- 1Without a car, stay in central Queenstown or Frankton. Orbus Route 1 runs from the airport through the Frankton bus hub into town about every 15 minutes from 6:02am to 8:01pm, and the adult fare is $2.50 with a Bee Card or $4 in cash, $10 cash to or from the airport, as Otago Regional Council states.
- 2For Coronet Peak, look at Arthurs Point or Arrowtown: Destination Queenstown puts Arthurs Point 5 minutes from the bottom of the access road and Arrowtown 20 minutes from the ski area.
- 3For The Remarkables, Destination Queenstown suggests Frankton, Kelvin Heights or Jacks Point, and says it is a ski bus ride or a 45 minute drive from central Queenstown.
- 4Stays run from backpackers and holiday parks to motels, serviced apartments, hotels and luxury lodges. This guide compares areas, not properties.
If you would rather book a transfer
- To or from the city centre, with a driver to meet you.
- Airport to town centre transfer.
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01 / Short answer
Which area of Queenstown should I stay in?
Stay in central Queenstown if you will not have a car, and choose by ski area if you will. From central Queenstown, Routes 1, 4 and 5 all go to Frankton, and Route 1 goes on to the airport. In the 2026 season, Coronet Peak's ski buses left from 9 Duke Street. Frankton is 4 to 5 minutes from the airport on the Route 1 timetable, which ORC calls a guide. Arthurs Point and Arrowtown suit Coronet Peak, and Destination Queenstown calls Arthurs Point quieter and more secluded than central Queenstown.
02 / Compare
How does each Queenstown area link to town?
| Area | Getting to town and the airport | Suits, and what the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Central Queenstown | Route 1 to the airport via the Frankton bus hub; Routes 1, 4 and 5 to Frankton. In the 2026 season, Coronet Peak ski buses left from 9 Duke Street. | Staying without a car. The Remarkables is a ski bus ride or a 45 minute drive away (Destination Queenstown). |
| Frankton | Frankton Bus Hub. On ORC's Route 1 timetable, which ORC calls a guide, the first bus takes 13 minutes from Stanley Street in town, then 4 to the airport. | The closest of these areas to the airport, Route 2 to Arrowtown, and The Remarkables, which Destination Queenstown suggests Frankton for. |
| Kelvin Heights | Route 3, caught from the Frankton bus hub or Quail Rise. Change at the Frankton hub for Route 1 to town or the airport; no source we read gives a travel time. | The 3.5 km Peninsula Trail, with views across Lake Whakatipu to the Remarkables, and The Remarkables (Destination Queenstown). |
| Fernhill and Sunshine Bay | The last stops on Route 1. On the timetable the first bus takes 11 minutes from Sunshine Bay to Stanley Street. | Walkers and riders: the Sunshine Bay Track, about 3 km back to town, the 7 km Fernhill Loop and the Fernhill Bike Park. |
| Arthurs Point | Route 4. Destination Queenstown calls it a 10 minute bus ride into town. | Coronet Peak, 5 minutes from the bottom of its access road, and a quieter stay. Hotels, holiday parks and serviced rentals. |
| Arrowtown | A 20 minute drive (Destination Queenstown). Route 4 to town, 21 minutes from Stanley Street on the first timetabled bus, and Route 2 to the Frankton hub. | A stay of a few nights, which Destination Queenstown recommends, and winter, with four ski areas 20 to 60 minutes' drive away. |
| Jacks Point | The start of Route 4; the 6:00am bus reaches Stanley Street at 6:30am on the timetable. | The Remarkables (Destination Queenstown). No source we read says more about the area. |
03 / Without a car
Where should I stay in Queenstown without a car?
- 01Pick a route
Orbus Queenstown has five routes: 1 Sunshine Bay to Remarkables Shops, 2 Frankton Hub to Arrowtown, 3 Kelvin Heights to Quail Rise, 4 Jacks Point to Arrowtown via Arthurs Point and Queenstown, and 5 Lake Hayes Estate to Queenstown.
