Where is Queenstown

If you are heading to New Zealand then you are probably wondering "where is Queenstown".

"Where is Queenstown".......that's a very good question.

Well, New Zealand is in the Tasman Sea, around 2,000 kilometres East of Australia's East coast (refer map below).

And Queenstown sits proudly in the Southern Lakes region in the central southern part of New Zealand's beautiful South Island.

As one of New Zealand's major tourist destinations, Queenstown welcomes visitors from around the globe, attracted by it's stunning beauty, and seemingly endless variety of things to see and do.

Often referred to as New Zealand's "Adventure Capital", Queenstown is so much more than just a destination for thrill seekers. There's a calm here, accentuated by towering peaks and a shimmering lake that seems to just draw you to it's shores.

Yes, you can bungy, ride a jetboat, jump from a plane or raft the rapids. But Queenstown is also a place where you can just chill, and we have spent many an hour with a local wine or beer, just watching "life" in Queenstown.

Winery tours, lakeside walks, scenic drives, our local markets.......the choice is yours.

Getting to Queenstown

Arriving by air

Queenstown airport has direct flights from several Australian cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

If you are coming to New Zealand from another overseas location, your flight will usually land at Auckland (our major international airport, located on the North Island).

Both Wellington (on the North Island) and Christchurch (on the South Island) have a limited international schedule. Both receive flights from several Australian east coast destinations. At the time of writing Christchurch also received flights from Japan, Singapore and Fiji, and Wellington received flights from Fiji.

Please check current schedules as they can change without notice.

If you are landing at any of these airports you will need to catch a connecting domestic flight to Queenstown.

Domestic flight times

Auckland to Queenstown direct: 2 hours

Wellington to Queenstown direct: 1.5 hours

Christchurch to Queenstown direct: 1.25 hours

Arriving by road

If you fly to Christchurch, the drive from Christchurch to Queenstown takes around 6 hours. It's a spectacular drive, passing the towering Southern Alps and some of the most stunning turquoise lakes you will ever see.

We often decide to break the trip with an overnight stop in either Lake Tekapo or Aoraki/Mt. Cook village.

Unless you plan to tour the North Island before heading to Queenstown, it's not really practical to drive from the North Island to Queenstown.

The two islands are separated by Cook Strait, and the three and a half hour crossing is serviced by the Interislander ferry.

After crossing Cook Strait, the ferry snakes its way through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. It's widely regarded as one of the World's best ferry journeys.

Please note: Some car rental companies will not allow you to take your rental car onto the ferry, so you will need to check with them before you book your car.

You may need to drop your car off at the Wellington terminal (on the North Island) then hire another car when you reach Picton (on the South Island).

By Bus

Intercity, New Zealand's national bus network, has services to Queenstown and many other locations.

Approximate travel times (car and ferry) are:

Auckland to Wellington ferry (North Island): 7.5 hours driving time

Interislander ferry Wellington to Picton 3.5 hours cruising time

Picton ferry terminal to Christchurch (South Island): 4.5 hours driving time

Christchurch to Queenstown (South Island): 6 hours driving time

Where is Queenstown and New Zealand location