COVID-19 travel alert: Taupo region is currently at Alert Level 1. Learn more.
Getting here & around
Taupo is centrally located in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand and is easily accessible by car, bus and plane.
Taupo is centrally located in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand, about 3 ½ hours’ drive from Auckland and 4 ½ hours’ drive from Wellington.
Taupo is within a two-hour drive of Waitomo Caves to the west, Hamilton to the north, Tauranga to the east and Ruapehu to the south.
Closer to Taupo you will find the trout fishing mecca of Turangi and the quiet lakeside town of Mangakino. The world famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing within the Tongariro National Park is close by.
Driving to Taupo
Taupo is an easy drive from all of the main centres in the North Island of New Zealand. Taupo is situated at the crossroads of State Highway One (SH1) and the Thermal Explorer Highway, the country's main highway for road travel, connecting Auckland to Wellington.
Driving Times
| Auckland - Taupo | 3.5 hours |
| Hamilton - Taupo | 2 hours |
| Napier - Taupo | 2 hours |
| New Plymouth - Taupo | 3.5 hours |
| Palmerston North - Taupo | 3.5 hours |
| Rotorua - Taupo | 1 hour |
| Wellington - Taupo | 4.5 hours |
Flights to Taupo
Auckland to Taupo
Air New Zealand operates daily flights between Auckland and Taupo. For more information about scheduled flights to the Taupo Airport, visit the Air New Zealand website.
Wellington to Taupo
Marlborough-based air operator Sounds Air provide 15 flights per week between Taupo and Wellington. For more information about scheduled flights to the Taupo Airport, visit the Sounds Air website.
Private Plane Charters
You can also fly to Taupo Airport via private chartered flights, jets and helicopters. Taupo Airport services Global Expresses, to light twin engine aircraft. Please check out Inflite Charters for private charters.
Airport Parking
Taupo Airport has a public car park adjacent to the terminal building. All parking is free of charge. While secure parking is not currently available, security gates on Anzac Drive are closed at night.
Bus to Taupo
Intercity offers more than 150 services every day connecting over 600 New Zealand destinations. Search for available seats and book your bus tickets to get to or from Taupo via the Intercity website.
Backpacker Bus
There are also plenty of backpacker bus tours to Taupo such as Kiwi Experience, Contiki, Stray and other smaller personalised tours that can get you here with plenty of fun guaranteed.
Local Taupo Bus
Once you’ve arrived, Taupo’s local bus service, the Taupo Connector, can take you pretty much anywhere you need to go around Taupo town centre.
You can also hire a rental car or take a taxi or shuttle/tour to get around Taupo.
