How to travel from Kaikoura to Wanaka, New Zealand

There are several options for getting from Kaikoura to Wanaka by bus, train, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around NZ$110 ($68) and will take around 10h 40m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 4hrs, though it is a bit more costly at approximately NZ$820 ($500).

The distance between Kaikoura and Wanaka is around 506km (314 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 453km (281 miles)

It takes around 10h 40m to get from Kaikoura and Wanaka by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 7h 10m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Kaikoura to Wanaka is to take the train and then fly which takes around 4hrs and will set you back approx NZ$820 ($500).

The cheapest way to travel between Kaikoura and Wanaka, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around NZ$110 ($68) for a standard one-way ticket.

There is no train service that runs between Kaikoura and Wanaka. We recommend that you take the train to Blenheim then fly from Blenheim (BHE) to Wanaka (WKA). instead which will take 4hrs.

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Kaikoura and Wanaka. It typically takes around 10h 40m and departs 3 times a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Kaikoura to Wanaka. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Christchurch and Cromwell. These services run 3 times a week and will take a minimum of 10h 40m.

InterCity and GreatSights run regular bus services between Kaikoura and Wanaka. Buses run 3 times a week and take around 10h 40m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Kaikoura to Wanaka. We recommend that you take the train to Rangiora then fly from Christchurch (CHC) to Wanaka (WKA). instead which will take 4h 25m.

The closest major airport to Wanaka is Wanaka Airport (WKA) (WKA) which is approximately 9km (6 miles) from Wanaka. Queenstown Airport (ZQN) (ZQN) and Dunedin International Airport (DUD) (DUD) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Yes it is possible to drive from Kaikoura and Wanaka. The distance is around 600km (373 miles) by road and it will take around 7h 10m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Kaikoura to Wanaka is to take the bus which takes, on average, 10h 40m and will usually cost around NZ$110 ($68).