There are 7 ways to get from Lake Tekapo to Motueka by car, plane, bus, shuttle, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Drive to Timaru, fly to Nelson Airport, bus
best- Drive from Lake Tekapo to Timaru (TIU)
- Fly from Timaru (TIU) to Nelson Airport (NSN)TIU - NSN
- Take the bus from Rutherford Hotel Nelson to Motueka i-Site
7h 22m$149–782Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Tekapo to Christchurch
- Take the bus from Christchurch to Blenheim
- Take the bus from Blenheim to Nelson
- Take the bus from Quest Apartments to Motueka i-Site
14h 16m$35–292Drive 634.4 km
- Drive from Lake Tekapo to Motueka634.4 km
7h 28m$192–277Tour, shuttle, bus
- Take a shuttle bus from Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
- Take a shuttle bus from Christchurch to Nelson
- Take the bus from Halifax Street Outside Impact Church to Motueka Library Wallace Street5
11h 18mDrive to Timaru, fly to Woodbourne Airport, bus
- Drive from Lake Tekapo to Timaru (TIU)
- Fly from Timaru (TIU) to Woodbourne Airport (BHE)TIU - BHE
- Take the bus from Woodbourne to Nelson
- Take the bus from Quest Apartments to Motueka i-Site
9h 59m$164–887Tour to Christchurch International Airport, fly to Nelson Airport, bus
- Take a shuttle bus from Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
- Fly from Christchurch International Airport (CHC) to Nelson Airport (NSN)CHC - NSN
- Take the bus from Rutherford Hotel Nelson to Motueka i-Site
8h 35m$414–794Bus, train
- Take the bus from Tekapo to Christchurch
- Take the train from Rangiora to Blenheim
- Take the bus from Blenheim to Nelson
- Take the bus from The Nelson Bus Hub to Motueka Library Wallace Street5
15h 48m$242–770
Lake Tekapo to Motueka by bus and foot
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Lake Tekapo to Motueka is to bus which costs $35 - $300 and takes 14h 16m.
The fastest way to get from Lake Tekapo to Motueka is to drive and fly and bus which takes 7h 22m and costs $140 - $800.
No, there is no direct bus from Lake Tekapo to Motueka. However, there are services departing from Tekapo and arriving at Motueka i-Site via Christchurch, Blenheim and Quest Apartments. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 14h 16m.
The distance between Lake Tekapo and Motueka is 524 km. The road distance is 634.4 km.
The best way to get from Lake Tekapo to Motueka without a car is to bus which takes 14h 16m and costs $35 - $300.
It takes approximately 7h 22m to get from Lake Tekapo to Motueka, including transfers.
Lake Tekapo to Motueka bus services, operated by InterCity, depart from Tekapo station.
Lake Tekapo to Motueka bus services, operated by InterCity, arrive at Christchurch station.
Yes, the driving distance between Lake Tekapo to Motueka is 634 km. It takes approximately 7h 28m to drive from Lake Tekapo to Motueka.
There are 235+ hotels available in Motueka.
What companies run services between Lake Tekapo, New Zealand and Motueka, New Zealand?
You can take a bus from Tekapo to Motueka i-Site via Christchurch, Blenheim, Nelson, and Quest Apartments in around 14h 16m.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Timaru to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–700
Flights from Timaru to Nelson Airport via Wellington, Christchurch International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 37m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–800
Flights from Timaru to Nelson Airport via Wellington, Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–900
Flights from Timaru to Woodbourne Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–750
Flights from Timaru to Woodbourne Airport via Wellington, Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–1,000
Flights from Christchurch International Airport to Nelson Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–600
Flights from Christchurch International Airport to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–650
- Phone
- +64 4 495 0775
- bookings@greatjourneysnz.com
- Website
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
Train from Rangiora to Blenheim
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $210–519
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
- Scenic Plus
- $519
- Scenic
- $210–260
- Phone
- +64 27 577 6975
- bookings@betterbus.co.nz
- Website
- betterbus.co.nz
Bus from Rutherford Hotel Nelson to Motueka i-Site
- Ave. Duration
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $20–40
- Schedules at
- betterbus.co.nz
- Book at
- betterbus.co.nz
Bus from Quest Apartments to Motueka i-Site
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $20–40
- Schedules at
- betterbus.co.nz
- Book at
- betterbus.co.nz
Bus from The Nelson Bus Hub to Motueka Library Wallace Street
- Ave. Duration
- 52 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $20–40
- Schedules at
- betterbus.co.nz
- Book at
- betterbus.co.nz
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5780
- info@intercity.co.nz
- Website
- intercity.co.nz
Bus from Tekapo to Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $5–65
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Christchurch to Blenheim
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $5–75
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Blenheim to Nelson
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $5–55
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Woodbourne to Nelson
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $5–55
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5790
- info@greatsights.co.nz
- Website
- greatsights.co.nz
Bus from Tekapo to Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $85–130
- Website
- https://www.greatsights.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/
- Standard
- $85–130
- Flexi
- $100–800
- Phone
- +64 9 390 7380
- bookings@cheekykiwitravel.com
- Website
- cheekykiwitravel.com
Shuttle from Lake Tekapo to Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $159–199
- Schedules at
- cheekykiwitravel.com
- Book at
- cheekykiwitravel.com
- Adult
- $199
- Child
- $159
Shuttle from Christchurch to Nelson
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $200–1,000
- Schedules at
- nelsonlakesshuttles.co.nz
- Minimum charge per vehicle
- $1,000
- Per person
- $200
- Phone
- +64 03 546 0200
- enquiry@ncc.govt.nz
- Website
- ebus.nz
Bus from Halifax Street Outside Impact Church to Motueka Library Wallace Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Schedules at
- ebus.nz
Bus from The Nelson Bus Hub to Motueka Library Wallace Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Schedules at
- ebus.nz
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