Hilton and Kawarau Village by bus

The hotel village on the Kawarau side of the peninsula, served by the ferry and Route 3. The ferry pier is at the hotel; the Kelvin Heights Trail passes the door.

Published 8 April 2026 · Last checked 8 April 2026 · Corrected 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket

Fare: $2.50 with a Bee Card, $4 cash, on every route below. Times are the scheduled weekday times in the current ORC Orbus timetable (feed 260408-1230), measured from the Frankton Hub to the Willow Place / Kawarau Fall stop.

Routes that get you there

Orbus routes to Hilton and Kawarau Village with ride time, weekday trips and first and last arrival
RouteFromRideWeekday tripsFirstLast
Route 3 towards Kelvin HeightsFrankton HubAbout 14 min246:33am10:33pm

From the town centre take Route 1 to Frankton Hub first (roughly every 15 minutes) and change; the transfer is free within 45 minutes, so the whole trip is one $2.50 fare.

At the stop

The ferry pier is at the hotel; the Kelvin Heights Trail passes the door.

The bus hub has every route with its stops, and the Bee Card guide covers where to buy the card.

Questions people ask

Which bus goes to Hilton and Kawarau Village?

Route 3 (Quail Rise to Kelvin Heights), from Frankton Hub. Every Orbus fare is $2.50 with a Bee Card, $4 cash, and transfers are free within 45 minutes.

How long is the bus to Hilton and Kawarau Village from Queenstown?

Take Route 1 to Frankton Hub (13 to 16 minutes) and change to Route 3 (about 14 minutes more); the transfer is free within 45 minutes.

What time is the last bus to Hilton and Kawarau Village?

Route 3: last weekday arrival 10:33pm, first 6:33am, 24 trips a day. Weekend timetables are shorter; check the route page.

How much is the bus to Hilton and Kawarau Village?

$2.50 with a Bee Card, $4 cash (the airport leg is $10 cash). The Bee Card costs $5 with a $5 minimum top-up and gives free transfers within 45 minutes.

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Sources: Otago Regional Council, Orbus Queenstown GTFS feed 260408-1230 (CC BY 4.0) (opens in a new tab) and Otago Regional Council, Orbus fares (opens in a new tab), retrieved 8 April 2026. Ride times are the median scheduled weekday time between the two stops in the feed; real buses run late in peak traffic on Frankton Road. This independent guide is published by Tally Sphere Limited, a New Zealand company. Spotted a change? Report a problem with this page and the page address comes with your email.