9 WAYS TO GET AROUND QUEENSTOWN

How to get around Queenstown?

Good question. Most people will use a car in Queenstown, but what about getting around Queenstown without a car?

Well, that depends. The best way to get around Queenstown is going to be based on a whole host of factors individual to your trip.

Without going into too many specifics for the infinite types of trips, I’ll discuss each Queenstown transport option, and the pros and cons.

Here are the options:
1. By Car/Campervan etc.
2. By Hitchhiking
3. By Public Transport (bus)
4. By Foot
5. By Bike
6. By Ferry
7. By Choosing Specific Tours
8. By Using Ride Sharing Apps
9. By Taxi

HOW TO GET AROUND QUEENSTOWN

1. BY CAR/CAMPERVAN ETC.

Getting around NZ by car is the most popular form of transport for international visitors. So while I can’t find any stats on total tourism transport for Queenstown specifically, I’m confident renting a car is the most popular way to get around Queenstown.

But does that mean a car is the best way to get around Queenstown?

It depends. If you’re road tripping around the country/to Queenstown, it makes sense. But if you’re in Queenstown for a few days, then renting a car may not be the best option.

The traffic in Queenstown can be horrible during peak hour traffic, with trips between Frankton and Queenstown taking over 30 minutes…sometimes even an hour. And getting through town can be painful.

And in terms of parking, Queenstown is a pretty small place so parking isn’t widely available. Free parking in the city may mean you need to do a few laps around the block and then moving your car after a couple of hours, or parking outside of the town itself somewhere residential.

But, if you’ve got a full list of things to do in Queenstown that’ll see you hopping all over the area, along with a couple of road trips, you can’t beat the convenience of a car.

If you are planning to use a car, consider the parking options when booking accommodation in Queenstown. Life will be a lot easier for you if there’s ample parking on site…this is a perk of many airbnbs in Queenstown.

p.s. If you’re looking for paid campervan parking in Queenstown, the Boundary Street carpark is the most popular.

p.p.s. The ticketing officers in Queenstown are active! Some friends seem to like collecting parking tickets :/

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2. BY HITCHHIKING

If you’ve done any hitching before, you’ll be glad to know hitchhiking in and around Queenstown is easy. I hitch around Queenstown fairly often and never wait long.

Elsewhere in Queenstown, I have friends who regularly hitchhike between Queenstown to Sunshine Bay for work. And during winter in Queenstown, people regularly hitch up to the Remarkables and Coronet Peak (you get better parking spots with more people in your car).

My one pro tip is, if you’re going to be hitching in the winter, make sure you leave some time to get back before dark if you’re coming from the likes of the Routeburn Shelter as the traffic can drop off towards the end of the day.

I may have learned this the hard way :p

RELATED POST: HOW TO GET TO THE ROUTEBURN TRACK

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3. PUBLIC TRANSPORT (A.K.A. BUS)

I’m a big fan of using public transport to get around Queenstown (it’s a cheap way to get to/from Queenstown Airport too).

The key details to know about the buses in Queenstown are:

• Purchasing a Bee Card means all bus rides, regardless of distance/time will be $2
• There are five bus lines in Queenstown (route map here).
• You’ll sometimes need to transfer bus services, with the Queenstown hub and Frankton Terminus the regular places to do this.
• The timetables on Google Maps isn’t always 100% correct so verify on the official site.

Lots of people who come to stay at Queenstown hostels are surprised at how good the public transport is.

If you want to know more about all of this, I’ve written a guide to being a good passenger on the QT Buses.

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4. BY FOOT

You can find me walking and/or running around Queenstown a lot. Friends are always mentioning they saw me walking/running the other day here, there, and everywhere.

Anyway, Queenstown isn’t a big town, even by NZ standards. With a population under 20,000 in the urban area which is about 630/km square metres in size. The tourist population swells that dramatically. But still, it’s not a large area.

Particulary the downtown area where all the bars/restaurant, and many Queenstown activities are.

So if you’re here for a relaxing few days and plan to just nosey around and not get too adventurous, walking around Queenstown as your primary form of transport can be practical.

And if you decide to stay in Fernhill, Queenstown Hill, and Golden Heights walking is still a solid option. People will even walk the Frankton Track if they do need to go out there for some shopping.

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5. BY BIKE

I’ve ridden around Queenstown a few times to get from A to B, and it’s a popular way to get around Queenstown for locals and visitors.

I find drivers are tolerant of cyclists in Queenstown, and there’s plenty of places to park your bike while you’re in town/out and about (friends will often ride to trailheads, go for a hike, and ride home).

If you’re bringing your bikes to Queenstown, definitely consider using them to get from place to place or to explore the Queenstown Trail, in addition to all the mountain bike tracks.

If you’re considering renting a bike/e-bike in Queenstown, look into accommodation options with free bikes you can use.

6. BY FERRY

Yeap, Queenstown Ferries offers a regular ferry service throughout the day between Queenstown Bay and Frankton with a stop in Kelvin Heights (Bayview) and Frankton Marina on the way (see above).

RELATED: FUN THINGS TO DO IN FRANKTON

If you’re planning to stay in Queenstown for a while, you might want to stay a little out of town and choose Kelvin Heights in which case the ferry could be the best way to get around town. Or if you’re staying at the Hilton Resort & Spa, the ferry stops there.

It’s not going to be a great option for everyone, but there are concession tickets available and it means you don’t need to deal with the crazy traffic and parking situations Queenstown often finds itself in.

The ferry service is canceled from time to time if the lake conditions aren’t great, but that’s quite rare.

The Queenstown ferry fares are:

• $10 one-way
• $15 return
• $60 for a 10-trip concession

They only accept payment by card.

Another service is Queenstown Water Taxis which can help you get to some of the more obscure places on the other side of the lake.

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7. BY CHOOSING SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES/TOURS ETC.

If you’re not a big DIY travel planner and would rather book tours and activities that include transport, Queenstown is a great destination for you.

There are dozens of attractions/activities you can book online that include pickup/dropoff from your accommodation such as:

• Scenic flights with Air Milford
• LordOfTheRingsTours.co.nz
• Queenstown Jet Boat

Get Your Guide has over 50 options available when you filter for ‘Hotel pickup possible’.

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8. BY USING RIDE SHARING APPS

The two ride sharing apps operating in Queenstown are Uber and Ola (no YourRide).

While they can be great in some places, I’ve not had great experiences with them in Queenstown. If you’re going to use them, avoid:

• doing so during peak traffic times.
• getting picked up from side streets, choose a main street as your pick-up location.

If you’re in a group, they can be a time and cost-effective way to get around.

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9. BY TAXI

I have yet to catch a taxi in Queenstown. I’ve never been a fan of catching taxis as it is, and I’ve heard of some of the Queenstown taxi fares involved are ludicrous.

I’m not going to mention the taxi companies here, as the ride-sharing apps are a cheaper option and there are much better ways of getting around Queenstown.

If you do happen to catch a taxi, ask your driver for the local’s rate.

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And there we have it, all of your options for how to get around Queenstown.

If you’ve got any questions about your Queenstown transport plans, drop a comment below or email jub@churnewzealand.com and I’ll get back to you with any tips/advice/thoughts I can think of 🙂

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