There are 6 ways to get from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves by bus, plane, car, car ferry, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus to Queenstown Airport, fly to Tauranga Airport, drive
best- Take the bus from Te Anau to Frankton Bus Interchangebus
- Fly from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to Tauranga Airport (TRG)plane ZQN - TRG
- Drive from Tauranga-Airport-TRG to Waitomo Cavescar
8h 41m$300–1,271Bus to Queenstown Airport, fly to Auckland, bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Te Anau to Frankton Bus Interchangebus
- Fly from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to Auckland (AKL)plane ZQN - AKL
- Take the bus from Manukau City to Waitomo Townshipbus
9h 47m$196–761Drive, car ferry
- Drive from Te Anau to Pictoncar
- Take the car ferry from Picton to Wellingtoncarferry
- Drive from Wellington to Waitomo Cavescar
20h 29m$475–1,045Bus to Queenstown Airport, fly to Hamilton International Airport, bus
- Take the bus from Te Anau to Frankton Bus Interchangebus
- Fly from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to Hamilton International Airport (HLZ)plane ZQN - HLZ
- Take the bus from Kihikihi to Waitomo Townshipbus
9h 45m$641–1,059Shuttle to Invercargill, fly to Auckland, bus
- Take a shuttle bus from Te Anau to Invercargill
- Fly from Invercargill (IVC) to Auckland (AKL)plane IVC - AKL
- Take the bus from Manukau City to Waitomo Townshipbus
10h 54m$218–872Bus to Queenstown Airport, fly to New Plymouth Airport, bus
- Take the bus from Te Anau to Frankton Bus Interchangebus
- Fly from Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to New Plymouth Airport (NPL)plane ZQN - NPL
- Take the bus from Bell Block to Eight Mile Junctionbus
11h 18m$280–1,246
Queenstown Airport (ZQN) to Tauranga Airport (TRG) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves is to bus and fly which costs $190 - $800 and takes 9h 47m.
The fastest way to get from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves is to bus and fly and drive which takes 8h 41m and costs $300 - $1,300.
The distance between Te Anau and Waitomo Caves is 1345 km.
It takes approximately 8h 41m to get from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves, including transfers.
There are 55+ hotels available in Waitomo Caves.
What companies run services between Te Anau, New Zealand and Waitomo Caves, New Zealand?
There is no direct connection from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves. However, you can take the bus to Frankton Bus Interchange, take the line 1 bus to Airport, walk to Queenstown Airport (ZQN) airport, fly to Tauranga Airport (TRG), then drive to Waitomo Caves. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Te Anau to Waitomo Caves via Picton and Wellington in around 20h 29m.
- Website
- airnewzealand.com
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Tauranga Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Tauranga Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Tauranga Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 26m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Tauranga Airport via Wellington, Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 55m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $200–1,200
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Auckland via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Auckland via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–1,100
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Hamilton International Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,500
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Hamilton International Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,500
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Hamilton International Airport via Christchurch, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,500
Flights from Invercargill to Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–650
Flights from Invercargill to Auckland via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–700
Flights from Queenstown Airport to New Plymouth Airport via Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–1,200
Flights from Queenstown Airport to New Plymouth Airport via Christchurch
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–1,000
Flights from Queenstown Airport to New Plymouth Airport via Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–1,000
Flights from Queenstown Airport to New Plymouth Airport via Christchurch, Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 42m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–1,000
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Queenstown Airport to Auckland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5790
- info@greatsights.co.nz
- Website
- greatsights.co.nz
Bus from Te Anau to Frankton Bus Interchange
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 59m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $70–100
- Website
- https://www.greatsights.co.nz/new-zealand-tours/
- Standard
- $70–100
- Flexi
- $75–600
- Phone
- +64 9 583 5780
- info@intercity.co.nz
- Website
- intercity.co.nz
Bus from Manukau City to Waitomo Township
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $5–60
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Kihikihi to Waitomo Township
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $5–45
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
Bus from Bell Block to Eight Mile Junction
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 59m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $5–55
- Website
- https://www.intercity.co.nz/
- Phone
- +64 9 390 7380
- bookings@cheekykiwitravel.com
- Website
- cheekykiwitravel.com
Shuttle from Te Anau to Invercargill
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $80–90
- Schedules at
- cheekykiwitravel.com
- Book at
- cheekykiwitravel.com
- Adult
- $90
- Child
- $80
- Phone
- 0800 844 844
- bookings@bluebridge.co.nz
- Website
- bluebridge.co.nz
Car ferry from Picton to Wellington
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $65–440
- Website
- https://www.bluebridge.co.nz/
- Walk On Passenger
- $65–120
- Passenger with Car
- $210–440
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