From the airport to the city: New Zealand airports by public transport

The orange AirportLink bus runs between the domestic and international terminals, Puhinui Station and Manukau Bus Station, with frequent departures every day. At Puhinui it meets the trains, so you can continue by rail to the city centre and other parts of Auckland; it uses bus lanes and has room for luggage. Route 38 is a second option, linking the airport with Onehunga via Māngere Town Centre from the same stops.

Both routes are part of the Auckland Transport network. AT HOP cards are sold from vending machines in both terminals and at a shop in international arrivals, and you can also tag on and off with a contactless bank card, phone or watch. Cash is not accepted on AT buses.

The Airport Express, route AX, is Metlink's dedicated airport bus. It runs every day between Wellington Airport and Wellington Station via Kilbirnie, Hataitai, Courtenay Place, Manners Street, Willis Street and Lambton Quay. At the airport it stops on the ground floor of the car park, just outside the baggage area; at Wellington Station it uses its own stop in the bus interchange.

You can pay with Snapper, which gives you any concession on your card, with a contactless bank card, phone or watch on the separate reader at the front, or in cash. The Airport Express has its own fare: off-peak discounts and free transfers to other Metlink services do not apply.

Three Metro routes link Christchurch Airport with the city. Route 8 is the most frequent and runs through the city centre to Lyttelton; route 29 runs via Memorial Avenue and Fendalton and skirts Hagley Park; route 3 runs via the university and Riccarton to the Bus Interchange and on to Sumner, but only some of its trips go into the airport, so check that the destination sign says Airport. Route 125 also stops at the airport but serves the suburbs and does not go to the city centre.

All buses leave from the northern end of the international arrivals hall, next to the Novotel. Pay with a contactless bank card, phone or watch, or with a Motu Move card; Metrocards are not sold at the airport, and Metrocard and cash are being retired from 23 November 2026.

Orbus buses stop right outside the terminal at Queenstown Airport. Route 1, which runs between Sunshine Bay, the town centre and Remarkables Park, calls at the airport, and buses go directly to central Queenstown. For Arrowtown, Jacks Point and other areas you change at the Frankton Bus Hub, close to the airport.

The cheapest way to pay is the Bee Card, sold online and at the Paper Plus shop in the terminal; if you arrive on a late flight, buy it online in advance. Cash is accepted on board but costs more. With the Bee Card one transfer within a limited time is free, as long as you tag on and off on both buses.

Dunedin Airport lies outside the city, roughly 30 km from the centre, and has no public bus. Shared shuttles meet the flights and drop passengers at their hotel or address, and should be booked in advance; taxis and rental cars are the alternatives.

Some regional airports do have a town bus. In Nelson, eBus route 4 runs from the city centre via Tāhunanui to the airport, and in Hawke's Bay a goBay route links the airport with central Napier, though not on Sundays. At Invercargill and other smaller airports you rely on taxis and shuttles. Departures on regional routes are infrequent, so check the timetable before you land.