- 02Check how often it runs
Route 1 runs about every 15 minutes from 6:02am to 8:01pm, then about every 30 minutes until 12:25am. Routes 2, 3 and 4 run about every 30 minutes in the morning and late afternoon, and every 60 minutes otherwise.
- 03Get a Bee Card
Fares here are from ORC, updated 1 November 2026. Bank and credit cards cannot pay a bus fare, only cash or a Bee Card. A Bee Card costs $5 plus a minimum $5 top up. Travel anywhere on the Queenstown network is one zone, and the adult fare is $2.50 with a Bee Card or $4 in cash, $10 cash to or from the airport.
- 04Ride in from the airport
Route 1 runs from the airport into central Queenstown via the Frankton bus hub, so the $10 cash airport fare applies, or $2.50 with a Bee Card. Destination Queenstown puts the airport 15 minutes from downtown on one page and 20 minutes on another.
- 05Plan around Christmas Day
Destination Queenstown says the buses run to the same timetable every day of the year except Christmas Day.
04 / Coronet Peak
Where should I stay for skiing at Coronet Peak?
Arthurs Point or Arrowtown, the two bases Destination Queenstown names, or central Queenstown by ski bus. Destination Queenstown listed 2026 open dates of 13 June to 4 October for Coronet Peak, and says the ski season runs from June until October.
- Arthurs Point
5 minutes from the bottom of the access road, with hotels, holiday parks and serviced rentals (Destination Queenstown).
- Arrowtown
20 minutes from the ski area (Destination Queenstown).
- Central Queenstown
Ski bus seats must be booked: Coronet Peak's page, read 12 November 2026, says all passengers reserve a departure time, pickup location and mountain when buying a ski bus pass. In the 2026 season its buses left 9 Duke Street regularly from 7:30am until 11am, and on night ski days on the hour from 3pm to 6pm. If you drive into town to catch one, Coronet Peak names Man Street car park as close to the pick up.
- The road
Coronet Peak is 16 km from the town centre, about a 20 minute drive, on a fully sealed alpine road. It asks drivers to carry snow chains at all times.
05 / The Remarkables
Where should I stay for skiing at The Remarkables?
Destination Queenstown suggests Frankton, Kelvin Heights or Jacks Point; from central Queenstown it is a ski bus ride or a 45 minute drive. Destination Queenstown listed 2026 open dates of 13 June to 11 October for The Remarkables.
- The road
The Remarkables is 24 km from central Queenstown. Its road is sealed for the first 10 km and unsealed for the final section. The Remarkables asks drivers to carry snow chains at all times and says snow socks are not accepted as a form of chains.
- The ski bus
In the 2026 season, The Remarkables said bookings were required and strongly recommended booking early, as capacity is limited and popular services can sell out during peak periods. Buses left the mountain from 1:30pm, first come, first served.
- Rental cars
Both ski areas warn that driving on alpine roads or using snow chains is not always covered by rental vehicle cover, so check yours.
06 / Arrowtown
Is Arrowtown a good base for Queenstown?
Yes, for a slower stay. Arrowtown is a 20 minute drive from central Queenstown, and Destination Queenstown recommends staying a few nights to enjoy the village. In winter it calls Arrowtown a popular base, with four ski areas between 20 and 60 minutes' drive away, Coronet Peak among them at 20 minutes. Without a car, Route 4 runs from Arrowtown to town via Arthurs Point, and Route 2 to the Frankton hub.
07 / Types of stay
What kinds of accommodation are there in Queenstown?
Everything from backpackers and holiday parks to motels, serviced apartments, hotels and luxury lodges, according to Destination Queenstown, which also lists bed and breakfasts, holiday homes, and lodges and retreats. It says there are plenty of family friendly options in central Queenstown and the surrounding suburbs. We plan trips and do not sell rooms, so this guide names no properties, and we found no source for room prices.