There are 7 ways to get from Rotorua to Nelson by taxi, plane, bus, car ferry, towncar, train, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Taxi to Tauranga Airport, fly to Nelson Airport
best- Take the taxi from Rotorua to Tauranga-Airport-TRGtaxi
- Fly from Tauranga Airport (TRG) to Nelson Airport (NSN)plane TRG - NSN
4h 40m$324–921Bus, car ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Rotorua to Wellington - Centralbus
- Take the car ferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Take the bus from Picton to Nelsonbus
15h 11m$85–262Towncar, train, car ferry, drive
- Take a town car from Rotorua to Tūrangitowncar
- Take a town car from Tūrangi to National Parktowncar
- Take the train from National Park to Wellingtontrain
- Take the car ferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Drive from Picton to Nelsoncar
15h 46m$570–660Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Rotorua to Wellingtoncar
- Take the car ferry from Wellington to Pictoncarferry
- Drive from Picton to Nelsoncar
10h 35m$233–350Fly Rotorua to Nelson Airport
- Fly from Rotorua (ROT) to Nelson Airport (NSN)plane ROT - NSN
4h 56m$93–655Fly Rotorua to Woodbourne Airport, bus
- Fly from Rotorua (ROT) to Woodbourne Airport (BHE)plane ROT - BHE
- Take the bus from Woodbourne to Nelsonbus
7h 19m$98–710Bus to Auckland, fly to Nelson Airport
- Take the bus from Rotorua to Manukau Citybus
- Fly from Auckland (AKL) to Nelson Airport (NSN)plane AKL - NSN
7h 1m$196–656
Rotorua to Nelson by bus, car ferry, and foot
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Rotorua to Nelson is to bus and car ferry which costs $85 - $270 and takes 15h 11m.
The fastest way to get from Rotorua to Nelson is to taxi and fly which takes 4h 40m and costs $320 - $950.
The distance between Rotorua and Nelson is 550 km.
The best way to get from Rotorua to Nelson without a car is to bus and car ferry which takes 15h 11m and costs $85 - $270.
It takes approximately 4h 40m to get from Rotorua to Nelson, including transfers.
There are 375+ hotels available in Nelson.
What companies run services between Rotorua, New Zealand and Nelson, New Zealand?
Air New Zealand flies from Rotorua (ROT) to Nelson Airport (NSN) every 4 hours.
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Tauranga Airport to Nelson Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–650
Flights from Tauranga Airport to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–650
Flights from Tauranga Airport to Nelson Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–750
Flights from Tauranga Airport to Nelson Airport via Auckland, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–700
Flights from Rotorua to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–650
Flights from Rotorua to Nelson Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–650
Flights from Rotorua to Nelson Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–700
Flights from Rotorua to Nelson Airport via Auckland, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 22m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $110–700
Flights from Rotorua to Woodbourne Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–650
Flights from Rotorua to Woodbourne Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 17m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–700
Flights from Rotorua to Woodbourne Airport via Auckland, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 27m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–700
Flights from Rotorua to Woodbourne Airport via Christchurch, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–750
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–600
Flights from Auckland to Nelson Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–650
- Phone
- +64 4495 0775
- bookings@greatjourneysnz.com
- Website
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
Train from National Park to Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $140–170
- Schedules at
- greatjourneysofnz.co.nz
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5780
- info@intercity.co.nz
- Website
- intercity.co.nz
Bus from Rotorua to Wellington - Central
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $5–90
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Picton to Nelson
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- 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/
Bus from Rotorua to Manukau City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 14m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $5–65
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
- Phone
- 0800 844 844
- bookings@bluebridge.co.nz
- Website
- bluebridge.co.nz
Car ferry from Wellington to Picton
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $75–120
- Website
- https://www.bluebridge.co.nz/
- Phone
- +64 021 146 7654
- mywakayourwaka@gmail.com
- Website
- mywakayourwaka.com
Towncar from Rotorua to Tūrangi
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $225
- Schedules at
- mywakayourwaka.com
Towncar from Tūrangi to National Park
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $100
- Schedules at
- mywakayourwaka.com
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Estimated price
- $220–280
Taxi Cabs Rotorua
- Phone
- +64 7 347 9797
- Website
- rotoruataxi.co.nz
Rotorua Taxis
- Phone
- +64 800 500 000
- Website
- rotoruataxis.co.nz
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