How To Reach Queenstown Region

The little town of Queenstown is usually referred to as the gateway to the eastern region of the South Island. With Queenstown being the only other International Airport here, it sees a lot of traffic and people from world-over visit this beautiful paradise. Although located in the Alpine region of New Zealand, it is rather easy to reach Queenstown. Despite the fact that the place is open for business throughout the year, weather plays a vital role here and it is important to keep in mind the climatic conditions before travelling to Queenstown. The best way to travel to Queenstown, is without doubt, via air. 

Queenstown has one of the 5 international airports in New Zealand. Located in Frankton, about 8 km from the main town, the Queenstown International Airport is considered the fourth busiest airport in the country. With its varied services to both international and domestic destinations, the Queenstown Airport handles around 1 million passengers on an average annually. There are plenty of flights to Queenstown from India, leaving from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. While there are no direct flights from India, one is sure to find flights round the clock.

Indians are required to get a visa before travelling to Queenstown and are required to follow all procedures laid out by the New Zealand government. The airport has free internet services that passengers can access on arrival. There are also phone services that one can avail and SIM cards can also be purchased at the airport. The airport has plenty of ATMs and there is also currency exchange centres located inside.

Queenstown is connected to most major parts in the country via road. There are regular buses from most parts that one can take to reach the town. Buses ply at regular intervals on a daily basis and prices are quite nominal. There are services to and from Dunedin and Christchurch in the south. While there is a direct bus from Christchurch to Queenstown that plies every day, there are a number of buses that pass through Dunedin.

While visitors can take flights to Queenstown from cities in the North Island, there are also other options available. There are bus services to Wellington from where one can take a ferry ride to reach Picton in the South Island. There are bus services from Picton that passengers can utilize.

One can also hire cars to get to Queenstown from anywhere in the country. It is important to note that driving is on the left in New Zealand and that the roads are narrow and winding. Travel time can vary depending on the place of travel.

Located in the Alpine region, away from the sea, there are no ships to Queenstown. While there are no ships to New Zealand from India, one can get to Auckland or the other major harbours in the country and travel to Queenstown via domestic air travel or by road.

Getting around is rather simple in the town as there are bus services to most parts. One can also hire taxis or hire cars to get around. If hiring, visitors should keep in mind the climatic conditions and be prepared with necessary tools in case it snows if travelling in winter.