Welcome to Wellington!

In this post, I’ll take you through the options to get from Wellington Airport to the city.

From Wellington Airport you’re less than 10km away from Cuba Street in the city centre. For a focal point we’ll use the centrally located Cuba Street and Manners Street intersection as the final destination after exiting WLG.

If you’re going elsewhere and want some help with your transport options, email me jub(at) churnewzealand (dot) com.

There are at least six options departing from Wellington Airport for you:


1. Walk
2. Public Bus
3. Airport Flyer Bus
4. Shuttle
5. Ridesharing Apps
6. Taxi
6. Wellington Airport Transport FAQ

And yes, for the rocket scientists out there, you can take each mode of transport from the city to Wellington Airport when it’s time to leave the windy city.

Arriving super late or departing early morning? You might want to book Rydges Wellington Airport above the International Terminal.

1. WALKING

You can walk from Wellington Airport to city with the two routes given by Google Maps close to 7km. That should take no more than 2 hours and you’ll get a small taste of Wellington while you’re at it. If you were super keen you could even go via Mount Victoria.

The northern option follows quieter streets but it does have 56 metres of incline as you cross the town belt between Kilbirnie and Newtown. This does have the bonus of going near Kilbirnie Pak’n’Sav, considered to be the cheapest supermarket in Wellington.

The southern option following Sh1 takes a few minutes longer in theory, but that’s due to following busier roads and more traffic lights. There’s ~40 metres elevation to deal with but you get to go through the Mount Vic Tunnel, famous for people tooting.

2. THE PUBLIC BUS FROM AIRPORT TO THE CITY (THE WINNER FOR MANY)

This is how I get there and is the best for those looking for the cheapest way to get from Wellington Airport to the city.

When you arrive at Wellington Airport and have collected your baggage, turn left as you exit the doors and keep following the footpath. Eventually, you’ll be out in the open. Keep following the footpath until you get to this pedestrian/zebra crossing. Crossover and carry on until you hit Burger King. Turn right after Burger King and then take the first left on Hobart Street where you’ll see the bus stop (Stop ID 6033) right away.

• The walk is about 10 minutes in total.
• You’ll catch bus #2 (timetable).
• The cash fare to Manners Street is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children.
• The bus journey takes ~22 minutes

3. THE AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS FROM WELLINGTON AIRPORT TO CITY

The Airport Express Bus is a dedicated airport bus with more space than a regular public bus. The Airport Flyer doesn’t stop everywhere, so you’ll need to make sure you do get off at Manners Mall, which is no problem. Despite being an ‘express’, the Airport Express Bus still takes ~20 minutes to get from the airport to Courtney Place. Marginally faster than the public bus.

• The airport bus departs from the airport, with plenty of signs available.
• Take a look at the timetable, to check it’ll be running.
• How much is the airport bus? The fare from the airport to Courtney Place is $7.51 for adults with a Snapper Card, or $9.50 for cash or contactless payment options (children $4).
• These buses have WiFI and USB ports for charging.
• They accept contactless payment on these buses which is great, in addition to cash and Snapper.

So it’s a bit more expensive than the other public bus. But if you were to see the Airport Express (AX) bus waiting outside the terminal as you depart, it’s going to be hard to turn down getting on that bus rather than walking to the #2 bus stop.

4. WELLINGTON AIRPORT SHUTTLE

A shuttle can be yay or nay. If you’re one of the first to be dropped off, it’s awesome. But it’s risky, you might end up doing Tour de Wellington. The main shuttle company operating from Wellington Airport is Wellington Super Shuttle.

If you’re traveling with a group, shuttles are a great option especially as you can pre-book your ride through their app or their website.< But you can just turn up in person and there's usually a shuttle good to go. What is cost of shuttle wellington airport to city?

The cost is $18 for the first person plus $6 for every extra person in your group from Wellington Airport to Manners Street. Ignore the price in the photo above, that’s an outdated photo I need to update next time I’m at the airport.

So for 8 people the cost is $60. Alternatively, just book the exclusive use of the shuttle for $90.

5. RIDESHARING APPS

You’ll either love ’em or hate em’.

Wellington Airport has three authorized ridesharing apps with a designated pickup zone. The two services are YourRide (NZ-owned), Uber and Ola. Each have a $3 surcharge for an airport pickup which is included in the price when you book your ride. The prices start from ~$14 to the CBD, but as you know can vary based on demand etc.

You’ll find the ridesharing pickup area to the right after you exit the doors. There’s wifi in the airport, so no problems with ordering a ride if you haven’t got a New Zealand sim card yet.

READ MORE: YOURRIDE VS UBER VS OLA: A COMPARISON

6. TAXI FROM WELLINGTON AIRPORT TO THE CITY….

I despite taxis, so I’m not going to even talk about them as an option. But they’re available. You can’t miss ’em. They’ll cost heaps.

7. FAQ ABOUT WELLINGTON AIPORT TRANSPORT OPTIONS

How to get from Wellington Airport to city?

There are six common ways as mentioned in this post: walking, public bus, airport bus, shuttle, ride-sharing, and or taxis. Other options could include limousines and ride-share bikes.

Cheapest way from Wellington Airport to city?

The cheapest way is to walk. Otherwise, you’ve got the two bus options that are both decent value choices.

How much is Uber from Wellington Airport to city?

How far is Wellington Airport from the city centre?

This depends on the route you take, but it’s usually between 7 and 8km regardless of your transport choice.

How much is a taxi from Wellington airport to city?

The cost will vary a lot, but is usually in the $40 to $50 range. The four authorised taxi operators are Wellington Combined Taxis, Kiwi Cabs, Hutt & City Taxis, and Ekokabs.

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I hope this helps you figure out how to get from Wellington Airport to the city in the way that makes the most sense to you! If you’re a solo traveller, the public bus is the best option in my mind. If there’s three of you, an Uber and/or YourRide is a decent option, and if you’ve got lots of luggage and people, the shuttle could be the best choice.

There are other options like limousines and bicycle sharing but I figure they’re rare user cases.

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