Getting there
Visa requirements
Visa waiver countries and territories
Passport holders of some countries and territories do not have to apply for a visa before they travel to NZ but must hold an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority).
Visiting New Zealand
If you plan to visit New Zealand for a short period, you must request an NZeTA before you travel if you:
- travel on a passport from a country on the list of visa waiver countries and territories, and
- are visiting for up to 3 months — or, if you are a British citizen, up to 6 months.
- You do not need an NZeTA if you are an Australian citizen travelling on an Australian passport
Cost and processing time
You need:
List of visa waiver countries and territories
| The following are visa waiver countries and territories | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Andorra |
Macau — only if you have a Macau Special Administrative Region passport
|
|||
Getting to Queenstown is easy whether you decide to fly, drive or catch a coach.
Queenstown International Airport receives daily direct flights from around New Zealand and Australia’s main ports, and great road access on major New Zealand highways makes driving into Queenstown an easy and beautiful experience. Exploring the region once you’re in Queenstown is simple with a range of local transport options.
Where is Queenstown?
Queenstown is located in the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand and is very accessible with multiple daily direct flights from all of New Zealand’s main centres as well as direct scheduled services from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Coolangatta in Australia. Queenstown international airport is located just 15 minutes from downtown Queenstown and links to the city centre with shuttles, taxi services, buses and rental cars.
For visitors that chose to drive, experiencing the beautiful Southern Scenic Route through Otago and Southland is a stunning way to arrive in Queenstown or meander down the South Island from the West Coast or Canterbury, taking your time to take in the scenery along the way.
Fly to Queenstown
Queenstown airport is the gateway to the lower South Island. Located 15 minutes from downtown Queenstown, the Queenstown international Airport services the region with daily domestic flights and regular direct trans-Tasman flights. It receives direct scheduled services from New Zealand’s main metropolitan ports of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch which provide strong regional links throughout the country, as well as from the Australian cities of Brisbane, Coolangatta, Sydney and Melbourne. Auckland and Sydney airports are the major international hub airports for long haul visitors and some international airlines also fly to Christchurch Airport.
Four major airlines provide scheduled services in and out of Queenstown Airport. Air New Zealand and Jetstar offer both domestic and international flights to and from Queenstown and Qantas and Virgin Australia fly internationally between Queenstown and east coast Australia.
Queenstown Airport is also New Zealand’s busiest helicopter base and is heavily used for ‘flightseeing’ on fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. There are many great products available for visitors to explore the region by air.
Drive to Queenstown
Driving to Queenstown is a very scenic option and if you’re planning to travel by road you can drive yourself, hop on a bus or join a coach tour. Major New Zealand highways connect Queenstown to surrounding South Island regions and you’ll come across incredible natural landscapes and different attractions on the drive to Queenstown - making it an ideal trip if you have time to explore.
Roads to Queenstown are well signposted from the surrounding regions. New Zealand highways are fully sealed and well-maintained but some side-roads to activities & attractions may be loose gravel and require more time and care.
In New Zealand we drive on the left hand side of the road and some of our roads can be narrow and winding. It is also possible to encounter sheep and cattle on rural roads in New Zealand.
There are daily buses to Queenstown from Wanaka, Dunedin, Invercargill and Christchurch to Queenstown as well as scheduled coach tours and backpacker tour buses. There are also rental car and motor home depots based at Queenstown airport and some operators have offices in downtown Queenstown.
Campervans and motorhomes are a great way to explore the Queenstown region and hiring a campervan or motorhome in Queenstown is easy, with both internationally recognised and local vehicle hire companies operating in the town centre or airport.
For the ultimate convenience there are multiple taxi, Uber and limousine services available in and around Queenstown.
