In short
- Our timetables list 22 routes and about 800 stops in Dunedin, and 5 bus routes plus a ferry route in Queenstown.
- Both cities run under the Orbus brand of the Otago Regional Council and use the Bee Card.
- Queenstown route 1 serves the airport; an adult airport fare costs $2.50 with a Bee Card or $10 in cash (checked 24 October 2026).
- Bee Card fares are always lower than cash, and the card also works on the Queenstown ferry.
Public transport in Otago runs under the Orbus brand of the Otago Regional Council. Both Dunedin (Ōtepoti) and Queenstown have their own networks, and both use the Bee Card. Timetables on buses.app show scheduled times; live data is not published for these cities.
How do Dunedin buses work?
Our Dunedin timetables list 22 routes and about 800 stops. Many routes meet at the central Bus Hub, which has stops A to J. Some routes to know:
- 8: St Clair beach to Normanby, through the city.
- 14: the city to Port Chalmers.
- 18: Portobello on the Otago Peninsula to the city.
- 77 and 78: Mosgiel to the city; 78 is the express.
- 1: the city to Palmerston, north along the coast.
Other routes cross the hill suburbs, for example Shiel Hill to Opoho (10) and St Kilda to Brockville (55). See all of them in the Dunedin timetables.
How do Queenstown buses work?
Our Queenstown timetables list five bus routes, one ferry route and about 120 stops. Several routes connect at the Frankton Bus Hub:
- Route 1: Sunshine Bay to Remarkables Shops via Queenstown and the airport.
- Route 2: Frankton Hub to Arrowtown.
- Route 3: Quail Rise to Kelvin Heights.
- Route 4: Jacks Point to Arrowtown via Queenstown.
- Route 5: Lake Hayes Estate to Queenstown.
- Route 6 (ferry): Queenstown Bay to the Hilton at Kelvin Heights, across Lake Wakatipu.
According to Queenstown Airport, buses generally run every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening.
How do I pay?
You can pay in cash on the bus, but the Bee Card is always cheaper. It costs $5 with a minimum $5 top-up and is sold online, at the PaperPlus store at Queenstown Airport and at the Otago Regional Council office in Frankton. Register the card with your date of birth to get child and youth fares; unregistered cards pay the adult fare. With the same Bee Card you get one free transfer within 45 minutes, as long as you tag on and off both buses. The Bee Card also works on Queenstown ferries.
For trips to and from Queenstown Airport, an adult pays $2.50 with a Bee Card or $10 in cash, and a child or youth (5–18) $1.50 with a Bee Card or $8 in cash; under-5s travel free (checked 24 October 2026). The Otago Regional Council publishes current Dunedin fares on its own site; check them before you travel.
