How to get to Cardrona from Queenstown & Wanaka – all your winter transport options here...
Getting to Cardrona is easy, no matter where you’re staying! Located in the heart of the Southern Alps, we’re a short drive from Wanaka, Queenstown & Arrowtown. Let us drive you – with regular daily buses from Queenstown, Wanaka, & Arrowtown, we can get you right to the front door & onto the snow faster!
Cardrona is just a short hop over the Crown Range from Queenstown Airport, so it’s super easy to pick up your rental car & drive straight here!
Cardrona is located in a high alpine environment, with weather that can change quickly. We are located at the top of a 14km long, unsealed access road, so please take care & keep to the left to maintain 2-way traffic the whole way.
Both the Crown Range road & the Cardrona mountain road can be affected by snowfall, so it’s best to always carry chains & know how to use them. If you don’t have your own chains, you can hire them on the Cardrona mountain road. Our friendly chain crew can also fit your own chains for you if you don’t know how!
Cardrona is an easy drive from NZ’s most famous resort towns – Queenstown & Wanaka. These 2 lakeside destinations are surrounded by breath-taking alpine scenery & offer a dizzying array of activities, sights & sounds. If you’re looking for the ultimate holiday destination, this is it!
Drive Distances:
Wanaka 34km
Queenstown 58km
Arrowtown 37km
As a start point, it always pays to check before you pack your car if chains are required on our Snow Report. It's updated from around 6am daily, & it'll let you know whether you're fine to put all your gear in the boot on top of your chains, or whether you'll need to have them handy. It'll also let you know if chains are required on all vehicles, or just on 2WDs.
Our friendly chain crew will be positioned on the access road in the spot where you'll need to fit chains. Pull over to the side of the road where they are – even if you think the road looks sweet to drive, always put chains on where directed because they know where the safest spot to do it is, & also what the road conditions are like further ahead.
If you've never fitted chains before, check out this super helpful video we made to show you a few different types:
The chain crew can also help you put your chains on if you get stuck – they'll help you out for free!
We offer a Cardrona bus service from Queenstown, with heaps of pickup points throughout town to get you up the mountain. You can pick up passes & rental gear from Cardrona Queenstown (37 Camp St) the night before!
| Queenstown Bus Service | Adult | Child |
| Return Transport | $55 | $55 |
| Return Transport & Lift Pass | $150 | $92 |
| Transport add-on* | $35 | $35 |
*can be added on to any lift pass or package at time of purchase
Late departure runs till September 22 & early departure runs till October 13
The Wanaka bus service has a four pickup points around town – pick up all your gear & passes from Cardrona Corner (20 Helwick St) the day before so you can get off the bus & go straight to the lifts! Please check the timetable below the map for departure information.
| Wanaka Bus Service | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Return Transport | $55 | $55 |
| Transport add-on* | $35 |
$35 |
*can be added on to any lift pass or package at time of purchase
Bus service runs until October 13
Hassle-free & environmentally conscious private transfers from your Wanaka accommodation to Cardrona. We take care of the little things so you don't have to. Contact our reservations team to book now.
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