Queenstown bus routes & fares
Six Orbus routes cover the whole Whakatipu basin, and the airport bus costs $2.50 with a Bee Card. Here’s the entire network, route by route, built from the official Otago Regional Council timetable data.
Published 1 September 2026 · Last checked 24 September 2026 · Corrected 18 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
In short: Queenstown’s buses are run by Orbus for the Otago Regional Council. Adults pay $2.50 per trip with a Bee Card ($4 cash), including the airport, where cash is $10. Route 1 links the airport, Frankton and town every 15 minutes or so; Routes 2 to 5 fan out to Arrowtown, Kelvin Heights, Jacks Point and Lake Hayes Estate; Route 6 is the ferry.
The $2.50 airport bus (Route 1)
There is no dedicated “airport shuttle” premium here: Orbus Route 1 stops at Queenstown Airport on its way between Sunshine Bay and the Remarkables Shops, running roughly every 15 minutes from 6:00am until after midnight. With a Bee Card it’s $2.50 to or from the airport; paying cash on the airport leg costs $10, so the card pays for itself on the first ride. From the airport to the Stanley Street hub in central Queenstown takes 16 to 21 minutes by the ORC timetable; allow longer at peak. The full arrival options, taxis and shuttles included, are in the airport to town guide.
All six routes
Sunshine Bay ↔ Remarkables Shops
Via Fernhill, Queenstown centre, Frankton, the Airport. Weekdays: ~65 each way, 6:00am – ~12:25am. The airport route, and the network's workhorse, roughly every 15 minutes.
Frankton Hub ↔ Arrowtown
Via Quail Rise side of the basin; some trips via the Events Centre. Weekdays: ~24 each way, 5:56am – 10:25pm. Your Arrowtown day-trip bus. Pair it with autumn leaves season.
Quail Rise ↔ Kelvin Heights
Via Frankton Hub. Weekdays: ~24 each way, 6:00am – 10:10pm. Serves the Kelvin Peninsula side, including the golf course end.
Jacks Point ↔ Arrowtown
Via Queenstown centre; some trips via Wakatipu High. Weekdays: ~23 each way, 6:00am – 10:00pm. The long cross-basin route: one seat from Jacks Point to Arrowtown.
Lake Hayes Estate ↔ Queenstown
Via Frankton Hub. Weekdays: ~23 each way, 5:44am – 10:08pm. Commuter favourite from Lake Hayes Estate and Shotover Country.
Queenstown ↔ Hilton (ferry)
Via Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown Bay to Kelvin Heights. Weekdays: ~14 each way, 8:15am – 9:45pm. Not a bus at all: the lake ferry. Different fares apply (below).
Trip counts and spans are computed from the current ORC timetable data (weekdays; weekends run slightly reduced). Always check a live departure board close to midnight services.
Fares: Bee Card vs cash
| Who | Bee Card | Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | Free | Free |
| Child (5–12) | $1.50 | $4 |
| Youth (13–18) | $1.50 | $4 |
| Adult (19+) | $2.50 | $4 |
| SuperGold (65+) | $2.50 peak · free off-peak* | $4 |
- Airport trips: same $2.50/$1.50 with a Bee Card; cash jumps to $10 adult / $8 child.
- The ferry (Route 6): $10 with a Bee Card, $14 by bank card: flat fare, no concessions.
- Free transfers: tag on to a second bus within 45 minutes of tagging off the first and the transfer is free (Bee Card only).
- The card itself: $5, with a $5 minimum top-up (see beecard.co.nz). *SuperGold off-peak (weekdays 9am–3pm and after 6:30pm, weekends, public holidays) is free with the concession loaded.
- ORC consulted on fare and zone changes during 2026, so fares may shift late in the year, the figures above are current as at 24 September 2026.
Local knowledge
- Frankton Hub is the interchange where routes 2, 3 and 5 meet Route 1. Coming from the airport to Arrowtown? Route 1 two stops, then Route 2, free as a transfer.
- Skip the CBD parking hunt: town centre parking is scarce and enforcement is quick. The local move is to park free out at Frankton and ride Route 1 in for $2.50.
- Trailheads by bus: Route 1 gets you to the Fernhill end for One Mile Creek, and Tiki Trail walkers can ride back down from town. No car shuffle needed.
- Kelvin Heights by water: the Route 6 ferry is the scenic commute: Queenstown Bay to the peninsula across Lake Wakatipu.
- Where Orbus does not go: Glenorchy, Milford Sound and the ski fields. Those need a car, a shuttle or a tour; in winter the ski areas run their own paid mountain buses. See do you need a car in Queenstown.
Questions people ask
How much is the bus from Queenstown Airport into town?
$2.50 with a Bee Card for an adult ($1.50 child or youth). Paying cash on the airport leg costs $10 adult or $8 child. Orbus Route 1 runs roughly every 15 minutes from 6:00am until after midnight and takes 16 to 21 minutes to the Stanley Street hub in central Queenstown by the ORC timetable.
Do Queenstown buses take cash?
Yes. A cash fare is $4 on the standard routes and $10 on the airport leg. A Bee Card brings that down to $2.50, so the $5 card pays for itself on the first airport ride.
How much does a Bee Card cost and where do I get one?
The card is $5 with a $5 minimum top-up. Sales points, online top-up and registration are listed at beecard.co.nz. Load a SuperGold concession for free off-peak travel.
Are bus transfers free in Queenstown?
Yes, with a Bee Card. Tag on to a second bus within 45 minutes of tagging off the first and the transfer is free. Frankton Hub is where Routes 2, 3 and 5 meet Route 1.
Is there a bus from Queenstown to Arrowtown?
Yes. Route 2 runs Frankton Hub to Arrowtown, and Route 4 runs direct from Stanley Street in Queenstown centre to Arrowtown by Gorge Road and Arthurs Point, 21 to 23 minutes by the ORC timetable. From the airport, take Route 1 two stops to Frankton Hub then Route 2, free as a transfer within 45 minutes.
What time is the last bus in Queenstown?
Route 1 (Sunshine Bay to Remarkables Shops via the airport) runs until about 12:25am on weekdays. Routes 2 to 5 finish between 10:00pm and 10:25pm. Weekends run slightly reduced, so check a live departure board late at night.
How much is the Queenstown ferry?
The Route 6 ferry between Queenstown Bay and Kelvin Heights (Hilton) is $10 with a Bee Card or $14 by bank card. It is a flat fare with no concessions.
Is there a public bus to Glenorchy, Milford Sound or the ski fields?
No. Orbus covers the Whakatipu basin from Sunshine Bay to Arrowtown, Jacks Point and Lake Hayes Estate only. Glenorchy and Milford Sound need a car, shuttle or tour, and the ski fields run their own paid mountain buses in winter.
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Related guides
- Queenstown Airport to town: bus, taxi, shuttle or rental
The $2.50 bus, what a taxi costs, shuttles, and when a rental car makes sense.
- Do you need a car in Queenstown?
Where the bus gets you, where it does not, and what a car, shuttle or tour costs instead.
- Arrowtown by bus: $2.50 from Queenstown or the airport
Route 4 from town, Route 2 from Frankton, $2.50 with a Bee Card, and the last bus back.
- Bee Card in Queenstown: where to buy it and how it works
$5 card, $5 minimum top-up, $2.50 fares instead of $4 cash. Where to buy and how to top up.
Sources: Otago Regional Council GTFS timetable data (CC BY 4.0) and the ORC Queenstown fares page (opens in a new tab), retrieved 24 September 2026. Orbus is operated for the Otago Regional Council. 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.