Key facts
- Fact 01
NZTA will close SH94 Milford Road in both directions between Hollyford Road and The Divide Car Park from 8pm to 5am on Monday to Thursday nights.
- Fact 02
The road reopens at 10pm on each closure night to let queued traffic through.
- Fact 03
NZTA says no detour is available for the closed section of the Milford Road.
- Fact 04
The night closures are for river protection works.
NZTA will close State Highway 94, the Milford Road, in both directions between Hollyford Road and The Divide Car Park from 8pm to 5am on Monday to Thursday nights, starting on Monday 9 November 2026. NZTA says the closures will run for approximately five weeks, and its record gives an expected finish of 5am on Friday 11 December. The road reopens at 10pm each closure night to let any queued traffic through the site.
The closures are for river protection works. NZTA's record says no detour is available, so on a closure night the only way through this section between 8pm and 5am is the 10pm opening. The notice names Monday to Thursday nights only.
If you are driving back from Milford Sound in the evening, plan to clear the section between Hollyford Road and The Divide before 8pm, or join the queue for the 10pm opening. If you are leaving Te Anau before dawn, the section reopens at 5am.
There is daytime work on the same route this week too. On SH94 at The Key, stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h limit apply from 7am to 6pm, Monday 9 to Saturday 14 November, for road stabilisation and repair works. On SH95 at Te Anau, stop/go and a 30km/h limit apply from 7am to 5pm over the same days for road repair works.
We read NZTA's road event records for SH94 and SH95 on Monday 9 November 2026, NZ time. NZTA lists the night closure as scheduled and asks drivers to plan their journey accordingly. Check NZTA's live road information on the day you travel.
The closure covers night hours only, so a daytime trip is not stopped by it. It matters if you planned to drive back late. If you would rather not time the road yourself, compare Milford Sound day trips from Queenstown by coach, small group and plane.
Our Queenstown to Milford Sound planner helps you time the drive, and our Te Anau things to do guide has ideas for an evening in Te Anau instead.
Questions visitors are asking
When is the Milford Road closed at night near The Divide?
NZTA will close SH94 Milford Road between Hollyford Road and The Divide Car Park from 8pm to 5am on Monday to Thursday nights, starting Monday 9 November 2026. The closures run for approximately five weeks, with an expected finish of 5am on Friday 11 December, and the road reopens at 10pm each night.
Can I drive through to Milford Sound at night during the closures?
Only at the 10pm opening. NZTA says the Milford Road reopens at 10pm on each closure night to let queued traffic through the site between Hollyford Road and The Divide Car Park. Outside that opening the section is closed in both directions from 8pm to 5am, and NZTA says no detour is available.
Why is the Milford Road closing at night?
NZTA says the overnight closures on SH94 between Hollyford Road and The Divide Car Park are for river protection works. The closures run from 8pm to 5am on Monday to Thursday nights from Monday 9 November 2026 for approximately five weeks, with a 10pm opening each night for queued traffic.
Are there daytime delays on the drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound?
Yes, from Monday 9 to Saturday 14 November 2026. NZTA has stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h limit on SH94 at The Key from 7am to 6pm, and on SH95 at Te Anau from 7am to 5pm. The Milford Road night closure near The Divide covers night hours only.