Cardrona: dates, passes, buses
New Zealand's largest ski area, 54 km and about an hour from Queenstown over the Crown Range: from $184 for an adult day, $45 return on the Cardrona bus, open latest of the four to 18 October 2026.
Published 4 September 2026 · Last checked 4 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
| Operator | Cardrona Alpine Resort (RealNZ) |
| From Queenstown | 54 km, about 1 hour |
| 2026 season | 26 June to 18 October 2026 (Extended from 11 October) |
| Adult day pass | From $184: Adult single day; multi-day from $120 per day; spring pass from $105 per day from 1 September |
| Bus from Queenstown | Cardrona bus from Queenstown, $45 adult return. $20 spring price from 1 September; free mountain-road shuttle from The Pines car park at the base of the access road |
| Size | 615 ha, New Zealand's largest ski area, with the biggest terrain park in the Southern Hemisphere |
| Access | Via the Crown Range Road from Queenstown; chains when signed, $750 QLDC fine from winter 2026 |
| Season end | The latest of the four in 2026, 18 October |
| Public bus | No Orbus service to any ski field; the operators run their own buses from central Queenstown. |
About Cardrona
Cardrona sits on the Wanaka side of the Crown Range, 54 km and about an hour from Queenstown, and it is the largest of the four at 615 ha with the biggest terrain park in the Southern Hemisphere. Its wide, open slopes make it the field most people recommend for beginners and families, and its season runs latest: 26 June to 18 October in 2026, after an extension from 11 October.
Passes start at $184 for an adult day, drop to $120 a day on multi-day products, and fall to $105 a day on the spring pass from 1 September. The lift ticket is shared with Treble Cone.
The Cardrona bus from Queenstown is $45 adult return ($20 in spring from 1 September); a free shuttle runs from The Pines car park at the bottom of the access road for drivers who would rather not do the climb. The Crown Range is the one road, and chains are required when signed.
Snow report and webcams: on Cardrona’s own site; nothing is reproduced here. The comparison guide puts all four side by side, and the other three are Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Treble Cone.
Booking the coach up
The seats below are the same operator coach named in the table, resold by Klook, at the price klook.com showed on 2026-09-10. They run in the 2026 season only (26 June to 18 October 2026), and the operator sells the identical seat on its own page for nothing extra to you and nothing to us.
Cardrona ski packages
Seasonal · lift pass with the Queenstown bus
From NZ$184 per person on Klook, price checked 2026-09-10
We earn a commission if you book through this link.
Cardrona first-timer ski or snowboard package
Seasonal · lesson, rental and lift
From NZ$249 per person on Klook, price checked 2026-09-10
We earn a commission if you book through this link.
Questions people ask
How far is Cardrona from Queenstown?
54 km and about an hour by car over the Crown Range Road. The Cardrona bus from Queenstown is $45 adult return, or $20 at the spring price from 1 September.
When is Cardrona open in 2026?
26 June to 18 October 2026, extended from the original 11 October close, the latest of the four fields.
How much is a day pass at Cardrona?
From $184 for an adult single day in 2026; multi-day passes from $120 a day and the spring pass from $105 a day from 1 September. Passes are shared with Treble Cone.
Is Cardrona better than Coronet Peak for beginners?
Cardrona is bigger (615 ha) with wider, gentler terrain and is the usual recommendation for first-timers and families; Coronet Peak is 16 km from town with night skiing. The drive to Cardrona is about an hour each way over the Crown Range.
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Sources: Cardrona lift passes (opens in a new tab), Cardrona and Treble Cone, getting here (opens in a new tab), Snowfall.co.nz, 2026 opening dates (opens in a new tab) and QLDC, winter road reports (chain rule) (opens in a new tab), retrieved 4 September 2026. Facts only from the operator's published pages; season dates depend on snow and change during the season. Independent guide, not affiliated with the operator. 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.