If you’re flying into Queenstown Airport (ZQN) and you’re going to Queenstown, you will need a ride to get to the town. Queenstown Airport is located just 7 kilometres away from the town centre and the drive is quite nice as it’s all on the State Hwy 6A next to Lake Wakatipu.
Since most people who visit Queenstown arrive by plane, there are quite a few different options that can take you from the airport to the city and it’s really easy to get between the two!
Personally, we decided to rent a car because we didn’t go just to visit Queenstown, we went to explore “all” of the South Island – and we preferred doing this as a road trip!
However, if you don’t drive, there are some other great options. Keep reading to see exactly how to get to and from the airport, how much it’s going to cost you, and how long it’ll roughly take!
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3 Ways to get from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown
In this article, we’re going to cover three different options that can get you from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown. Sure, there are other ways like hitchhiking and taking a taxi, but these are the three most convenient options in our opinion – and some that cover different budgets.
From renting a car at the airport to taking the city bus that takes you right downtown there are enough good options that you’ll get to Queenstown quite quickly!
We’ve been using DiscoverCars for years when renting cars and we’ve found that having a car in New Zealand is one of the best ways to get around the country (that or a camper van).
Having a car came in so handy when we went hiking and needed to get to the different trailheads and it made the travel days a lot easier and faster between locations as well. That’s why we decided to rent a car! So let’s cover that option first…
#1 Renting a car from Queenstown Airport
💰 Price: $50+ NZD per day
😌 Convenience: 5/5
📆 Where to book: DiscoverCars
💡 Tip: You’re more likely to get a good deal if you book at least 2-3 months in advance
In our opinion, renting a car from Queenstown Airport is the best and most convenient option if you’re going to Queenstown and plan to explore from there. There are plenty of scenic drives from Queenstown and lots of hikes that you need a car to get to.
Having a car makes things so much easier and simpler when you want to explore – and it leaves more room for spontaneousity as well. For example, we decided to drive to Frankton one day to go swimming in Lake Wakatipu because the water seemed nicer there and there’s a cute little grassy area you can lay on.
We always use (and highly recommend) DiscoverCars when renting a car abroad because they’re a trustworthy company that’ll compare the prices of all the different car rental companies in the area. You’ll be able to see an overview and filter between the different cars, SUVs, and vans that are available on your selected dates.
One thing we recommend is that, if you know the dates you’re planning to go to Queenstown, it’s best to book your car in advance. The further out you book the more supply the rental companies have – and therefore usually offer better deals.
We rented a Toyota RAV4 for our whole time on the South Island and we got it for only $50 NZD a day including full insurance. It was a great deal compared to a campervan which would’ve cost at least $300 NZD a day (we travelled during peak season).
#2 One-way Queenstown Super Shuttle
Price: Starting at $15 NZD one way*
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Queenstown Super Shuttle
*It’s often a bit more than $15 NZD. You can fill in your info and check.
If you’re travelling to Queenstown from the airport but don’t want to drive, taking the Queenstown Super Shuttle is one of the most convenient ways to get to town.
The price is around $30 NZD for one person if you book online but the price drops if you’re a bigger group! So the more people you are, the cheaper it gets per person.
It’s a nice shuttle that picks you up right outside the main entrance of the airport and drops you right downtown conveniently close to everything in Q-Town! (You can select your point of arrival as well as your drop-off location).
Again, if you know the date you’re flying into Queenstown it’s good to book the shuttle in advance so you know you have a ride to town. It runs all day but the shuttle does get busy because of how convenient it is!
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Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 8 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️
#3 City bus to Queenstown
Price: $10 NZD one way
Convenience: 3.5/5
Where to book: Pay cash on the bus
The last (but not least) option to get from the ZQN airport to Queenstown is to take the city bus. It’s by far the cheapest option if you’re travelling by yourself and you’re looking to just get to Queenstown.
The bus actually runs four times an hour during the day and twice in the evening which is pretty convenient. Even though the bus stop isn’t right outside of the Airport exit it’s just a short walk to the stop and the bus ride takes only 20 minutes to get to the city (depending on traffic).
You can find more information on the ticket prices and bus schedule from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown here. We’ve taken this bus a few times and it’s quite easy and convenient.
🐝 You can also buy a Bee Card which makes the ride only $2. However, you’ll need to ship it to an NZ address or pick one up in Queenstown, so this is a better option for when you return to the airport.
You may also like…
- Hiking the Lake Alta Track near Queenstown
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- Hiking the Tiki Track in Queenstown
- Milford Sound for First-Timers: 10 Tips for Piopiotahi
Recap of easiest ways to get from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown
These are the three best ways (in our opinion) to get from Queenstown Airport to Queenstown and return! As we mentioned, we personally loved the freedom of renting a car and being able to get to all the remote hikes and places we explored.
But for simplicity (and if you’re not planning on renting a car), then the Queenstown Super Shuttle and the city bus are both great options. The airport isn’t too far from Queenstown and takes less than half an hour to get between the two places!
If you have any other questions about Queenstown, hikes in the area, or New Zealand in general then feel free to DM us on Instagram @redwhiteadventures or leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you.
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📍 Want to know about all the best spots in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 8 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️
