its own international airport. From Australia during winter, there are direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Alternatively, you can fly into another NZ airport and get a domestic flight to Queenstown – from Auckland (1 hr and 50 mins), Wellington (2 hrs and 10 mins) or Christchurch (1 hour and 5 mins). Be aware that there are no flights into or out of Queenstown after twilight.
A further option is to fly into Christchurch and self-drive (487km - about 6 hours depending on stops) or bus (about 8 hours including stops) to Queenstown which is an adventure in itself. The cost for a bus will be approximately $55 one-way.
To search for a great deal on flights, use a search engine such as Zugi that can
compare flights with airlines such as Air New Zealand, Virgin Blue and Qantas.
Queenstown Airport is 10 kilometres (10 minutes) from the town centre, and if you’re not hiring a car, there are airport shuttles or plenty of taxis to get into town.
Queenstown Car Hire and Driving
It’s possible to get around Queenstown and to the nearby ski resorts using shuttle buses, but some prefer the flexibility of a rental car. It’s possible to rent a car at the airport or in town. If you only plan to ski at Coronet Peak then a 2-wheel-drive vehicle will suffice, but for the other ski resorts, a 4WD would be beneficial. To get a good deal on car rental, use a
car hire search engine such as Oodles to compare rates on cars from Budget, Hertz, Avis, Thrifty and Europcar.
The Queenstown roads are pretty easy to navigate with good signposting. Parking can sometimes be tricky during peak times, but if you can’t find a park there’s always paid underground parking near Marine Parade on Church Street.
Generally the temperatures in Queenstown during winter are about 3°C - 10°C, but sometimes it snows which may lead to road closures, particularly in the Fernhill area.
If you need chains, you can hire these from petrol stations or a kiosk near the corner of Marine Parade and Church Street.
Getting to the Ski Resorts
During the winter season, there are a number of shuttle buses which operate daily from town to Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Cardrona ski resort. For more information on driving or travelling to the ski resorts see:
Getting Around Queenstown
The CBD of Queenstown is quite compact and it is easy to walk around the streets to explore the shops, bars and restaurants. However Queenstown has grown significantly and it spreads out into sprawling suburbs that are too far away to walk to. Some of the accommodation is within the centre of town, but much of it is not within easy walking distance. If you don’t have a car and want a night out on the town, there are other options to get around.
The Connectabus is a bus service (with the distinctive yellow buses) that connects major hotels and the town. It operates half-hourly from early morning to late in the evening. The bus also covers the “suburbs” of Queenstown including Arrowtown, Frankton, Remarkables Park, and Fernhill. Timetables for the buses are available at most accommodation and information centres.
If you’re partaking in a tour or activity, most operators offer free shuttles to and from the town centre or your accommodation.
Transport Listings
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Snag Bus - Charter Buses
Charter buses for small to large groups; a very flexible option. Snow shuttle, Milford Sound, wine tours; pretty much wherever you want to go. You'll be surprised what a cheap option this is.
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Serious Fun Snow Shuttles
Queenstown to Cardrona personalised "pick-up from anywhere" in Queenstown service. Also provide lifts / hire / lessons packages & orientation. Arrival at Cardrona by 9:00am.
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