How to get to Rotorua
Located in the central North Island, Rotorua is well connected to the rest of New Zealand, and the world, through a network of air and road links. The city is a leisurely three-hour drive from the gateway city of Auckland (234km), and a 5-6-hour drive from New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington (457km) at the bottom of the North Island. Transport options to Rotorua include air, coach, shuttle and self drive in rental vehicle or campervan.
Air
Rotorua has daily air service links with Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and Queenstown. Rotorua airport is a 15 minute drive from the city. Click here for more information and to book Air New Zealand airline tickets.
Coach
Regular scheduled services operate from Auckland and Wellington and other North Island Centres. Click here for more information and to book coach tickets.
Self-drive
Rotorua is about three hours drive from Auckland and about six hours drive from Wellington.
Stay put
With a host of day trips within easy reach of the city, Rotorua is an excellent ‘stay put’ option. Some of the options include The Mount (78km), Taupo (80km), Whakatane (85km), Tauranga (86km), Hamilton (108km), Lake Waikaremoana (156km), Waitomo Glow Worm Caves (161km) and Mt Ruapehu (177km).
Once in Rotorua there is a range of coach, taxi, shuttle and rental vehicle services available. Click here to find out more about getting around Rotorua.
Please Note: The driving times shown below allow for regular rest, refreshments and photo stops.
City/Region Drive Time Distance Flight Time
Auckland 3 hours 20 mins 234km 40 minutes direct
Hamilton 1 hour 35 mins 108km 1 hour 10 mins via Auckland
Tauranga 1 hour 15 mins 86km n/a
New Plymouth 4 hours 15 mins 299km 1 hour 5 mins via Auckland
Waitomo 2 hours 20 mins 166km n/a
Taupo 1 hour 10 mins 80km n/a
Palmerston North 4 hours 50 mins 339km 105 mins via Auckland
Wellington 6 hours 35 mins 457km 65 mins direct
Christchurch 11 hours 25 mins
Ferry crossing additional 888km 1 hour 15 mins direct
Sydney N/A 2302km 3 hours 15 mins
For ideas as to how to get to Rotorua via one of our countries great Touring Routes or to view sample Rotorua Itineraries, click here.